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Georgia coach Kirby Smart stepping out of Nick Saban's shadow

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ONE OF THE last things Kirby Smart said to Nick Saban last December at midfield of Mercedes-Benz Stadium following the SEC championship game proved to be prophetic.

"You can't keep doing this much longer," Smart joked with his former boss.

Alabama and Saban had just beaten Georgia and Smart -- again -- and five weeks later, Saban's legendary coaching career would come to an end when he announced his retirement after 17 seasons and six national championships in Tuscaloosa. Before leading Georgia on a remarkable run of its own, Smart was part of four of those national titles as Saban's defensive coordinator.