<![CDATA[An early look at the new direction]]>If you’re wondering what they’ll be saying about the decision to hire Kirby Smart if things don’t click in Athens for him, have no fear.  The good football watching citizens of Montana have already been whispering in Stewart Mandel’s ear.

Georgia: Hired Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. It’s easy to see why Georgia would covet the former Dawgs safety-turned Nick Saban protege. It’s a bit puzzling, though, why AD Greg McGarity put all his chips on a first-time head coach rather than conduct a search befitting a consensus Top 10 job. Smart has all the necessary training. Whether he has the chops to be an SEC head coach long term is unclear.  [Emphasis added.]

I dunno.  Will “the Dawg ate the search firm’s homework” make for a satisfactory defense to that criticism?

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