After Nick Saban, Kirby Smart gets 100% real about his desire from new CFB commision: "I just want to have a freshman not make more than senior"

Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and former Alabama coach Nick Saban spoke this week on issues related to player compensation and the future structure of college athletics.

Smart, on Tuesday on The Paul Finebaum Show (Episode: Hour 1: Nick Saban), discussed the current NIL environment and the potential role of a new college football commission.

Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game - Source: Imagn

“It just shows you how hard it is to make changes and correct things, probably when they're needed because it's, people have talked about Congress,” Smart said (2:40). “That's not easy.

“Not a lot gets done, quickly there, and where we are right now, like I think every coach agrees. We're in a good place with being able to compensate players. Call it pay for play; call it NIL, I don't care what you call it. Like, we're all in a good place with that. We just want it to be in a way that's sustainable.”

Smart said that the issue isn't player compensation itself but the lack of guidelines and financial structure. He cited roster imbalance as a concern.

“I just want it to be able to have a freshman come in and not make more than a senior,” Smart said, pointing to concerns over internal roster dynamics.

The Bulldogs coach also said that non-revenue sports are at risk without broader structural changes and warned that those cuts could come within one to two years.

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Nick Saban shared thoughts on the college sports commission

On Wednesday, Saban, on The Paul Finebaum Show, discussed the possibility of co-chairing a college sports commission, according to NBC Sports.

"I don’t know a lot about the commission. Secondly, I’m not sure we really need a commission," Saban said.

Saban said that he supports NIL in its original form but doesn't back its current trajectory.

“Authentic name, image, and likeness is good for players, but I don’t think pay for play is necessarily what we want,” Saban said.

“I’m not opposed to players making money,” he added.

However, former Alabama coach added that he doesn’t think the current system is sustainable and is in the best interest of the game or the players.

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