SDS Roundtable: Which former assistant will be the first to beat Nick Saban?
Each SDS roundtable discussion involves the SDS staff providing individual answers and comments to questions covering a wide range of sports and non-sports topics. In this discussion, we ask the question: Which former assistant will be the first to beat Nick Saban?
Previous roundtable discussions:
- If you could change 1 thing about college football, what would it be?
- What are you watching right now?
- Who is your favorite SEC football player of all-time?
- What are your 3 favorite postseason moments involving SEC teams?
- Which 4 SEC athletes are on your Mount Rushmore?
- What is your most painful sports memory?
- The greatest team I ever saw …
- Which school’s all-time position group is the best in SEC history?
- Who are your way-too-early picks to make the College Football Playoff?
- If and when the SEC expands, which 2 teams should it add?
- Who is your pick to win the SEC East, SEC West in 2020?
- Who is your favorite player from every SEC program?
- Who is your favorite SEC personality to follow on Twitter?
- Which SEC program produced best pro sports duo?
- Which prop bet would you risk stimulus check on?
A bit of background …
Nick Saban has never lost to a former assistant. You might have heard. The assistants know the deal. A few even joke about it. Saban is 19-0 against his former assistants and will face at least 4 more in 2020 (Kirby Smart, Jeremy Pruitt, Lane Kiffin and Jimbo Fisher). Is this the year one of them finally dethrones the king? If so, which assistant takes out Saban first?
Michael Bratton, News editor
Easy answer here is Kirby Smart. Georgia is winning Week 3 of the season in Tuscaloosa, so there won’t be much drama with this one.
The real question to ask is how many former assistants will Nick Saban lose to this season. I’d put the over/under at 2.5.
The first one comes early as Georgia’s defense will suffocate Steve Sarkisian’s offense while the Bulldogs will become the latest team to expose Alabama’s defense. Saban still hasn’t found a way to replace Jeremy Pruitt and that’s becoming more evident with each passing season.
I’d be surprised, but not stunned, if Alabama found a way to lose to Ole Miss in Oxford. I’ll give that one to the Tide, but The Third Saturday in October will be a different story. I’ve got Tennessee beating Alabama in Knoxville to end the 13-year streak of misery for the Vols. Pruitt outcoached Saban last year and if not for Jarrett Guarantano playing hero ball on the goal line, the streak might have already ended. A year later, Pruitt and his staff will have a more talented roster to work with when going up against the Tide.
I’ve already called for Texas A&M to win the West and I believe the Aggies will play Alabama with either a 10-0 or 9-1 record. Alabama gets this game at home and should be favored, but that doesn’t guarantee them anything in this matchup. This will be the Aggies’ breakout year and earning a win on the road in Tuscaloosa might punch Texas A&M’s ticket to Atlanta.
Jon Cooper, SDS co-founder
The easy answer here is Kirby Smart. Lane Kiffin has a few years to get the roster in order at Ole Miss before he can even think about it, and with Jimbo Fisher, it’s a wait-and-see. Jeremy Pruitt, too, has to continue to improve the roster talent at Tennessee. Smart has the roster ready, and to put it plainly, the Georgia head coach should have already beaten Saban in the national championship game.
This year, Smart could get Saban twice, once during the regular season and again in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game depending on how things shake out. The odds would heavily favor Smart in this specific scenario we’re discussing, and I’m not going to bet against him.
Connor O’Gara, Senior national columnist
I’ll stick with Kirby Smart not just because of the close calls, though that’s obviously part of it. His team stayed on the same field as Alabama both times they faced off, which is more than I could say about Jimbo Fisher’s A&M squads (or his 2017 Florida State squad). But whether it happens this year or not, I like the fact that Smart actually acknowledged the need to modernize the offense. Granted, it took the SEC Championship beatdown against LSU for that message to really be driven home for Smart, but better late than never.
Again, I don’t think it’s by any means a given to happen this year in the regular season. This delayed spring practice has me a bit more worried about what Todd Monken’s offense is going to look like with inevitable limited reps with nearly an entirely new starting lineup. But that’s the thing Smart needed to put in place to get Georgia over the top. That was the key for LSU, and sooner or later, it’ll be the key for Georgia.
You know, assuming fake punts are completely out of the playbook.
Chris Marler, The SDS Podcast co-host
My answer is Kirby Smart. That might not seem like I’m going out on much of a limb, so let me spice things up by saying I think it happens this season. I know that UGA hasn’t beaten Alabama since Saban’s first year in 2007, but that will change in 2020. I’ve been saying since last year that 2020 is the year Kirby wins a natty.
And, before anyone starts in with the “they lost too much talent” or “Saban isn’t as dominant as he once was” excuses … let me say that I think UGA beats Bama this year and does so for reasons that have a lot more to do with UGA’s strengths than Bama’s weaknesses.
This Georgia defense will be the best defense that we’ve seen in college football since 2011 Alabama. Kirby has loaded his roster with 5 stars and Bama will not only have to stop Pickens, Zeus, and Newman, they’ll have to also find a way to score 30+ on a defense that might not allow over 20 to anyone all season. Also, if the Dawgs don’t get them in Tuscaloosa they will most likely get a second chance to beat them in Atlanta. They honestly might win both.
That being said, I dread the day that this streak actually comes to an end, and you should too. I know that there are a lot of SEC fans that love watching Bama and Saban lose almost as much as they enjoy their own team winning. However, you should pull for this streak to continue for as long as possible for 2 reasons:
1. If/when it happens, we’re going to get roughly 2,903,824 articles, podcasts, and TV segments about the dynasty being dead and Saban retiring. It will monopolize sports talk for weeks if not months. Looking at you Joel Klatt.
2. Do you really want to live in a world where Vol and/or UGA Twitter are finally validated?! There are few fan bases that are more overconfident and as rabid as they are on social media.
Imagine if either gets over that Bama hump. I don’t know if the world is ready for that. I know I’m not, and neither are my mentions. We all need to hope and pray it’s Kiffin or Jimbo, otherwise, there might not be another oak tree left standing in Athens or Knoxville thanks to the Updykes.
Neil Blackmon, Florida columnist
I was tempted to say never, but while Saban isn’t Bowden, he is every bit as competitive as Steve Spurrier. And like the HBC, I fully expect him to coach a little longer — just not Bobby Bowden longer — than he should. That means at some point, he’ll take a couple of losses to proteges.
That said, I’m going Jimbo Fisher here, mainly because Fisher gets a crack at him every season and Georgia and Kirby Smart do not. It’s just math.
With Dan Mullen pushing Florida back to national relevance, Smart is going to have a dogfight in the East year and year out, and LSU and Auburn aren’t just going to concede Alabama’s path to Atlanta every season. That means annual UGA-Bama meetings, like the one scheduled for this September, aren’t guaranteed.
Fisher already built teams better than Alabama at Florida State — but his best 2 teams didn’t get a shot at the Crimson Tide. Now he’s recruiting like his hair is on fire at Texas A&M, a place with better facilities and resources than FSU. Get Jimbo the right quarterback (whispers: it isn’t Kellen Mond) and a home game against the Tide in College Station, and he’ll deliver a W to that fan base.
Then we’ll have to listen to 10 hours of Finebaum calls about how Saban is done, which will be both annoying and of course, absurd.
Chris Wright, Executive editor
Did you know Saban has lost exactly 3 games to SEC East opponents since landing at Alabama in 2007? He lost 2 in the regular season (none since 2010 against South Carolina) and the 2008 SEC title game to Florida. That’s it.
I’m supposed to believe he’s going to lose multiple games to East opponents — coached by former assistants — in 2020? That double whammy is not happening.
Alabama isn’t losing to anybody on its schedule in 2020, former assistant or future rehab project.
This streak will be 23-0 (or 24-0 if he has to beat Kirby Smart and Georgia twice) when we revisit this conversation again next offseason.
I’ve been hearing about the demise of Bama for about 8 years. Oddly, Saban still hasn’t lost to one of his assistants. This is possibly the slowest process in sports.
Well it won’t be us.
We choke way too much.
I say it will be Kirby Smart, but not in game 3 in Tuscaloosa.
With Ga installing a new offense as well as a new starter at QB the loss of spring practice will have a much bigger impact on the Dawg’s offense. Alabama returns a QB with experience and timing with his receivers. That will likely be too big an advantage to overcome that early in the season.
I think the Dawg’s offense will get much better as the season progresses and they’ll play Alabama for the SEC Championship and they win that one.
That’s where I’m at with it.
Just don’t feel that UGA’s offense will be the well oiled machine needed to defeat a top notch opponent like Alabama in week three.
The SECCG could be a totally different story and we might be able to get revenge.
Alabama seems to have UGA’s number and it’s getting tiresome.
We will have to see how the starting QB issue plays out first
Should be an interesting battle.
Dwan Mathis has a similar skill set as Jamie Newman just not the experience.
Carson Beck is quite talented but lacks experience.
Honestly, I’d feel comfortable with either one of those under center.
Safe to say that Bennett will not be the starter although I’m glad he’s there to serve as a back up or run the scout team.
Let him retire undefeated, ride off into the sunset, forever known as the GOAT and let it be soon.
I was thinking someone should kidnap him and squirrel him away for the duration of the season.
He should be provided with good food, TV, and dancing girls but he must be kept away from the sidelines with no communication abilities.
My guess is Kirby Smart, but there’s a decent measure of wishful thinking baked into my projection.
Jimbo Fisher. But don’t ask me to bet on it.
We’re returning nearly everyone. I’m thinking Jimbo. I wouldn’t bet on it either.
Michael has been smoking something fine this past week.
Definitely ha!
I would say Kirby but they don’t play every year. I don’t trust Jimbo. Pruitt is couple of years behind although I think this years game in Knoxville could be interesting with UT having a buy before and Alabama not. I’m going out on a limb and saying Kiffin. Offensive minded head coaches frustrate Nick and I could see him being the first to do it.
Blackmon – Jimbo built teams better than Alabama at FSU .. huh ? When ?!
Marler – UGAy had the best defense last year & lost to USC , got drugged by LSU
Bratton over at 2.5 ?! Get outta here !
Cooper – UGAy will be heavily favored against Bama at home ? Well you know what happened the last times they were favorites …
I’d give UGAy the best chance just because they got the best roster in football but then again, they’ve always had that .
I like TN just because it’s a rivalry game . That hatred on top of 13 years.. that’s their Super Bowl .
Lane will have his chance .
Y’all were better off just saying anything can happen in the SEC . It’s a talented league . Alabama has just ran the league better than anyone y’all seen do it . Hedge for their defeat I suppose .
We don’t have the best roster in football, and we pretty much never have. Quit trying to ram down the narrative that UGA has annually held a bevy of 5-stars since before Smart arrived or since. It doesn’t hold water unless you’re talking about the 2018 season onward, and even then you still have the likes of OSU and Alabama ahead of them.
This article is, if anything, complimenting Nick Saban by analyzing how difficult and unlikely it is for his run to end anytime soon.
You guys have had the best roster in football pretty much since 2018 . Prior to that , you’ve guys have had as top tier roster as any . Just can’t quite seem to win with all of that talent .
Less with more is a Georgia thing
Team talent composite rankings for UGA:
2019: 3rd
2018: 3rd
2017: 4th
2016: 6th
Again, your claim doesn’t hold water.
It’s unfair to both Coach Smart and Coach Saban that their game might be played under circumstances out of their control. If Georgia wins, which they may be everyone’s favorite hopefully outside the city of Tuscaloosa, Alabamians will cry, they didn’t have a spring or full fall camp, that’s why we lost (not realizing neither did Georgia)… If Alabama wins, they’ll just have to wait and hope they take care of business and meet again in Atlanta.
If Georgia does win, I’ll bet either LSU or Auburn beats Alabama by 14+.. Bold but, I think Bama losing early (something they havent done in a while, will damage their psychic
Well StadiumStatus,
Saban will always put the future of any of his players on the line for a chance to win another NC. And Bama continues to lead the nation in innovative ways to push the boundaries of the rules of the sport. So the mercenary master Saban who single handedly pushed the college football game to the point of being professional may very well never get beaten by one of his former assistants.
So much crying…
Crying about what? Lol..Couldn’t resist trolling your response with no substance..Gotta laugh at you son..Everyone that responded gave some what of an opinion…You?? “so much crying.” Dude..send me you email so I can send u the link to the Missouri Valley Conference (best conf in the FCS).. They’ll accept you effery
UGAgrad post is nothing but whining about Saban and Bama… Look it’s already been pointed out by numerous posters that you’re clueless…
You’re still a lying idiot at best…
I’m not whining about Saban. I honestly think he has been really bad for college football and especially the players. He’s turned the college game into a profession. That’s not what college football is supposed to be about. Not for the kids. I’ll just say it how it needs to be said: SABAN HAS BEEN RAT POISON FOR THE GAME OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
Is Michael Bratton some high school kid they brought in just to make outrageous and unsubstantiated claims? If Alabama doesn’t beat Tennessee this year it’ll be because the game got cancelled, no other way out of it for the Big Orange.
Yea he’s been out there. Has UGA blowing the Tide out. Has UT winning even though they don’t have similar talent. Has Aggies beating them too and winning the West. And the cherry on top is Ole Miss giving the Tide a 4th loss!
I think some of these SDS writers are sitting around smoking and thinking of ways to stir the pot. No gms so gotta generate the clicks……
Kirby Smart, right, and Newman will win the Heisman, and pigs will fly
LOL – emoting about UGA on an article about Saban/Alabama, with Smart UGA tangentially linked.
conjoneslicker – you are the embodiment of every insult you have ever directed at another on these SDS blogs.
Huh, I thought it was decided that Kyle Trask was the best QB ever.
Relax bro, this is not about UGA, this is a direct response to what’s said in the article. Why you girls get so defensive
The laws of probability favor Fisher – he will play Saban every season while he is HC at TAMU. Sooner of later a good team (TAMU) beats a great team (bama.)
Talent and system wise – Smart has the advantage however this fall UGA will be to green on offense. But, Bama will win the SECW and UGA will win the SECE so maybe it happens in December 2020?
Ole Miss and Tennessee play Bama every year also. The only contender that doesn’t is UGA.
IMO Fisher is a better and more capable coach than Pruitt or Kiffin.
TAMU definitely has a better program at this time than either Ole Miss or UT.
Over the next 5 or so years Bama and UGA will meet often in the SECCG.
Right Nostradumba$$
I guess it’s tough to find something to write about at the moment… Hey, you got the UGA fans excited if nothing else.
The article definitely got your IQ twin, cojoneslicker, excited.
Given that you are always leaking, without cessation, how do you not pass out?
You just mad that I hinted that the writers that picked Kirby must be smoking something. It is true you girls get all in a wad for nothing
Lol you’re skin is so thin it’s transparent. You cry and whine 24/7 anytime anyone mentions Mullet in a negative way. Like how he’s never beaten Kirby and doesn’t understand how WR wristbands work
OK DumbDawg, you respond by bringing up something totally unrelated, but hey what you say, look in the mirror
Man you’re always crying… If fans talking $hit was the way to win NCs UGA would never lose… The problem is the team can’t backup the $hit your dumba$& puts down.
Looks like people are finally figuring you out..Either you’re a Troll or really that thin-skinned where you feel the need to insult without throwing any ounce of thought..You probably are an Alabama State fan but too embarrassed to say so.
TDOW is one of the top UGA trolls on this site yet he provides more than you do..
What people have figured out is that you’re clueless and do nothing but try to bait people
With your ignorant over the top comments that are usually wrong….
Just because you crawled away from people blasting your stupid a$$ over your ignorant posts the last couple days doesn’t mean it was forgotten….. You’re still an idot…
Boy, somebody needs to go check on Bratton! I think he’s got a serious case of cabin fever! In previous articles, he not only picked UGA to beat the Tide in T-Town, but to blow them out! He has the Aggies beating the Tide and winning the West! Now he has UT and possibly Ole Miss beating the Tide too! Bratton has Bama with 4 losses this yr! I was laughing at first but now I think he needs help. Lol.
I’ll keep saying it. A&M has as good a chance since Johnny left to win the West. A unique off-season, returning coaching staff, QB, and the most offensive and defensive production in the SEC West (2019 that was LSU).
The biggest thing going for the Aggies is they have 4 cupcake OOC gms and draw easier crossover games vs the East!
People think that’s 6 wins off the bus. Make no mistake, that’s the only reason folks are picking the Aggies. Had they drawn UGA or UF, folks would not be picking them. But hey, enjoy the hype!
Based on what we’ve seen it has to be Kirby. He’s on par in recruiting and has come close twice already. It’s not like if Saban does eventually lose to a former assistant it will tarnish his legacy in any way. He’ll still be the GOAT
A While ago, SDS ran an article asking which bet you would choose for your stimulus check. Michael, I am looking at you. I’ll take under for $3400. If I can put more on it, I will be more than happy to do so. Call it my effort to restart the economy.
Could be a first also for Saban if the Tide somehow manage to win the West.. He could lose to Smart twice (Regular Season & SECCG).
Somehow manage? Who do you think will beat Bama from the West to make them not win?
Careful… You’ll cause him to have a meltdown.
I think I spelled it out without having to answer your question..But I will…Follow me closely here..I know it’s early but here goes:
Response “Could possibly be a first” for Saban if the Tide somehow manages to win the West.. Let’s break that down.. Georgia is scheduled to play Alabama Week 3. If Georgia wins (East) and Alabama goes on to win the (West), they could meet again in the SECCG..If that matchup were to occur, if Georgia won the rematch in Atlanta, that gives Saban 2 loses in the same season to Coach Smart…
Does that help or make any kind of sense?
I understood that part, but you still haven’t answered my question. You said if Bama “somehow managed to win the West,” which implies that you think it is a long shot for them to win the West. Who do you think could challenge Bama in the WEST?
This season may very well offer the best chance in a long time for that loss with the upheaval in spring. Potential schedule changes and other odd things going on right now. But bet against him at your own risk. It will happen if he coaches long enough. This season? Maybe, maybe not.
It will be me. Bet the farm.
Neil, the question had ‘nothing’ to do with Florida. Zip… I know you want your precious Gators to be relevant in every conversation. News Flash – they are not.
Kirby loses in Tuscaloosa. Beats him in Atlanta (rather soundly). This will be the first lost for Saban to an assistant.
“With Dan Mullen pushing Florida back to national relevance”……..WTH? UGA will continue hammer the gaytors year in and year out. Ridiculous take.
Hasn’t anyone here heard of Dabo Swinney?
Dabo Swinney played receiver for Alabama’s 1992 national championship team before becoming a graduate assistant and eventually the receivers coach for the Crimson Tide, serving in that capacity from 1996 to 2001.