I'm going to say this right now, if Kirby beats Gus next year AU hired the wrong coach. Don't care if Gus wins 10 games.
I am not going there until we see Smart's record at uga after year 3-4 as HC versus Gus' record at AU after year 3-4. Smart may be like Gus and catch lightening in a bottle and go the National Championship game next year then have continuing declining production.
It will be interesting since Smart was Pat Dye's choice as HC in 2012. I thought at the time that Gus and Smart were interchangeable in terms of potential and both would be the best we could expect from Jay Jacobs making another HC hire knowing JJ's limitations.
wde
What makes you think that? Got a link?
Cause Dye said this:
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/12/pat_dye_preferred_kirby_smart.html
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Former Auburn coach Pat Dye, whose name is attached to the school's football field, preferred Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart as Auburn's next head coach. But Dye said he likes Gus Malzahn and hopes the fan base supports him.
"You know what? If I had been on the selection committee, I probably would have chosen Kirby," said Dye, the often-opinionated ex-coach. "But I wasn't on the committee and I don't know what went on with Kirby. ... Gus and Kirby, either one of them is fine with me. Some folks out there were wanting a campaign for someone I didn't want."