Report: Maurice Smith granted full release by Crimson Tide

— -- Alabama has granted defensive back Maurice Smith a full release, according to a Tuscaloosa News report.

Smith has been looking to transfer to SEC rival Georgia, but Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban had been unwilling to grant an unconditional release. According to SEC bylaws, coaches are allowed to block players from transferring to another SEC school.

Kirby Smart, Georgia's new head coach, spent the past six years as Alabama's defensive coordinator.

A backup on last year's national championship team, Smith would be a graduate transfer, which would allow him to play immediately. While Smith now can contact any school in the SEC regarding a move, the status of a transfer within the league must be approved by the SEC office.

Sources told ESPN that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will make the decision on whether criteria exists to grant that waiver. There is no timetable for a decision and one of the keys will be making sure the decision is consistent with similar cases in all other sports, not just football, sources said. 

Smith said earlier this week, "I'm willing to go as far as it takes to play the season at the school that I desire, which is Georgia."

Information from ESPN's Chris Low and Brett McMurphy was used in this report.