Kirby Smart Potentially Feels “No Nick Saban” Heat, While Kalen DeBoer Has a Chance to Shine With Prestigious Award Move

The landscape of college football could be on the brink of a monumental shift with the eventual retirement of Alabama’s legendary coach, Nick Saban. Saban, unprecedented success and dominance, has marked whose tenure has long been the benchmark for excellence in the sport. As one of the most influential figures in college football, his departure would create a significant power vacuum, presenting both challenges and opportunities for other prominent coaches in the SEC and beyond.

Enter Kirby Smart and Kalen DeBoer, two coaches who stand to gain significantly from this potential shift. Smart, a former Saban protégé, has already carved out his legacy at Georgia but now faces the immense pressure of stepping into a larger spotlight. DeBoer, on the other hand, is ready to elevate his profile with his innovative coaching techniques and a knack for turning quarterbacks into stars.

Kirby Smart’s potential without Nick Saban

As Andy Staples notes on On3, “No Nick Saban in college football anymore. We’ll see him on game day, but he will not be coaching Alabama. How much does that change the dynamics of the SEC, the playoff race, the national title race?“. The potential retirement of Nick Saban places Kirby Smart in a position of heightened responsibility and expectation. Mile Olson further added, “It puts a lot of pressure on Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning, Steve Sarkisian, and all these guys to go be the dominant program now going forward.” The absence of Saban alters the competitive landscape of the SEC and shifts the onus onto other coaches to establish their dominance.

Kirby Smart, who has already proven his mettle by leading Georgia to national prominence, now faces solidifying his program’s status as the new standard-bearer. Impressive achievements have marked Smart’s tenure at Georgia, including multiple SEC titles and national championships. His ability to recruit top talent and develop elite defenses has been instrumental in Georgia’s success.

Furthermore, while discussing his transition from working under Saban to establishing his own legacy, Smart emphasized the importance of attention to detail and compartmentalization. “His ability to compartmentalize and work at the task at hand was always incredible to me. It’s something that I try to do,” Smart noted​. This approach has paid off, as Smart’s Bulldogs have consistently ranked among the top teams in defensive metrics and recruiting classes.

Without Saban in the mix, Smart’s most significant test will be sustaining such a level of excellence in his way because scrutiny and expectations are always unrelenting at this level. Because the one thing he must be is the one to supplant where Saban walked, it puts Smart in a position where he has to keep finding new ways to do things to get a competitive edge. In order to fully understand the shifts occurring in college football, it is crucial to examine how other up-and-coming coaches are ready to take advantage of these changes. This brings us to Kalen DeBoer, who is causing a big stir in the coaching world.

Kalen DeBoer’s opportunity

Today, Kalen DeBoer is among the most respected names in fast-rising college football coaching circles. His journey from NAIA’s Sioux Falls to leading Washington into the College Football Playoff brilliantly highlighted his exceptional coaching abilities. DeBoer’s tenure at Washington has been nothing short of spectacular. In his first season, he led the Huskies to an 11-2 record. His 2023 record—14-1 with a Pac-12 Championship and even a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship—was equally impressive as well.

DeBoer keeps racking up accolades earning a spot, as a finalist for awards like the Associated Press Coach of the Year and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, among significant recognitions in 2023. With his success at Washington, he’s now considered one of the contenders – if not the frontrunner — to step into the shoes of the Nick Saban, at Alabama. “Following Coach Saban is an honor. He has been the standard for college football, and his success is unprecedented,” DeBoer remarked​.

Kalen DeBoer’s coaching approach, focusing on nurturing players and their ability to adapt, has transformed individuals such as Michael Penix Jr. into standout performers. “He’s been a game-changer for us,” said Penix Jr. Furthermore, under DeBoer’s guidance, Penix Jr. Secured the 2023 Maxwell Award, highlighting the coach’s ability to maximize his players’ potential.

Moving to Alabama is a big step in DeBoer’s coaching career. Having attained a 104-12 record throughout his career at different levels of college football he has proved his mettle. Thus in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer comes as the untried head coach with the intention of bringing new life into Crimson Tide’s already esteemed legacy through his leadership and gameplay — that has seen him triumph where others have failed.