Several SEC assistants ready to be head coaches

Published October 5, 2012 - 11:30am

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During the preseason, SDS ranked the SEC assistant coaches, and now let’s take a look at several assistants who could be ready to make the leap to become a head coach as soon as next season. Five from last year did just that this season, and these five have a great shot at carrying on the torch.

1. Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator
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Smart has been with Nick Saban since he took over at Alabama. He’s been groomed by one of the best teachers and coaches in all of college football in Saban. Smart’s defense in 2011 was one of the best in the history of college football, and he’s having a heck of an encore in developing a younger squad that hasn’t missed a beat this year. Smart is in a great position because he can pick and choose between what jobs he wants, as he’s already turned down a few in the last couple of years. However, he looks ready to take a big-time gig and excel while doing so as a Saban disciple.

2. Todd Grantham, Georgia defensive coordinator
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Grantham has turned things around at Georgia, as his defense finished 5th in total defense in 2011. Obviously, his defense has struggled to start where they left off last season, but all nine returning starters are finally playing together once again. Grantham has 11 years worth of NFL experience, and he’s coached under some of the best teachers in all of football in Nick Saban, Wade Phillips, Frank Beamer and Mark Richt. Grantham’s first priority is to get his defense playing at a high level, and he’s said in the past he wants to be a head coach someday. That day could come sooner rather than later.

3. Frank Wilson, LSU running backs coach and recruiting coordinator
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Wilson has a name for being a dynamite recruiter at LSU, as the Tigers usually finish with one of the top classes in the country each cycle. And it doesn’t hurt his pedigree that he has successfully recruited four different studly running backs in Alfred Blue, Kenny Hilliard, Michael Ford and Spencer Ware who all get along and are okay with sharing the load. Wilson has coached in the south at Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Tennessee in his somewhat short career, and he has a great rapport with high school coaches in this region. Wilson could make a jump at any time if the right job comes along.

4. Shawn Elliot, South Carolina offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator
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Ever since Elliot came over from Appalachian State, Steve Spurrier has been singing his praises and saying what a great coach he is and how great of a job he’s done at Carolina. I know Steve Spurrier gets a ton of credit for the offense, but with Elliot came the zone-read package that Carolina has been so successful at running with Connor Shaw and Marcus Lattimore over the last couple of seasons. Elliot is on the fast track and could get some head coaching considerations rather quickly.

5. Brent Pease, Florida offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
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Pease is more of the wildcard within this group of coaches. What he has done at Florida, turning the offense around from a weak-minded offensive team to a mentally and physically tough offense, has been something to watch. Pease also should get much credit for the job he’s done developing Jeff Driskel. If Florida’s offense stays on this progression, Pease could get some serious looks at becoming a head coach even after just his first year at Florida. He’s coached offenses his entire career, and he was the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Boise State under Christ Peterson from 2007 to 2011 and helped develop Kellen Moore. He has a very good track record.