I'm not arguing "for" or "against" Smart as I think it's too soon to conclude, nor is this any reflection towards you or anyone else. But a number of folks were saying stuff like his record is the same as Richt's at the same point. I didn't investigate with the purpose of proving either point X or point Y, I just wanted to take a closer look.
Richt inherited an 8-4 team that was actually (by record) the #3 team in the SEC behind the two division winners. Keep in mind that at that time two SEC East coaches - Spurrier and Fulmer - were basking in the glow of recent national titles. He lost his SEC opener narrowly to Lou Holtz and then went into Knoxville and beat Fulmer's last division winner. Georgia may have benefited from the unscheduled 9/11 break more than any other team in the SEC. He lost to Spurrier and Auburn just as Donnan had done the two previous years.
Kirby took over a 10-3 team and played eight one-score games, compiling a 5-3 record and finishing tenth overall in a 14-team SEC.
Richt won his first SEC title his second year - so did Kirby. It is indisputable that Richt would have made a four-team playoff in 2002. Three of the teams would without doubt have been Miami, Ohio St, and UGA. There would have been a massive disagreement over whether two-loss SEC or one-loss Iowa was the fourth team. But it is at least possible that Richt could have made a national title game if the rules were the same as now.
Richt won another division title his third year - so did Kirby. And he lost the conference championship to Nick Saban - so did Kirby.
Thus, I don't deny there have been some similarities and Kirby DID take over a better team. But so far, Smart has been better against the better teams, even though his 3-3 record could very easily be 1-5.......or it could also be 5-1.....with two SEC titles and a national championship.
