Before Kirby Smart became the head coach at Georgia, he was an assistant on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama for nine seasons.

Given that history, many have noted that Smart has built the Georgia program in the same model as Alabama. Most notably, Georgia is off to an undefeated start in Smart’s second season behind a strong defense and running game. The Bulldogs have also seen steady play from freshman quarterback Jake Fromm, and solid special teams play.

In comments to AL.com, Nick Saban weighed in on Smart’s performance as they’re the coaches of the last two undefeated teams in the SEC.

“I think he has done a great job,” Saban said of Smart. “I think they have probably one of the best teams in our league right now. They’re playing great on both sides of the ball. They play together. They’re confident in what they’re doing. They look very well-coached on both sides of the ball. I think he has done fabulous job, no question about it. They have done a really good job of recruiting and continue to add to the players that they had.”

While it’s easier to see more similarities than differences between the two coaches, Saban said Smart, like other assistants who go on to be a head coach, must distinguish himself from his former boss.

“The one thing I tell all the guys when they get jobs is you got to be yourself, you got to be your own man and you got to do what you believe in and trust in,” Saban said. “Probably no doubt about the fact we worked together — I don’t know 10 years or what it was — and some of the good things we do may have rubbed off and he’s a very bright guy, so maybe the not-so-good things we do he probably eliminated and created a program of his own, which has done very, very well and he’s been very successful.”

Georgia is off this week before the Bulldogs return to action next week against Florida. Alabama, meanwhile, will play host to Tennessee on Saturday.