"We want our assistant coaches to be able to fulfill the goals and aspirations that they have," Saban said.Make no mistake, being a head coach is one of Smart's goals, but he's not ready to lunge at just any opportunity. Kines, who lives in Tuscaloosa, sees Smart as a patient man. Smart hit what Kines called "another gear" under Saban and is in "probably the best assistant's job in America" at Alabama.
"I don't think he needs to be one of those guys that chases every rabbit that jumps out in front of him," Kines said. "He's earned the right to make his own decision."
Smart nearly pulled the trigger on a job two years ago that would have returned him to Athens as the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator. The lateral move would have been shortsighted, according to Saban.
"It's a little bit human nature to think, like my dad used to say, the grass is always greener on top of the septic tank," Saban told reporters at the time. "You always think it's better someplace else."