It seems Nick Saban doesn’t have time for fighting Maurice Smith going to Georgia.
The University of Alabama athletic department has granted a full release to defensive back Maurice Smith, sources have confirmed to The Tuscaloosa News.
Smith, who graduated from Alabama last Saturday, can contact any school including those within the SEC about a potential transfer with the release. The status of any possible transfer within the conference would depend on approval of a waiver by the Southeastern Conference office.
Head coach Nick Saban indicated at his Wednesday press conference that the Smith transfer, a topic of much discussion in recent weeks, was now out of his hands, although he gave no specifics.
“We have done everything that we can do institutionally to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith,” Saban said. “So that is past us now. It is beyond us. We don’t really need to talk about that anymore and I don’t have any other comments to make about it. We’re trying to focus on the guys we have here and what we need to do to help those guys have a chance to be successful.”
Translation: it’s your problem now, Greg Sankey.
The conference might as well change the rule, if even Saban can be worn down by battling a kid’s family in the press.
Get The Picture 
Translation:
Kirby, enjoy this punk and his momma.
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LMAO. Kirby coached the kid and presumably was involved in his recruitment. I’m sure he knows exactly what he’s getting from a character standpoint.
I guess you’ve found yourself a Georgia player to root against.
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2s.
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The parents looked and sounded reasonable when I saw them interviewed. Just like any good parent, standing up for their boy.
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Probably a little more than that what with Momma having a private “kick your ass” session with Saban. Sounds like one of those great UGA Moms we always cheer.
I’m happy for the Smith family and right proud of the way they stuck to the guns of righteousness through this entire falderal. Welcome to Dawg Haven, yall.
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And played him situationally at Bama. Unless Smith’s convinced that the younger players behind him will have him on the bench by the end if the season at Bama, this makes not a lot of sense to me.
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Sounds that way doesn’t it?
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That’s a little extreme, neighbor.
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Thanks for calling me neighbor. I appreciate your kind thoughts.
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I’m truly stunned that Nick caved. He’s certainly not used to losing, in any arena.
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As I mentioned the other day, this is his last year at Bama, so he’s starting to not give a **** in a select few areas. Plus, he wants to go into broadcasting in some degree, and he realizes the optics of the situation doesn’t bode well for him in relation to this.
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I would say the decision was taken out of Nick’s hands… or it was at least ‘strongly suggested’ that Nick drop it and let him go. The institution wasn’t willing to take the PR backlash any longer. Saban was prepared to go the distance, but the school was not. Snaky will rubber stamp this and move on.
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I imagine you’re right. The AD or even President said enough is enough.
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I bet they said Please first.
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Great news for Maurice. Too I know the negative attention was getting to Bama.
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Well done Kirby.
I guess if Kiffen and whoever the latest all world wide receiver Alabama is featuring (Cooper?) torch him for a long TD in the SECCG I’ll just be happy we were there…
Agree with other posters – I can’t believe Saban relented. But I also can’t believe he didn’t see it going this way and find a way out before it became national news.
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Oh, if we play Bama in the SECCG, either his success or failure (or both as he is a DB) will be a big storyline.
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Bravo! Author, Author!
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Si, if the SEC grants, Smith has to make academic progress or Georgia loses its grad transfer rights for 3 years? Is that still in play?
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I’ll be surprised if Saban allows the SEC office to waive the rule.
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That would be an interesting stance for him to take, given that he took a graduate transfer from Ole Miss this year as a walk-on kicker.
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Hypocritical maybe but not exactly unusual. The Genius pulls scholly offers from verbals who dare to take visits elsewhere but has no reservations about flipping guys away from other programs . . . like Ga State, Ga Southern and Furman.
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Exactly, Saban gets his way but Conference apparatchiks are on the hook for mistreating the kid.
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Lambert’s a free agent.
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Sorry, neighbor, but we’re stuck with him. He already was a graduate transfer, and you can’t ring that bell twice.
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Not surprised at all, shrapnel was coming in from every direction. There was just no way to defend their stance, none. Sure you could hide behind the SEC’s to-be changed rule but even your own fans thought it made no sense. When the family told the story from their perspective, the battle was lost. As indicated in the other post, even LSU’s AD, as dumb as ours, called Saban out. Still cannot understand how Little Nicky ever took such a miniscule issue and let it get around his throat. He isn’t the nicest guy, but he usually is no one’s dummy….this time he was.
Not sure how much Maurice can help, but welcome aboard young man. You and your family stood your ground and didn’t take the easy way out. Everyone stated their case well, and that helped turn the heat up.
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Sounds like you believe the SEC will approve the waiver.
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Don’t see how they can do anything else. If Saban got his butt roasted, it would be even worse for the SEC office to jump in front of that train. I feel there is heat coming from the presidents and ADs to the SEC office, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they didn’t suggest Bama back off. Betting there is a decent chance that the SEC rule regarding graduate transfers will be modified before next summer to keep the NCAA from taking away the flexibility.
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I would think they will change this immediately, else Saban wins by interfering with school registration and practice time with our team. In fact, it would have to change quickly if it is to address Smith specifically. This has gone past “special circumstances” to make an exception in his case because Saban has already affected Smith’s life negatively for this playing year. He’s behind in transferring, registration, settling in to a new environment and practicing (if he wants to get on the field this year which he does).
If Saban had released him two weeks ago (and going all the way back to June) Smith could be a team member in good standing by now, but he stubbornly refused to and that was to Smith’s detriment.
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Do you think he was worn down by the press or do you think that the powers that be at Alabama nudged him in the right direction just a bit?
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It had to be the bad press. The powers that be at Alabama do Nick’s bidding, not the other way around.
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Admittedly critical of Kirby’s recruiting class being light on signing day, but damn if the guy hasnt turned over every rock and looked in every hole to find guys to continue filling out the depth chart. It’s awesome and a really great sign in my opinion.
Great job and hope this kid has a great time in athens and is able to help this team win now.
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Walk-ons with offers from other programs, late qualifiers, JUCO, moving guys from one side of the ball to the other, graduate transfers, local under the radar guys, across the country five stars, 2019 kids 2020 kids — they’re using every possible approach to getting more talent for today and tomorrow all the time.
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I’m sure it killed Saban to sign that waiver.
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And now Tim Kimbrough leavng the team.
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Saw that too. I wish him well. I hope he is leaving on his own terms.
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Oh my God. The missing piece to a national championship. (Heavy sarcasm).
But doesn’t seem it can hurt. And maybe a physiological ploy for Kirby.
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The guy had recently been the favorite to start at nickle at Alabama. He might wind up starting for us at some point. Oh, and please explain what a physiological ploy is and how Kirby is managing to pull that off at distance.
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Damn spell check……..
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I thought it meant pulling someone’s dick and read right by it while noting that unusual expression.
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I wonder if Vern will mention any of this during the telecasts.
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Probably every game we’re on CBS especially if Smith plays a lot
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Bluto, here’s my suggestion for your next headline on this issue: Mr. Smith Goes to Athens.
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mini Curt Flood moments are great.
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I don’t care Smith never plays a snap in Athens. He’s a DGD.
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