Hours after Alabama left Atlanta victorious in the 2015 SEC title game, its defensive coordinator walked into the lobby of a downtown hotel.
By that point, it was clear Kirby Smart was going home.
A day later, just up the road in Athens, he was formally hired as the next head coach at his alma mater. Two years after that, with the spirit of a child and the smile of pure joy, the 41-year old former Crimson Tide assistant ran victory laps around the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
His Bulldogs had just thoroughly handled Auburn 28-7 to win the SEC Championship -- It was the first ring for an East Division team since Florida beat Smart's Alabama defense in the 2008 title game.