Kirby Smart patiently waited for 'great opportunity' to coach Georgia

The time was finally right.

Kirby Smart long had been considered a potential head coaching candidate. But the time, place or program never seemed to match what he was looking for. Of course Smart wanted to be a head coach one day. It’s what most coaches dream of becoming when they set out in the profession.

But Smart didn’t want to settle or rush into a head coaching job without it feeling perfect.

This time, with the Georgia job opening up, everything lined up to his liking.

“I waited on a great opportunity, which is here at the University of Georgia right now,” Smart said. “No better place in the country to be, one of the top programs in the country, top storied programs, very fertile recruiting ground, very supportive administration.”

Smart spent the past nine years as an assistant at Alabama and the past eight as a defensive coordinator. In six of those seasons, Alabama finished in the top five nationally in total defense. This year, Smart’s defense at Alabama ranks second in the nation as it heads into the second-ever College Football Playoff.

Smart was a defensive back at Georgia from 1995-98 and understands the culture and landscape of the university. He got emotional early on in his first-ever news conference as Georgia’s head coach when talking about his family, his return to Athens and what the university means to him.

It was evident that this was the kind of job Smart, 39, has longed for while working as an assistant under Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

“I think he was waiting for the job,” said his father, Sonny Smart. “He had no idea this one would ever come open. He’s been told the last couple of years about whether he should go or not. But Alabama was paying him a lot. He had a great job and family was happy.”

Yes, Alabama paid him well but Georgia will spend even more on Smart. Smart will go from $1.5 million annually to $3.75 million per season as Georgia’s head coach.

Smart said he understands the criticism some might have about Georgia not hiring an already-proven head coach at another program. Going after a coordinator involves a considerable risk, especially when he hasn’t had previous head coaching experience.

But Smart said his time at Alabama prepared him for this moment. He saw how Saban handled the high-pressure situations that come along with the position.

“A lot of people have said why not take a smaller school head job?” Smart said. “I honestly feel my growth was better being in a large program, being around Coach Saban and learning how to manage a lot of the tough situations you deal with in the media. So for me, the most difficult thing for me is the timing of this and trying to move forward and grow and get the recruiting going.”

Smart met with the Georgia players for the first time Sunday evening after being officially announced as the 26th head coach in program history earlier in the day.

Outside linebacker Davin Bellamy, whom Smart tried to get to Alabama near the end of his recruitment three years ago, said he came away impressed after the team meeting.

“He’s a feisty dude. Hungry,” Bellamy said. “He knows about the ‘G’ because he played here. He’s going to have that tenacious attitude.”

Smart is in a unique position as Georgia’s head coach as he’ll work around the clock for the next week before returning to Alabama to resume playoff practices. And even though he’s coaching Georgia, he might not spend much time in Athens in the upcoming days.

Following his introductory news conference, Smart was scheduled to fly across the country to Washington to visit Georgia quarterback recruit Jacob Eason. Smart will continue to hit the recruiting trail to shore up Georgia’s class of 2016 until the dead period arrives Dec. 14.

Once Alabama’s postseason ends, either in the Cotton Bowl semifinal or the national championship game, his sole focus will be on Georgia.

“My impression of Coach Smart is he’s a hard-working coach who expects a lot and is going to demand a lot,” running back Sony Michel said. “He’s going to push us to the fullest. We have to be ready and prepared.”

Georgia hasn’t won an SEC title since 2005 and hasn’t played for a national championship since the Herschel Walker years. Smart, having won three titles with Alabama, said he didn’t want to discuss hypothetical questions about how quickly Georgia can be competitive on a national scale.

But Smart was willing to answer what brand of football he’ll bring in his first season. 

“Character, toughness, determination, a lot of those factors, relentless effort,” Smart said. “That’s what we talk about all the time. That’s what we’re going to sell this program on. Making sure every kid is buying into the team aspect of that. Once you get that, you can achieve every goal you want.”

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Kirby Smart patiently waited for 'great opportunity' to coach Georgia."