Scarblog: Pass the popcorn as Kirby Smart vs. Nick Saban starts to get good

[jbcarol]

Scarblog: It was only a matter of time before the protege and his mentor began to clash, and while it no doubt has happened already on the recruiting trail, Smart fired a public shot across Saban's bow Saturday.

When the Georgia coach said he will "absolutely" let graduate transfers leave Georgia to attend any school they like, even an SEC school, left unsaid was this clear message: Unlike Nick Saban.

As everyone knows by now, Saban and Alabama are blocking defensive back Maurice Smith from transferring to Georgia to play for the Bulldogs this season as a grad transfer.

As we also know, Smart somehow neglected to mention his beneficent belief in an exception for grad transfers back in March when he outlined his own restrictive Saban-like policy that "we will not release kids to SEC schools unless it's a special situation."

What's a rivalry without a little hypocrisy?

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/762074311024869376

"I applaud Kirby Smart for openly supporting the choices of graduate transfer students and their ability to freely make them without issue," Samyra Smith said. "I also hope that student-athletes that are being recruited understand the difference. Our family advocates for student-athletes and believes in following the rules. But in the interest of doing so, one can never eliminate human compassion, wise judgement, and the balance between them all (the institution and student-athlete.)"

Maurice Smith did see Saban briefly on Saturday. A photo of the two together – Saban with the player in his graduation gown – was taken, as is standard when a player graduates. But the two did not hold a formal meeting, according to his mother.

"We adhere to the SEC and institutional policies regarding issues of this manner," Alabama's statement read. "Waivers are not provided without compelling circumstances that present clear non-athletic reasons for the transfer. We remain happy to assist Maurice to enable aa transfer to any non-SEC school, and have been doing everything requested regarding that throughout this process."

That part bothered Smith's mother. For one, Maurice Smith notified Alabama of his desire to transfer in mid-June, and it was only earlier this week, according to Samyra Smith, that Saban checked a box releasing Maurice to transfer to a non-SEC school.

For another thing, Samyra Smith saw the statement as Alabama hiding behind the SEC.

"No SEC rule is preventing Mo from playing at Georgia tis year," Samyra Smith said. "Nick Saban is blocking him and he is also acting as the SEC commissioner with his comments. The SEC voted to include a waiver, that if five criteria were met, the student-athlete could potentially be waived to sit out a year. Why would any coach who tells recruits and their families that he cares about the kids, not want to help one of his own be successful?"

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ByCasagrande/status/762304749140049920

-- Saban on Maurice Smith transfer: These transfer rules were made by university presidents and he continues to support those rules made by the SEC. "I don't run the conference, Alabama doesn't run the conference ..."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JasonHButt/status/761945504225918976

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart's stance on transfers does differ with graduate students.

The issue was raised with Smart in regards to Alabama cornerback Maurice Smith, who wants to transfer to Georgia with an undergraduate degree. Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Smart's former boss, placed a restriction to other SEC schools with Smith's transfer, which will prevent him from joining the Bulldogs.

Smart differs from Saban on this and said that he will not place a transfer restriction, even to SEC schools, on any player at Georgia who wishes to leave after receiving their undergraduate degree.

"Absolutely," Smart said when asked if he'd be OK with a player leaving with a degree to another SEC program.

Smart has previously stated that players wishing to transfer without an undergraduate degree will be restricted from SEC schools and future opponents on Georgia's schedule in the years of eligibility remaining. This came to light with former Georgia running back A.J. Turman, who had this restriction placed on him when he decided to leave the program.

Smart was unable to comment on Smith in particular since he's a prospective recruit as a potential transfer. Smart could only go as far as to confirm Georgia is recruiting Smith to come to the program.

"I think every young man we want to bring here to the University of Georgia, we want to graduate from this place," Smart said. "If they have an opportunity to go to a graduate school or another place, that is something we will let them do if they have an opportunity to go -- once they've graduated. That's important to know."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/762631963375235072

Kirby Smart says he will allow any Georgia graduate transfer to join whatever school he wants, even if it's within the SEC.

That's what the Bulldogs coach told reporters Saturday when asked about Maurice Smith, the defensive back Alabama is blocking from joining Georgia or any other SEC school as a graduate transfer.

"I can't speak much about the Mo situation because he's a recruited, prospective student-athlete," Smart said. "... But as far as the graduate transfer deal, I think every young man that we bring here to the University of Georgia, we want them to graduate from this place. And if they have an opportunity to go to graduate school at another place, I certainly think that's going to be something that we let them do."

Even if that player wants to go to another SEC school?

"Absolutely," Smart said.

This is an ongoing process with Smith, who still wants to go to Georgia even after losing an appeal last week.

"I know there's a lot of talk out there and interest about the Maurice Smith deal," Tide coach Nick Saban said Thursday. "I'm going to say the same thing I said at SEC media day. Nothing has changed. We support the SEC rule of not granting guys' releases to go to other SEC schools. It has been our policy here not to do that unless there was a special circumstance. ...

"I am not going to discuss this any further. Maurice did a great job for us around here. We want to help him every way that we can, and he has opportunities to go other places outside the league, and we are supporting him and helping him do that. So that's all we can say about that."

[jbcarol]

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN Aug 6

Any way we can get @GregSankey to hand down an executive order and slot in an Alabama vs. Georgia game this season?

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JonSolomonCBS/status/762069273602908160

The next time Nick Saban or Kirby Smart talk about how everything they do is in their players' best interest, remember Maurice Smith and A.J. Turman.

Smith is an Alabama defensive back who is being blocked from going to Georgia as a graduate transfer. Saban, citing SEC intra-conference transfer rules, said his policy is not to grant releases for players to go to other SEC schools "unless there was a special circumstance," the type Alabama said wide receiver Chris Black got in order to recently go from Alabama to Missouri.

Turman was a Georgia running back -- and not a graduate transfer like Smith -- who was restricted by Smart from transferring to Miami (where former Bulldogs coach Mark Richt landed), rival Georgia Tech or any SEC schools. Turman didn't want to go to Miami, but Smart said he put the restriction in to set a precedent.

Now Saban and Smart are squabbling over Smith, who has taken his story public. The whole thing is a mess.

Smith is even claiming someone at Alabama cleaned out his locker and put his personal belongings in the trash. Smart went so far as to say Saturday that he won't restrict Georgia graduate transfers from attending other SEC schools. That's a good blanket statement, unlike Saban's policy, but Smart tried to draw a distinction between blocking schools for grad transfers and undergrads.

I've had readers take both sides of the Saban vs. Smart debate and ask where I stand. Both coaches are missing the main point, even though they're both acting within NCAA and SEC rules. The solution should always be the simplest one: do what's best for the player. Take the high road when a player wants out in a system stacked against him.

[jbcarol]

Ivan Maisel wrote that Saban has begun to show a softer, more human side over the last few seasons. The Georgia head coach and former Alabama assistant was one of the people quoted in the story. He said Saban's intensity has toned down a lot since they first met

"On a scale of one to 10," Smart said, "(with 10 being) just out-of-control, just manic, all ball when I first got with him, I really feel like that's toned down to an 8 or a 7."

Saban deals with his assistants and his players in a different way than he once did. While he still presents the same hard-nosed facade to the media, Smart said the Crimson Tide coach is more vulnerable with his teams today.

"He was more emotional with those last three or four teams," Smart said. "The one that won it with A.J. (McCarron) and C.J. (Mosley) down in Miami (in 2012). That was a team that was really emotional. He got emotional with Blake Sims' group (in 2014). You hear it in his voice, where, when I go back to the first years, and even LSU, there was never that emotional side. He would never let a team see that, where he choked up a little bit."

Saban hasn't budged on the graduate transfer issue.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/763101307024580610

Smith himself said his decision to transfer isn't personal against anyone at Alabama, but some Alabama fans sure have taken it personally. They've attacked Smith for standing up for himself, and they've attacked his mother, Samyra, for standing up for her son.

It's sad, but it just goes to show. There are plenty of people out there who profess to love college football but have no use for college football players.

Every school and every fan at every school are not the same in their take.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/KevinScarbinsky/status/763725826504417280

Turns out Nick Saban didn't have to go Bill Belichick on the subject of Maurice Smith after all. Instead the heavyweight champion of college football belatedly, begrudgingly and wisely went Roberto Duran and said, "No mas."

No more blocking Smith's request to transfer to Georgia to play his final season now that he's received his undergraduate degree from Alabama.

When Saban said Wednesday that Alabama had relented and was punting its control over Smith's future to the SEC office, he said it without smiling. He said it without even saying it in so many words.

Saban's words suggested exasperation with the entire situation.

"We have done everything that we can do institutionally to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith," Saban said. "So that is past us now. It is beyond us. So we don't really need to talk about that anymore, and I don't have any other comments to make about it."

Sankey has made it clear he wants to be a commissioner who focuses first and foremost on the wants and needs of the student-athlete. Go back to his address at SEC Media Days when it only felt like he mentioned by name every single player in every single sport the conference offers.

Here's his chance to put his words into action with the whole college football world watching.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/763735877168136192

Dec. 6, 2015: Georgia announces the hire of Kirby Smart, who served as Nick Saban's defensive coordinator at Alabama since 2008, ahead of Alabama's appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Jan. 11: Smith plays against Clemson in the national championship game and records one tackle.

Feb. 1: Alabama receiver Chris Black announces that he will transfer to another SEC school, Missouri.

March 11: Alabama opens spring practice. Smith, a rising senior, plays on the first-team defense

March 17: Georgia running back A.J. Turman tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Smart has twice blocked his request to transfer to Miami, where his former coach, Mark Richt, has taken over.

March 19: Smart says, "I wanted to set the precedent for the future that kids would not be able to go to Miami right away. It's very important that we understand that -- "

June 13: Smith requests "permission to contact" from the Alabama compliance department, clearing the way for his transfer. According to a letter Smith wrote to the Alabama appeal committee, obtained by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, he is immediately prohibited from working out with the team.

June 16: Smith meets with Saban. During the meeting, Saban tells Smith he would not release him to an SEC school.

June 17: Smith later alleges in a letter written on July 1 that his locker is cleared out and all his personal belongings are thrown in the trash. He is also kept from entering the facility.

June 28: Since Saban would not release him to Georgia, Smith asks and receives permission to transfer to Miami. But, according to the letter, Smith changes his mind after receiving a notification that his transfer to Georgia would be denied. "I felt confused and unfairly treated and did not pursue the release to UM," Smith wrote.

July 13: Responding to a report that Alabama wasn't being cooperative regarding Smith's decision to transfer, Saban says, "We have told him, 'Because we support the SEC rule, it would not be in your best interest to have to sit out. If you want to go someplace else (outside the SEC), we'd be glad to help you do that."

Aug. 6: Smart, who has a similar policy prohibiting transfers to SEC schools, says he makes a distinction when it comes to graduate transfers

Aug. 10: Alabama grants a full release to Smith. The decision now rests with the SEC office

[jbcarol]

Kirby Smart on Maurice Smith waiver: 'We are all anxious to move forward'

Maurice Smith transfer saga is over, and he will join the Georgia football team this weekend.

For that, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart is very grateful.

"I want to express appreciation to Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey for granting the waiver which will allow Maurice Smith to pursue his dreams at the University of Georgia as a graduate transfer," Smart said in a release distributed by the school. "This has been a difficult situation to navigate and we are grateful to all who have been involved in bringing it to a resolution. Now that it is behind us, we are all anxious to move forward."

Smith was granted a "conditional" waiver by the SEC in his request to transfer from Alabama to Georgia, and thus will be eligible to play right away. But the conference did add stipulations.

Smith is the only Bulldog to play for Smart and Mel Tucker the previous three seasons.