Maybe but, Smart wasn't an established or well known head coach when he took over Georgia and neither was Dabo when he took over Clemson. Both now have multiple national titles. I use to think that it just mattered what school you coached at but Florida and FL. State busted that myth, which is why I think there's a good chance Alabama will take a big step back from the glory years with Nick Saban gone.
Smart has the good fortune to coach in a large state, sharing it with academically-handcuffed Ga. Tech. Dabo has the good fortune of being at a SEC football-type school in a basketball-first conference, thus not being worn down during the course of a season.
I'm not saying they were successful, year-in and year-out, but the most successful Head Football Coaches we have had were those who had previously proven themselves at prior schools as Head Coaches. I was vehemently against the hires of both Muschamp and Beamer for that reason. First-time Head Football Coaches here have been unmitigated failures. I'm really surprised that the hiring authorities here, after Spurrier retired, did not study our history.
"Those who ignore history are doomed and condemned to repeat it."
--- Edmund Burke, philosopher ---