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The University of Georgia continues to focus on Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart as its next football coach and could make an announcement as soon as Sunday or Monday, the Times Free Press learned Tuesday night.
Two media outlets, ESPN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reported that a deal already has been agreed upon. The Times Free Press has not been able to confirm or deny those reports.
Smart is preparing Crimson Tide defenders for Saturday's Southeastern Conference championship game against Florida. The 1999 Georgia graduate was a starting safety for the Bulldogs in 1997 and 1998, leading the team in interceptions both seasons, and he was running backs coach on Georgia's last SEC title team in 2005.
Smart won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach in 2009 and is a finalist again this year. There are reports Smart could lure Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, another former Georgia safety, to the same role in Athens and that Alabama receivers coach Billy Napier (from Murray County) could come over from Tuscaloosa as well.
"I've said many times before in years past that Kirby has done a fantastic job for us, and I think he'll be an outstanding head coach," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said.
"I don't think everything that you do as an assistant necessarily prepares you as a head coach, but I also think that Kirby is very capable of doing all the things necessary to be a head coach. He's a good teacher, and players respond to him well.
"He's outgoing and has a good personality, and I think he'll do a good job in all the other areas."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.