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Kirby Smart and Nick Saban have known each other for well over a decade. And yet, it wasn’t until 2023 when Saban finally texted Smart back.
During an appearance on the SEC Network, Smart was asked about his relationship with Saban.
After raving about Saban’s ability to consistently field a championship-caliber team, Smart told ESPN’s Laura Rutledge that he finally received a text back from his mentor earlier this year.
“He’s said a lot of nice things to me. We had a lot of great times together,” Smart said. “After games, he always took the time regardless of the outcome to congratulate the players. It’s something I learned from him.
“I think he’s opened up a little more as he’s gotten more friendly. He even texted me back for the first time ever this year. We were just talking about how hard it is to be successful and be consistent. He knows about expectations better than anybody.”
“He even texted me back for the first time ever this year.”
Kirby Smart on his relationship with Nick Saban ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4kfbPOpPXB
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 2, 2023
Saban might be an elite head coach and recruiter, but clearly he’s not great at texting.
With that said, it’s unlikely Saban shoots a text to Smart before the conference championship.
Kickoff for the SEC Championship Game is at 4 p.m. ET on CBS.