If you thought Kirby Smart had any intention of treating his former boss any different from the rest of his opponents, you were wrong. Smart addressed the recent issue of Alabama blocking defensive back Maurice Smith from transferring to UGA and had a different view than Bama's Nick Saban on the issue.
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"I can't speak much about the Mo situation because he's a recruited, prospective student-athlete," Smart said. "... But as far as the graduate transfer deal, I think every young man that we bring here to the University of Georgia, we want them to graduate from this place. And if they have an opportunity to go to graduate school at another place, I certainly think that's going to be something that we let them do."
Even if that player wants to go to another SEC school?
"Absolutely," Smart said.
Seems a little hypocritical after Smart himself has blocked transfers since arriving at Georgia and operates under a similar policy to Saban's. However the real weight of Smarts words is what he didn't say. While he doesn't specifically reference Nick Saban he does make it clear that he is his own man and that he has no plans of bowing to anyone.
What did Pat Dye say to his former boss Bear Bryant when he took over at Auburn? "Before you start hugging me," Dye notoriously said, "you ought to know that my boys are fixin' to get after y'all's ass."
We might be getting the next great coaching rivalry in the SEC.
