DawginSC

Fans like you don't realize that this isn't a critique of Kirby Smart's teams... it's actually a critique of Mark Richt's teams. That's how dated the graduation information is when it gets released.

The last release we had included only one class Kirby Smart recruited... his very first class which was mostly chosen by Mark Richt that Smart just held onto after being hired.

It's funny watching a ND fan talk about A&M's schedule as being about the same or slightly worse than ND's while forgetting two things.

First... A&M went 11-1 against their schedule while ND went 10-2.

Second... A&M defeated ND head to head.

ND would have been in the playoff if they were 11-1. They're not.

You play a weak arse schedule, you don't get in if you're a bubble team at 10-2.

Jimbo leaving FSU for A&M
Kelly leaving ND for LSU
Riley leaving OU for SC (though some might argue they're equal)
Fran leaving Bama for A&M
R. Rod leaving Bama for WVU (though he didn't actually coach at Bama)

Probably many more.

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So Saban’s second year at Alabama he would have been in the 12 team playoffs? So that would be a 50% rate right?

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Yes. After being hired following a losing season in 2006, Saban would have taken his team to a 4 team playoff once in his first two seasons

Deboer after being hired following a season in which Bama won the SEC and made a 4 team playoff... has made the 12 team playoff once.

Do you honestly view those as "about the same start?" Or can you just admit there's been a noticeable dropoff from Saban's performance?

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Bama isn't mediocre under KD. Rather, KD has Bama playing at our floor. He hasn't elevated the program.

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You have a floor below Deboer. Do you honestly think Mike Shula would have won 2 of 3 against UGA the past 2 seasons?

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There was a recent time when AL just named who they wanted and that man dropped whatever and whoever and ran to AL.

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This has never been true.

Some coaches can't be hired away as long as their current employer is willing to match offers.

No college job was hiring Steve Spurrier away from Florida when he coached there. I'm sure Bama asked when they hired Mike Dubose. Wasn't achievable.

Same was true for Bobby Bowden when FSU was willing to match offers. Teams tried.

I'd say the same holds true for Kirby Smart at UGA. As long as UGA is willing to match any offer, it's unlikely Kirby would go anywhere.

And if you actually look at the Bama coaching searches, it's fair to look back and question if most of them were "first choices".

Was Deboer? Probably... but did they ask Smart just to be sure he was off the board?

Was Saban? No, he wasn't. Rich Rodriguez was who they initially hired. RRod backed out and stayed with WVU (though he later left his alma mater for Michigan).

Shula definitely wasn't their first choice. They were dealing with heavy sanctions.

Price? Nope. Mike Riley turned down the job. Same probation/sanction issues as Shula.

Franchione? Reportedly Frank Beamer was their first choice, but didn't want to leave his Alma Mater (VT).

Dubose? Many think Bama didn't want to hire him but there was pressure from fans and possibly Stallings.

Stallings? Nope, Bobby Bowden was choice 1. Bama's board of trustees voted to hire him 14-1 but his contract buyout scared off Bama's President.

Curry might have been the University's choice, but the fans hated the hire.

We really might have to go back to Perkins following Bear to have the first time Bama got their first choice for head coach unless they didn't bother to call Kirby when they hired Deboer.

I think your premise is flawed.

I'm amused by this thread because a year or two ago I remember you guys being excited about Kirby Moore and talking about him one day being as good a coach as Kirby Smart (simply because of their names I guess).

Amazing how things change, huh?

ND should just join the ACC.

They already played 6 ACC teams this year. One of their rivals (Stanford) is in the ACC.

Join the ACC. Stanford is a permanent opponent.
USC is a permanent OOC opponent.
This year they could play A&M and Navy OOC

Drop Purdue, Arkansas and Boise State.
Add 3 ACC games.

Schedule is not meaningfully different. Then you can win the ACC and get a slot.

And please don't try to pretend that games against Arkansas, Boise State or Purdue are important.

ND has played Purdue 3 times in the last decade with their current scheduling freedom. They aren't an important rival.

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And with 9 games you can't have a balance in home and away games. 5-4 at best

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Actually, UGA finally gets balance in home and away games by expanding to 9 conference games.

4 games at home
4 games at the opponent's place
1 game in Jacksonville.

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Why are the Yankees a better job than the Rays?

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Not a great comparison. The yankess have more than double the payroll as the Rays do. Yankees and Rays are more like comparing Bama and West Virginia.

I find the whole outrage over not playing A&M rather amusing.

Does anyone really think UGA has been hurt by that?

I mean it would make sense to not match up Bama or Ole Miss against UGA again or add OU to UGA's schedule and instead have a game vs A&M... but is that any harder?

I mean A&M over their time in the SEC has been about the same as Ole Miss and worse than Bama or OU.