🏈 TheScore app is reporting Mo Smith hasn't been granted a release ...

[TUSKtimes]

It does not seem like this is a story that will be going away anytime soon.

Georgia fall camp is on, panic has set in. It can't go on much longer.

 

[planomateo]

Almost comical they still can't practice indoors...

 

[Destiny's Child]

Every person that comments on this story with Maurice Smith from Georgia needs to be immediately redirected to Kirby's statement about this same type issue with Miami..

This is an upset child and mother who feel entitled to get away with something that is against school and SEC rules.. Chris Black was a different situation and everyone inside that locker room knows it. Black was about to be put on medical waivers or released from his scholly due to lack of performance and he lost his nerve. Letting him go to missouri like that was a favor to Black rather than the other route becuase it may have hurt his opportunities.

Smith is upset because he got beat out by Humphrey and Fitzpatrick and feels like he is a lock down corner just being looked over. His recruiting coach is in Georgia and the path to the starting boundary corner is much easier.

Just go to Ohio state or michigan or one of these other schools and there will be know issue.

 

[Tidestalker]

Every person that comments on this story with Maurice Smith from Georgia needs to be immediately redirected to Kirby's statement about this same type issue with Miami..

This is an upset child and mother who feel entitled to get away with something that is against school and SEC rules.. Chris Black was a different situation and everyone inside that locker room knows it. Black was about to be put on medical waivers or released from his scholly due to lack of performance and he lost his nerve. Letting him go to missouri like that was a favor to Black rather than the other route becuase it may have hurt his opportunities.

Smith is upset because he got beat out by Humphrey and Fitzpatrick and feels like he is a lock down corner just being looked over. His recruiting coach is in Georgia and the path to the starting boundary corner is much easier.

Just go to Ohio state or michigan or one of these other schools and there will be know issue.

Unfortunately Saban's statement about how he "supports the SEC rule" cannot objectively differentiate the two transfers. He's trying to justify using a rule that he didn't follow the last time around? Seems inconsistent at the very least.

The point you're making is that Smith thought he should play more and has a bad attitude? You think Chris Black didn't leave for more playing time? Same thing when the rubber meets the road.

What I do agree with Alabama doing is not allowing him to use the facilities after he decided to leave the team. If he's no longer on the team, you wouldn't want him poisoning the chemistry. I'm sure the student rec center has all the workout equipment he needs.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Unfortunately Saban's statement about how he "supports the SEC rule" cannot objectively differentiate the two transfers. He's trying to justify using a rule that he didn't follow the last time around? Seems inconsistent at the very least.

The point you're making is that Smith thought he should play more and has a bad attitude? You think Chris Black didn't leave for more playing time? Same thing when the rubber meets the road.

What I do agree with Alabama doing is not allowing him to use the facilities after he decided to leave the team. If he's no longer on the team, you wouldn't want him poisoning the chemistry. I'm sure the student rec center has all the workout equipment he needs.

You missed my point but if you read al.com there is a reason why the two situations were different as it applies to the SEC rule. Chris Black put in his paper a couple days before the LSU game to transfer. The rule states the university has 7 days to respond or the student can go wherever he wants. In Blacks case during the craziness of that week and everything his paperwork was missed somehow which was the only reason why he was able to transfer inside the SEC.

PS. and Black left because he lost his nerve and was scared to play. You can see this every time he stepped on the field last year, including when he took a knee so he wouldnt get hit during a kickoff return on our 6 yard line. He was being ushered out the door and saw the writing on the wall. He was just fortunate that his release request was submitted during a crazy time so he got to stay in the SEC

 

[Tidestalker]

You missed my point but if you read al.com there is a reason why the two situations were different as it applies to the SEC rule. Chris Black put in his paper a couple days before the LSU game to transfer. The rule states the university has 7 days to respond or the student can go wherever he wants. In Blacks case during the craziness of that week and everything his paperwork was missed somehow which was the only reason why he was able to transfer inside the SEC.

PS. and Black left because he lost his nerve and was scared to play. You can see this every time he stepped on the field last year, including when he took a knee so he wouldnt get hit during a kickoff return on our 6 yard line. He was being ushered out the door and saw the writing on the wall. He was just fortunate that his release request was submitted during a crazy time so he got to stay in the SEC

I didn't see that particular al.com article... If that's the case, you've got a legitimate point.

But my gut would also say that Saban isn't going to forget about that type of paperwork because of the LSU game. He runs the tightest ship in college football. Seems unlikely.

If that's the case though, then his quote should be "we support the SEC rule... When we remember to" as opposed to "We support the SEC Rule... Sometimes". Either way, he's dropping the ball.

 

[TerryP]

Seems unlikely.

More to the story ... you're right. And, he's not wrong.

This falls onto Kirby like you won't ...well, probably would ... believe.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Why Black could transfer and Smith cannot

 

[bama alum]

A friend just posted on fb that Saban is about to hold a presser about this. Really?

 

[planomateo]

Kirby creating clutter.

 

[bama alum]

A friend just posted on fb that Saban is about to hold a presser about this. Really?

Presser was just the normal one after the first day of practice.

 

[Tidestalker]

Why Black could transfer and Smith cannot

The most intriguing part of this whole story was that Saban tried to renew Smith's scholarship even after he wanted expressed his interest in transferring. I don't beleive Smith is telling the entire objective truth, however I do think that Saban was thirsty to keep him at Alabama due to his need in the secondary.

IMO here is how this went down:

-Mo Smith was tired of being overlooked and likely had to do with Tony Brown getting chance after chance at UA. By all accounts, Smith was a kid that did things right and never had off field problems, yet found himself a spot or two away from having a consistent role until the end of last year. When TB was allowed to practice all Spring and likely took a lot of legit reps, that probably but Smith on tilt.

-Mo Smith didn't do his homework and thought if Chris Black was allowed to go to an SEC school, he would be to. Not understanding the intricacies of the situation, he had made plans in his head that Saban was not going to allow.

-Now Saban is trying to clear up a situation that he created by the lack of consistency and/or organization with the Black situation. Had Black found any other school outside of the league, this statement would not be necessary. Whether you want to blame it on timing, assistants, administration, etc., bottom line is that if the papers were not addressed and processed in time, the buck stops on his desk. If those reports are true he dropped the ball, whether he meant to or not.

-Smith's parents got involved and are willing to make this a media circus to bring negative attention to Saban after what they feel was unfair treatment of their son (before the transfer situation). They have now accomplished their goal of dragging UA/Saban through the mud, which may or may not be deserved IMO.

 

[TUSKtimes]

The most intriguing part of this whole story was that Saban tried to renew Smith's scholarship even after he wanted expressed his interest in transferring. I don't beleive Smith is telling the entire objective truth, however I do think that Saban was thirsty to keep him at Alabama due to his need in the secondary.

IMO here is how this went down:

-Mo Smith was tired of being overlooked and likely had to do with Tony Brown getting chance after chance at UA. By all accounts, Smith was a kid that did things right and never had off field problems, yet found himself a spot or two away from having a consistent role until the end of last year. When TB was allowed to practice all Spring and likely took a lot of legit reps, that probably but Smith on tilt.

-Mo Smith didn't do his homework and thought if Chris Black was allowed to go to an SEC school, he would be to. Not understanding the intricacies of the situation, he had made plans in his head that Saban was not going to allow.

-Now Saban is trying to clear up a situation that he created by the lack of consistency and/or organization with the Black situation. Had Black found any other school outside of the league, this statement would not be necessary. Whether you want to blame it on timing, assistants, administration, etc., bottom line is that if the papers were not addressed and processed in time, the buck stops on his desk. If those reports are true he dropped the ball, whether he meant to or not.

-Smith's parents got involved and are willing to make this a media circus to bring negative attention to Saban after what they feel was unfair treatment of their son (before the transfer situation). They have now accomplished their goal of dragging UA/Saban through the mud, which may or may not be deserved IMO.

For some reason, I was under the impression that unless Saban renewed the scholarship he was free to go to Georgia. It felt like he was digging in and doubling down trying to get Smith to reconsider. I do believe Black getting to Missouri opened a PR can of worms and could have made Smith a highly motivated transfer.

Kirby Smart is getting to be a very unsympathetic character as this melodrama plays out. It's just impossible at this point to believe that Smith and family would be this adamant unless Kirby, behind the scenes, was shining that Beacon to Athens.

 

[OldPlayer]

Here's another view on the topic. Some good points.

Entitlement, Thy Name is Maurice

 

[Tidestalker]

Here's another view on the topic. Some good points.

Entitlement, Thy Name is Maurice

Yes some good points, but also very one sided.

Saying that he played in every game as a soph/junior doesn't breakdown how many of those games were just special teams.

Ultimately, Tony Brown's situation plays into this more than anyone is willing to acknowledge. Even if he was going to start this year, there was a legit possibility Tony Brown would come off suspension in game 5 and take his snaps. Our own TerryP believes Smith could even be the 6th DB, which would have definitely limited the playing time. Truth is probably somewhere in between all 3 opinions.

The biggest mistake in that article and many other's takes IMO is to minimize the Chris Black "exception". If Saban is going to site the SEC rule as being for the betterment of the league, then he needs to be consistent. Mistakes have been made on both sides IMO but bottom line is the kid was a model player at UA, never heard a peep about him, until this happened. And at the end of the day Smith is doing exactly what Black is doing; Trying to find the best situation for himself. And the only 2 differences are that Black was not needed on the roster (Smith is), and Black's paperwork was ignored.

I agree with most all of the stuff about Smith's mom blowing this out of porportion... With the only exception being we don't know exactly what Smith was told by Saban & staff over the last 3 years regarding playing time/depth chart/etc. But ultimately this could have been easily solved by both sides.

 

[OldPlayer]

Black's paperwork mishandling is the only thing that allowed him to go within the conference. I'm sure once they found out what happened, the staff was put on notice to not let it happen again.

 

[Tidestalker]

Black's paperwork mishandling is the only thing that allowed him to go within the conference. I'm sure once they found out what happened, the staff was put on notice to not let it happen again.

You'd have to at least consider the fact that if a starter had filed the paperwork, it wouldn't have been overlooked. Smith included.