Kirby Smart's New Nickname For Nick Saban is Perfect

Kirby Smart and the rest of the SEC are getting ready for the first college football season of the post-Nick Saban era.

On Tuesday, Saban reported to Day 1 of SEC Media Days — not as the head coach of Alabama, but as analyst for ESPN's SEC Network.

Saban's new role is going to take some getting used to, especially for his longtime head coaching colleagues.

When explaining this dynamic on Tuesday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart revealed a hilarious nickname for his now-former SEC rival.

Smart referred to his former boss as "Darth Vader."

"It's weird. The call I did to set up for this media day — I was nervous. For 15 minutes I'm going to share with him about my team? I feel like I'm giving answers to Darth Vader," Smart said.

Smart echoed this sentiment in a separate interview with ESPN's Mike Greenberg.

"It's different. I tell you the most unique part: I think Lane (Kiffin) and I were sharing some texts. (Saban) reached out to talk to us to prepare for this media days, and I still got nervous on the phone with him. I felt like I was still talking to my boss," Smart said of Saban's new role.

"He's been a critical part of my career and so many coaches careers," Smart continued. "I'm just happy he stayed involved in college football. He's helping carry the torch forward. He's been an incredible asset for me."

Georgia will kickoff its 2024 season with a highly-anticipated matchup against the Clemson Tigers on August 31.