Kirby Smart says the Alabama teams he coached would ‘beat the dog’ out of today’s college football teams

Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban meet before the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

The Georgia Bulldogs’ head football coach Kirby Smart feels no team in the current era of college football would be able to compete with the teams he coached at Alabama.

Smart coached at Alabama from 2007 to 2015. He worked his way up to become the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator as one of the best defensive minds in the game.

The veteran college football coach feels no current college football team can compete against the teams he coached during his final years in Tuscaloosa.

“Our best Alabama teams, I’m gonna go 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, would beat the dog out of all these teams right now because they can practice different, and they were deeper,” Smart said on “The Next Round.” “The game has not changed that much from 2012 to 2025, but the roster has, and those teams would Clubber Lang somebody. That would just physically beat you.”

“Our best Alabama teams – I’m gonna go 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 – would beat the DOG out of all these teams right now.” – Kirby Smart on how different roster depth is now vs. a few years ago pic.twitter.com/2pRUYk7NoG

— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) April 30, 2026

Smart was Alabama’s defensive coordinator for four of the Tide’s National Championships under Nick Saban.