Ed Aschoff talked to Maurice Smith after his big game against North Carolina and asked him why it took so long to get from Tuscaloosa to Athens.
Smith, who was pretty candid after Saturday’s win, said Saban’s hesitation to originally release him to Georgia stemmed from concern of Smith sharing Alabama’s defensive playbook from the spring — after Kirby Smart, Alabama’s former defensive coordinator, had already left for Georgia — and in case Alabama played Georgia in the SEC championship…
There’s a fine line between sweating the small stuff and paranoia and the Sabanator blew right past that. The odds that Smart and Tucker couldn’t figure out Alabama’s defensive playbook from the spring in the dark with their eyes shut tight are slim at best. (Hell, Schumann probably put most of it together before he left.) Not to mention if Georgia were indeed to face Alabama in the SECCG, at that point, Smart and staff would have a dozen games’ worth of tape from which to analyze the ‘Bama playbook.
Besides, the idea the Dawgs were chasing Smith so hard had more to do with getting an extra edge on Saban than it did needing to add depth to their defensive backfield looks particularly silly now after Smith’s game Saturday.
It would be interesting to ask about this at the next Saban presser, but I suspect the Coke bottle ain’t talking about it.
Get The Picture 
We also picked up Sam Pittman in case we played Arkansas in the SEC Champ game, duh.
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Son, this is bigger than you. On the remote chance some information they don’t already know at UGA slips out AND we play them in the SECCG, well, that’s just not a risk I’m willing to take for our team. So here’s the deal…you don’t get to make this decision about your life and career, I do. AMIRITE!
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Boy, Saban sure is acting like he’s scared of Kirby. I get control of the program, but this is insanity. At the end of the day, just go out and show who’s the better team with better athletes. I’m pretty sure out of the two teams, nothing has changed on that front since last year… Alabama is still top of the conference in that regard.
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Lets just hope that Saban’s concerns prove to be justified in December.
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They know Smart, Tucker and Schuman and have Pruitt so they know what we would do too. Really no edge either way.
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I also doubt the rabbit’s foot is with the reporter who has the guts to ask that question.
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That’s probably what the Saban agents were looking for when Smith’s personal stuff were trashed.
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Makes me wonder if the CIA, FBI, or NSA has ever recruited Saban.
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Good for Mo. I hope he takes advantage of this opportunity to get a good start on a 2nd degree and an opportunity to demonstrate what he can do for the pro scouts.
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“Took so long to get from Tuscaloosa to Athens”
1 week. Just about every casual Dawg fan I know thinks Mauruce graduated in May and was held up all summer.
Yes, Saban was a dick about it until he couldn’t be any more. Isn’t that enough?
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Riiiight. Smith and his family didn’t broach the subject with Saban until he graduated.
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Hence Saban being a fick about it.
I guess that’s not dnough outrage. Let’s tilt the language so people think something not true to generate more outrage
You’re better than that
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My recollection is somewhat different…. But ok.
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…bless your heart
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I get Saban’s concern. We can pooh pooh it all day long on this side of the fence but the guy is a competitor and he never gives up any advantage voluntarily, however small. He’s got a lot of crystal footballs that say he knows what he is doing. I don’t begrudge him that but I’m glad we got Maurice (and not for any potential playbook knowledge) he’s a hell of athlete. That ball he deflected that was deep over the middle in the second half was the defensive play of the game after the safety.
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