The RaRa Thomas arrest truly shook things up for Kirby Smart. From getting bombarded on X by Bulldogs fans claiming that the culture at the camp is criminal because of Smart, to getting hit with major jabs from multiple news sites and sports analysts. While Smart finally decided on August 1st to remove RaRa from the team, even that decision has sparked outrage. Now we have RJ Young jumping on the scene and bringing us some proper crackdown of the scenario.

On August 1st, The Number One College Football Show took to YouTube to post a video breaking down Smart’s decision. “What’s clear about what Kirby Smart is looking for from his football team is that he does have a line, right?” RJ mentioned. As per RJ, dragging Smart through the mud right now would mean nothing. Although it took time, Smart is all on board to make the needed changes to his team. But why did it take time? Well, it’s simple. The current competition for the cup is immense. The recent changes at the SEC, Big 10, and ACC have pushed teams to only focus on keeping the best players on their roster. “Oklahoma and Texas are not Vanderbilt and Mississippi State,” RJ noted. Around 29 people, both staff and players combined, have had run-ins with the law. However, only RaRa Thomas’s dismissal is the one that stands out.

RJ had the perfect explanation for this. “it is Kirby saying, okay, enough is enough because there was some talk about whether or not he’d be allowed to play this year,” RJ mentioned. While RaRa was a standout player at Alabama and a major part of the Bulldogs roster. However, removing him was the best decision for the whole team. Smart had noted that RaRa was asked to change certain things if they wanted to be on the team, but those changes never came and HC had to make a decision. “it’s not just about how good they are as a football team, particularly at wide receiver, where they have depth, but what Kirby actually is going to put his foot down on,” RJ noted at the end. Sometimes you just gotta follow your morals rather than focusing on keeping the best player on your team. This fiasco also makes you wonder if Smart did learn anything from Saban or not.

The next Nick Saban

Looks like football fans would now agree why Kalen DeBoer still stands as the best candidate for the “next Nick Saban” title. While he was never mentored by Saban himself, unlike Smart, DeBoer still knows how to give a good grasp of the team. This is something that stands as a common factor between both Saban and DeBoer. Even QB Jalen Milroe agreed on this. “Beyond the coaching, he (DeBoer) does a really good job of getting to know his players,” Milroe had mentioned in an interview with Get UP by ESPN.

DeBoer has ensured that every player on his team has his number and can reach out to him in case of any problems. Not only that, he has spent time in the locker room with the boys to get to know them well. Other than being an offensive mind, this is one more factor that separates DeBoer from Smart. Let’s see how the 2024 season goes down for the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide.