Kirby Smart Plans to use an Old Nick Saban Trick to Beat Alabama

ATHENS - Georgia football coach Kirby Smart says he’s going to use a strategy he learned from Nick Saban this weekend in Tuscaloosa, and it could help determine the game.

Hurricane Isaias is reeking havoc with parts of the South, and could have a major impact on the game with a significant amount of rainfall expected on Saturday. The forecast continues to change, but a wet game of some form is likely.

That’s where Saban’s old tricks come into play. Each summer the legendary coach would force his quarterbacks and receivers to deal with wet-ball situations. Smart said he has used the tactic this season

“You turn on the sprinkler systems,” Smart said of getting ready for what could be a rain-soaked Bryant-Denny Stadium. “You start spraying things down. Under Coach Saban, we had every third or fourth day in (summer) camp, we would do the wet ball drill.

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart reacts on the sideline during the game against Vanderbilt. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Smart said Saban’s approach ruffled some feathers on the coaching staff, but that in the end the process worked when it was needed.

“There's a lot of coaches - especially receivers coaches and quarterbacks coaches - that didn't like it. But you appreciated it when you played in the rain.”

The Dawgs have already played in the rain once this season - a blowout win over Western Kentucky in Athens. Georgia’s 38-14 win over Vanderbilt Saturday went without rain, but precipitation was expected in the forecast, and the Dawgs worked in wet conditions in the week leading up to that win.

“It's something that we prepare for, but you can't realistically prepare because the ball is a little looser,” Smart said. “We played a game earlier this year in the rain and weather, and we had multiple fumbles. So did the other team. So it can definitely impact the game, especially the kicking game.”

Alabama is getting ready for wet conditions as well.

“We're doing wet ball drills and get wet ball involved in some of our team reps, just like we did last week at times, preparing for the rain a week ago,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said Wednesday.

The Bama coach also expressed how tough it will be going up against this version of the Bulldogs.

“They’re going to be our toughest challenge by far up to this point. Coach Smart and just everything he’s done there - building the program up. This season just doing an amazing job jumping on top of teams. You see them getting after people in the first half, and just sustaining the course, and sustaining it all game long. Obviously, this program wouldn’t be where it’s at with a lot of things he brought to it as well.”

The weather continues to be a major issue heading into the game. On Thursday, ESPN’s College Gameday announced that it would move indoors to Coleman Coliseum, where the Tide plays basketball.

On Friday, the National Hurricane Center’s 11 AM EST update reported that Isaias would be northeast of Tuscaloosa by the time the game is set to kickoff. As of 1 PM EST Friday, no formal announcement had been made by the Southeastern Conference regarding the status of the game.

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