“I'm used to battling for golf”: When Kirby Smart opened up about how he felt going against Nick Saban for a natty

Two years after leaving Alabama, Kirby Smart went against Nick Saban in the 2018 College Football Playoff national championship game. His Georgia team finished the 2017 regular season with an 11-1 record, won the SEC title, and defeated Oklahoma in the playoff semifinal.

Smart and Saban jointly appeared in an ESPN interview anchored by Chris Fowler ahead of the CFP national championship game. The sportscaster asked the two coaches if it's awkward playing against one another after all their years working together.

“Not for me, not really,” Smart said. “I'm used to it. I'm used to battling for a golf match or a basketball game.

Nick Saban created a largely competitive environment at Alabama not only for the players but for the coaching staff. Kirby Smart competed with and against his boss in a host of sports, including basketball and golf, making the experience of playing against not very strange.

Fowler further inquired about what the feelings look like between the two, having to compete for the same thing. By taking the Georgia job, Smart and Saban are thrown into the battle for the same championships, the same players in terms of recruiting, and probably the coaching staff.

“There's nothing personal about it. It's just like two competitors competing,” Smart said. “I think you respect the way people handle things and the way they go about them, and I've always respected the way he's handled our relationships, even since I left.”

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Kirby Smart wasn't taking the opportunity for granted

Having the opportunity to play in the national title game is a precious opportunity that is a testament to the effort put in throughout the season. Coming up against Alabama in 2018, Kirby Smart wasn't taking it for granted.

“I think just that, you don't know, you don't appreciate, especially for a guy that was in Alabama so long, sometimes you can lose the appreciation for what it takes, and you can't take it for granted,” Smart said.

“You don't know when your next opportunity's coming, when the right mixture happens. It takes a lot of things to fall into place. Certainly, we want to build for the long haul, build for that success, but we want to have no regrets.”

Alabama came out victorious in the game, marking the sixth national championship for Nick Saban and his fifth with the Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs led the game 13-0 at halftime but went on to lose 26-23 in overtime.