“It was a No-Brainer,” Kirby Smart Explains Decision to Leave Alabama

Former Crimson Tide defensive coordinator and current Georgia head coach Kirby Smart joined ESPN's First Take to talk about this past football season as well as dive into what exactly went into his decision to leave Alabama.

Smart joined the show alongside his former Bulldog linebacker Nakobe Dean ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Opening up on his team's success throughout his tenue, especially in 2021, winning the program's first national title since 1980, Smart said, "First off, we've got great infrastructure. We've got a five-hour radius around Athens, GA that probably has some of the best football players in the country."

Continuing, Smart explained further, "I'm very fortunate to be at a place that supports us, allows us to go out and recruit all over the country, and where we've got a lot of talent based around us."

Diving into his decision to leave Alabama, Smart said simply, "I felt like it was the next step. I had a great nine years there at the University of Alabama and then to get the opportunity to come home to my alma mater? It was a no-brainer."

Smart played defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1995-1998 and compiled 13 interceptions, good enough for fourth in program history, and was named an All-SEC selection in his final season.

Since returning home to his alma mater in 2016, Smart has compiled an impressive record of 66-15 with an SEC title, two College Football Playoff appearances and, most recently, a College Football Playoff Championship.

Whether or not Smart can sustain his success to the level of Nick Saban has yet to be seen, but the Bulldogs are a favorite by many to repeat next year. If Georgia can indeed reclaim the sport's highest honor in 2022, will it finally be time to crown a new king of college football?