Why Kirby Smart's month will be exhausting

— -- Almost exactly a year ago, Tom Herman was sitting in his office as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, preparing to face Alabama in the inaugural College Football Playoff -- a game plan he worked on diligently -- until he put on his red Houston hat.

Literally.

It had the U of H logo on it, and whenever Herman wore it -- even at his desk in Columbus, Ohio, -- he was working as the new head coach of Houston. He usually played that role from 6-7 a.m., before heading into the Buckeyes' offensive staff room to break down film of Alabama and prepare for practice. He wore it at lunch, before staff meetings and practice. And he put it on again around 9 p.m., when it was time to make recruiting calls.

"When I had the U of H hat on, I wasn't thinking about plays or beating Alabama or a game plan or anything," he said. "That's kind of why I put it on, to direct all my focus on what I was doing at that time and then take the hat off and it's OK, let's go beat the Tide."

The Tide's defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, is now the new head coach of Georgia and up next in the juggling act. He is splitting time between Athens, Georgia, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while trying to beat No. 3 Michigan State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Coaching changes are as traditional as the holiday season, but a select few have the double-duty of becoming a head coach while at the same time game-planning to win a national championship as a coordinator. They have to hire a staff and recruit for their new program, meet their new support staff and players, live in temporary housing and travel extensively all while breaking down game film of the biggest opponent of the season.

The playoff is new, but the challenge is not.

When Dan Mullen was hired at Mississippi State in 2008, he was still coaching to win a national title with Florida. When Mark Richt was hired at Georgia 15 years ago, he was still trying to win a national title at Florida State. Herman and Mullen both pulled it off. Richt wasn't as fortunate.

Smart is smack in the middle of it all.

"It speaks volumes for Kirby's character and all that he has to want to come back and finish when it may not be the most advantageous thing for him and his future," Alabama coach Nick Saban said on Dec. 16. "To do right by the players and come back and finish and do a good job for the guys who have worked hard for him."

There's only one way to do it -- exhausted.

"It certainly was emotionally, physically, everything -- just draining," Mullen said.

"It's hard to get a lot of sleep because your mind is all over the place," said Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who is preparing the Buckeyes for a Fiesta Bowl game against Notre Dame while being the head coach at Rutgers.

"It was the longest month of my life," Herman said. "I think I'm still recovering from it, honestly."