BY Kameron Duncan/The SPUN
Nick Saban and Kirby Smart have been adversaries on the biggest stages that college football has to offer, but the Alabama coach says that their rivalry on the field hasn't affected his personal relationship with the Georgia head coach.
Saban talked about his relationship with Smart during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee, and he was very complimentary toward Smart in advance of Saturday's SEC Championship Game.
“We don’t do much talking during the season. I don’t spend much time on the phone during the season. I don’t think he does either, besides recruiting. But I think there’s a tremendous admiration and respect," Saban said.
Saban also referenced the time Smart spent working with him as an assistant and later as the defensive coordinator at Alabama.
“I mean, Kirby worked with us for what, 10, 11 years, and came up through the ranks as a really good assistant coach to become a coordinator to getting a head coaching job," Saban added.
"In each one of those venues of his responsibility, he did an outstanding job. I mean, he did a great job when he was here.
You’ve got a guy with you for that long, your wife’s in the hospital with his wife when she’s having kids. I mean, it’s a long-term relationship that you’ve got to play against each other."
"I truly like Kirby and I really appreciate what he did to help our program be successful for so many years and certainly respect what he’s been able to accomplish as the head coach at Georgia," Saban noted.
Saban and Smart seem to be on good terms off the field, but both coaches will want to come away with an SEC championship in their meeting on Saturday.
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