By Alec Nederveld
Since being hired in 2007 and 2016 respectfully, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart have turned Alabama and Georgia into the most feared teams in the country. Saban has six national and nine SEC Championships with the Tide, Smart has two of each for the Dawgs.
Saban has sustained his dominance longer than anybody and has seen his fair share of challengers come and go. The most notable of these is Clemson, who won two titles but went 9-4 this year, as Dabo Swinney continues to ignore the transfer portal.
Smart and Georgia, meanwhile, have found staying power next to Alabama. They made the 2017 title game, even reaching overtime with the Tide, and went the entire regular season as the AP #1 team this year. After years of Saban dominating his former assistants, his biggest rival now was once his long-time defensive coordinator.
Roster Construction
The success starts with the players. Alabama and Georgia have topped the 247Sports Team Talent Composite since 2020. Since 2017, both teams have finished top-five in recruiting. One of the two finished first in recruiting every year since 2011, except for 2022 when Jimbo Fisher did anything possible to land the top class.
Transfers have further assisted both teams. Contributors such as Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, Trezmen Marshall, Stetson Bennett (Juco), Dominic Lovett, and Tykee Smith started their careers at other schools. Neither team is built through the portal, adding roughly five guys a year, but it has helped find additional contributors.
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Culture
Players opting out has become a common theme in college football. Jayden Daniels, Marvin Harrison Jr., Olu Fashanu, and many Florida State starters chose not to play in their bowl game to avoid injury before they hear their names called in the NFL Draft. Despite not meeting expectations and reaching the playoffs, zero Georgia players opted out.
Similarly, last year’s Alabama team, with three top-twelve and 10 total NFL draft picks also had zero opt-outs. When two title-caliber teams play an overmatched Kansas State and a vastly weakened Florida State team with weeks to prepare, dominance follows. The Tide handled business 45-20 while Georgia set records in a 63-3 demolition.
Adaptability
Both coaches have changed their approach as College Football and rosters change. The two initially gained success with a dominant defense and run game. Later, Saban shifted focus to offense with a stable of receivers and first-round NFL quarterbacks.
2023 has been a return to past form with Alabama’s defense and a balanced-run approach doing the majority of the work. Jalen Milroe isn’t bad – but he is a major step down from Bryce Young and the past.
Smart’s Bulldogs have shifted to a pass-first attack as his quarterbacks and receivers have improved. Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck the past two years have emerged as some of the country’s best passers and guys like Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey always find a way to get open and make plays. They still have one of the best defenses and a balanced offense, a tough combination to stop.
LADD MCCONKEY, HOW?!
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 30, 2023
Consistency
While other coaches can avoid opt-outs, or land a top-five class, nobody can put it all together year after year like Saban or Smart. To me, it’s the most important aspect for both coaches. Alabama has won 10+ games every year since 2008. Georgia has reached that mark every year since 2017, except for 2020.
I don’t see either program regressing unless the coach leaves or something drastic happens. Regardless of if Saban gets title eight, (he had one at LSU in 2003), both teams will be back in 2024 sharing a spot at the top of the mountain.
