“Him and Nick Saban both in shambles” - CFB world subtly roasts Kirby Smart for having similar thoughts on NIL as former Alabama HC

By MD Asif Ansari

Modified Mar 15, 2024 06:04 GMT

College football fans have been comparing Georgia coach Kirby Smart's opinions about the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness rules in college sports to those of former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban.

Recently, the Georgia coach expressed concerns about players leaving teams in search of instant gratification, which makes things difficult. He compared the differences and similarities between the NIL and NFL (National Football League) earnings of football players:

“There is a lot of them that want to ask about NIL. They don’t want to ask about what your NFL players have done,” Kirby Smart on NFL over NIL (per On3). “I think it’s much more important how you develop players than how much NIL you can give them.”

Kirby Smart's NIL comment triggered instant reactions online

As soon as the Georiga coach made his comments public, fans were quick to spot the similarities between him and Nick Saban.

“Him and Saban both in shambles now that the playing field is even,” a fan wrote.

“I like the players getting paid but you’re lying if you saying NIL is not hurting CFB at the moment. It’s the wild wild west. I feel Saban for throwing his hands up with this nonsense,” another wrote.

“Funny how everyone will say kirby’s right but saban says it and everyone hates it. Both are right but it shows how long saban has had fan bases in choke holds,” another commented.

“Deion.. Kirby and Saban basically expressed same thing but Saban was… nvm,” one wrote.

Other fan reactions are here:

According to Smart, most kids would choose the NIL path, but he believes that 15 to 20 kids a year would opt for a full scholarship and make a commitment to stay at the school for two to three years without transferring. Because he believes that it is necessary to develop a player properly.

"But most of the ones that make the decision to go quickly," Smart said (h/t On3). "They make it all about immediate gratification. That’s the toughest part. That makes it hard.”

Also Read: Georgia HC's take on NIL era degrading college football elicits mixed fan reactions: "Nick Saban and Kirby Smart cut from the same cloth"

About the author

Mohammad Asif Ansari is a journalist covering college football and basketball at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Technology and brings four years of experience as an NFL and EdTech writer.

While acknowledging the dominance of professional leagues like the NBA and NFL, Asif is drawn to the raw energy and unpredictability of college sports, particularly football and basketball.

Jalen Hurts stands out as Asif's all-time favorite college player, celebrated for his remarkable success on the football field and impressive leadership skills.

In his reporting, Asif seeks to capture the essence of college athletics, delving into the human stories behind the game. From the trials and triumphs of student-athletes to the strategic genius of coaches like Nick Saban, he strives to paint a vivid picture of the college sports landscape.

Asif ensures that his reporting is both informative and ethically sound, meticulously verifying sources and facts to provide readers with reliable and trustworthy content.

When not writing, Asif practices basic MMA, hones his biking skills and expands his language proficiency in Urdu and Arabic.

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Edited by Deepesh Nair