Kirby Smart still expects greatness out of Alabama under Kalen DeBoer

Perhaps nobody knew Nick Saban the coach better than Kirby Smart.

Smart won multiple championships as one of Saban's most prominent assistants. He was the defensive coordinator for Alabama from 2008 to 2015 before Georgia swooped him up to be head coach. True to his championship form, Smart then built the Bulldogs into a contender and he and Saban had several noteworthy battles — including national championship game matchups in 2018 and 2022 (which they split).

Saban is now retired and former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer is at the helm in Tuscaloosa after finishing as last season's College Football Playoff runner-up.

It would be easy to predict a natural drop-off from Alabama, going from a legendary head coach like Saban and his seven championship rings to a coach in DeBoer who is still relatively unproven, but speaking at SEC Media Days, Smart revealed that he's not expecting any let-up from the Crimson Tide.

“I don’t expect them to change,” Smart said, per On3. “That is two great universities. You’re talking about two teams that have been at the forefront of college football, and it’s probably going to be that way for a long time. Both great universities, both committed. The commitment to excellence at both places is really high. The standard that coach created there at Alabama and the standard we’ve created, those two are going to be matching up for a long time, and I think that’s what is great about college athletics.”

To Smart's point, DeBoer has already been recruiting up to Saban's level (his 2025 class is ranked No. 2 nationally) and while he doesn't have Saban's track record, he did quickly build a contender at Washington.

Considering the talent Alabama already has plus the existing infrastructure in Tuscaloosa, it does make sense that Smart still feels the Crimson Tide will remain a massive threat.