Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart will coach the Tide defense at least through the postseason.

Potential College Football Playoff opponents hoping that the Bama defense could be weakened or disorganized by Smart’s pending departure to become Georgia’s next coach may be disappointed.

According to Phil Savage, Smart will remain with the team through the postseason, which could include two College Football Playoff games.

Smart is expected to be named Georgia’s next coach, officially, after this weekend’s SEC championship game. There also have been reports that he will take at least a few members of the current Alabama staff with him to Athens.

Look, coach Nick Saban’s program is the last one you’d expect to be hampered by a distraction. Saban has said that this is “Smart’s defense,” calling himself a graduate assistant just trying to help out on that side of the football.

But even at Alabama, there’s a process. Losing Smart (and possibly others) as the Tide prepares for what could be its biggest game of the year, should the team make the four-team playoff field, is not ideal.

Alabama is allowing just 14.3 points and 264.7 yards per game under Smart’s leadership. If the team beats Florida this weekend, Saban will want that unit to lead against a team like Oklahoma or Michigan State.

So the news that Smart will stick around to see this season to its conclusion is good for fans in Crimson.