Georgia HC Kirby Smart Talks Alabama Offense in Press Conference Ahead of Saturday Matchup

Georgia coach Kirby Smart had a lot to say about Alabama — particularly its offense — heading into this weekend's matchup between his No. 3 Bulldogs and the No. 2 Crimson Tide.

Smart spoke in a virtual press conference with the media to open his team's week of practices. In short, Smart revealed that he has a lot of respect for what Alabama has put together so far this season and complimented the program on their offensive efforts.

“We’re moving forward,” Smart said. “Been getting prepared for this game really since yesterday morning and we’ll have our first practice today. Gotta lot of respect for these guys having worked there for a long time. They’ve got a really good program, got really good football players. Physical on both the offensive and defensive lines — extremely physical and extremely big. They do a really good job in special teams. They’re always well-coached — play their best players on special teams similar to the way we do. It’s what college football is all about so we’re looking forward to the matchup.”

Smart of course was Alabama's defensive coordinator under Nick Saban from 2008-2015. He joined the team as the defensive backs coach in 2007, but was quickly promoted to the coordinator position.

That being said, Smart spoke mostly on the Crimson Tide's offensive proficiency this season rather than its defense.

“What’s made them succeed well is players,” Smart said. “They’ve got really good players. [Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian] does a great job of implementing a system that the kids can execute. It’s based on really hard guys to cover outside. They’ve got probably the best back in the country if not one of the best backs in the country. Najee runs the ball really hard and then massive up front so offensively they’re not built like some of these teams that go tempo the whole time or hurry-up the whole time. They can go tempo and the do tempo well but they’re really big. They can take shots down the field with the explosive wideouts they have.

"They make you defend the entire field and I think college football is more offensive as a whole because the rules lend it to be that way in terms of allowing you can have linemen a little further downfield in college."

Smart also took a little time to explain just what makes Alabama's offense so special in regards to its style of play.

"The RPO game used to be big," Smart said. "You can do tempo in college football at a lot higher rate. Tempo hasn’t been as successful in the NFL because you get your quarterback hit and to be honest with you a lot of those NFL teams, their linemen aren’t built to go tempo. They’re not built to go 100 plays a game and go really fast. A lot of the teams that have the most success statistically are tempo teams in college football and I think that has a lot to do with the success and the numbers you’re seeing.

"Alabama capitalizes on a great system with a really good scheme and really good players.”

As far as returning to Tuscaloosa, Smart revealed that this will be his first time setting foot in the Alabama town since leaving to take his current job at Georgia.

“The challenges of going back are we’re playing a really good football team in a tough atmosphere,” Smart said. “They’ll have as many as they can have and it’ll be as loud as they can possibly make it. In terms of going back, I don’t think I’ve been back since I’ve been the head coach at Georgia. I don’t think I’ve been back any and I don’t really remember.”