Alabama fans still have great memories of Kirby Smart, as he was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator for four of their national championships.

However, now that he’s the head coach at Georgia and leading the program that won the SEC title last year, those good feelings in Tuscaloosa may soon start to wear off.

On Monday’s episode of “The Roundtable” on WJOX, ESPN host Paul Finebaum was asked when Alabama fans would start to turn on Smart, and he said sustained success and more SEC titles would have Crimson Tide faithful booing the long-time defensive coordinator:

“Well, I think the patrons look at him as the Georgia coach,” he said. “They don’t remember him at Alabama. And I remember talking to him two years ago and he was overwhelmed to be there (Georgia). He looked around and couldn’t believe he was there. He had a difficult time accepting — this was in May and he had last coached for Alabama in January winning a national championship — he was a celebrity. That will not be a problem this time around with an SEC Championship and a national championship appearance and a $49 million contract. The one thing I think has been lost in all of this — not to sound like I work for Kirby Smart — he’s a reigning SEC champion, and I think that has been forgotten about, especially at Alabama where that really just does not matter. But I asked the question, ‘Has an SEC Championship ever been passed over more than this one, because of what happened in the national championship game?’ That’s still a pretty significant goal. I mean how many times have we sat in Hoover in the past and listened to Steve Spurrier or someone else before him or after him say, ‘Well, our goal is to try and get to Atlanta.’ In the Saban era, it’s a little bit different. It’s almost national championship or bust. I think fans will show him (Smart) tremendous respect. I mean, he has now been elevated to probably the second-best coach in the SEC.

“And this is a debate that will rage on until the summer and until it’s proven otherwise, but I genuinely believe, with all due respect to John Parker Wilson, that Alabama fans deep down are a little uneasy about Kirby Smart.”

Perhaps the thing that should worry Alabama fans the most is that Smart’s Bulldogs had the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the 2018 cycle, ending the Tide’s long run in the top spot.

Until Smart knocks off the Tide, there won’t be too much to worry about, but that day could be coming quickly.