Kirby Smart is going to be an Alabama opponent before long, but he may not be leaving the Crimson Tide behind just yet.
Alabama color commentator Phil Savage said on the radio Thursday that he has heard Smart will remain with the Tide for the rest of the season if they make the playoffs.
“All indicated that Kirby Smart will stay on with Alabama through the bowl game/playoff,” Savage said on SiriusXM College Sports Radio, per AL.com. “I think that all depends on if Alabama wins on Saturday. I think if they were to lose and if they were just going to a bowl game, that changes the picture.”
Alabama faces Florida in the SEC Championship Game. If they win, they would essentially be assured a spot in the College Football Playoff and a chance to win the national championship. If they lose, they would still go to a high-level bowl, just not one that’s part of the playoff.
Smart is now a competitor to Alabama, but that sure would say a lot about his character if he tries to stick around and coach the team through the playoffs. Tom Herman did the same thing last season with Ohio State, and look at the success he had at Houston in his first year. Perhaps Smart will enjoy similar success in his debut at Georgia.
First things first, though: Bama needs to beat Florida.
