From OnlineAthens.com
August 6th, 2016 10:31 AM
Georgia coach Kirby Smart drew a proverbial line in the sand with his own transfer policy and that of his former boss, Alabama’s Nick Saban, on Saturday.
While being asked directly about defensive back Maurice Smith, who is being blocked by Alabama from coming to Georgia as a graduate transfer, Smart said graduate transfers should be treated differently than undergraduate transfers when it comes to restrictions.
“I think every young man that we want to bring to the University of Georgia, we want them to graduate from this place,” Smart said. “If they have an opportunity to go to a graduate school at another place, I certainly think that’s something we’re going to let them do if they have an opportunity to go once they graduate. I think that’s important to know.”
Even at another SEC school?
“Absolutely,” Smart said.
That’s a clear distinction from what Smart has said is his policy for undergraduates who want to transfer. He has said he won’t grant them a release to transfer to SEC schools except under special circumstances and called it “standard operating procedure when a coach leaves one place that a kid can’t go there with the coach. That’s important to me.”
That’s the way he laid it out when he restricted running back A.J. Turman earlier this year and also said he would not allow players to go to Miami, where former Georgia coach Mark Richt now is head coach.
Smart spoke Saturday on the same day that Smith is graduating from Alabama.
Smith’s father told the Athens Banner-Herald this week he wants to transfer to Georgia.
Saban said Alabama’s policy is not to give releases to let players go to other SEC schools “unless there was a special circumstance,” which Smith did not have. Alabama has cited SEC bylaws and said will help Smith go to “places outside the league,” but it allowed wide receiver Chris Black to go to Missouri as a graduate transfer and he is eligible to play this season.
Smart didn’t say much about Smith, who was in line to start at nickel back for Alabama and played three seasons under Smart.
“I can’t speak much about Mo’s situation because he’s a recruited prospective student-athlete,” Smart said. “I can obviously comment that we’re recruiting Mo and he’s a prospective student-athlete.”
One that for now still has his path to Georgia blocked.
...READ MORE HERE...
August 6th, 2016 10:31 AM
Georgia coach Kirby Smart drew a proverbial line in the sand with his own transfer policy and that of his former boss, Alabama’s Nick Saban, on Saturday.
While being asked directly about defensive back Maurice Smith, who is being blocked by Alabama from coming to Georgia as a graduate transfer, Smart said graduate transfers should be treated differently than undergraduate transfers when it comes to restrictions.
“I think every young man that we want to bring to the University of Georgia, we want them to graduate from this place,” Smart said. “If they have an opportunity to go to a graduate school at another place, I certainly think that’s something we’re going to let them do if they have an opportunity to go once they graduate. I think that’s important to know.”
Even at another SEC school?
“Absolutely,” Smart said.
That’s a clear distinction from what Smart has said is his policy for undergraduates who want to transfer. He has said he won’t grant them a release to transfer to SEC schools except under special circumstances and called it “standard operating procedure when a coach leaves one place that a kid can’t go there with the coach. That’s important to me.”
That’s the way he laid it out when he restricted running back A.J. Turman earlier this year and also said he would not allow players to go to Miami, where former Georgia coach Mark Richt now is head coach.
Smart spoke Saturday on the same day that Smith is graduating from Alabama.
Smith’s father told the Athens Banner-Herald this week he wants to transfer to Georgia.
Saban said Alabama’s policy is not to give releases to let players go to other SEC schools “unless there was a special circumstance,” which Smith did not have. Alabama has cited SEC bylaws and said will help Smith go to “places outside the league,” but it allowed wide receiver Chris Black to go to Missouri as a graduate transfer and he is eligible to play this season.
Smart didn’t say much about Smith, who was in line to start at nickel back for Alabama and played three seasons under Smart.
“I can’t speak much about Mo’s situation because he’s a recruited prospective student-athlete,” Smart said. “I can obviously comment that we’re recruiting Mo and he’s a prospective student-athlete.”
One that for now still has his path to Georgia blocked.
...READ MORE HERE...
