Three SEC teams will have new coaches in 2016, and CBS Sports says that number could grow in 2017 if five conference coaches fail to meet expectations.
CBS Sports senior writer Dennis Dodd assigned hot seat rankings, on a scale of 0 (untouchable) to 5 (win or be fired) to a wide range of college football coaches, including five from the SEC. Many SEC coaches fall between Dodd’s 3 (pressure mounting) and 4 (better star winning). Here are Dodd’s names to watch this season, with a portion of his analysis behind each ranking:
- Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (3.5) –”James Franklin won nine games in consecutive seasons at Vanderbilt. Mason has not been able to sustain that momentum (7-17 in two seasons).”
- Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M (3.5) – “Look what Sumlin must do, quickly: solidify the quarterback position and get the Aggies in contention in the SEC West pretty darn quick.”
- Gus Malzahn, Auburn (3.5) – “The Auburn coach vs. expectations vs. Alabama. Every day of the year. Good luck, Gus.”
- Mark Stoops, Kentucky (4) – “Now it’s time for the football coach to step up in his fourth season. Kentucky is coming off consecutive 5-7 seasons, and the Wildcats are 12-24 under Stoops.”
- Les Miles, LSU (5) – “Yes, it was demeaning that Miles had to go through a November from hell. But the reality remains: LSU’s coach probably has to beat Alabama this year, which is another way of saying LSU probably has to win the SEC West for Miles to keep his job.”
If Dodd’s ratings reflect the feelings of those school’s administrators, it seems unlikely that all three SEC West coaches on the list will survive considering they will all play each other (and Alabama).
The full list, with Dodd’s complete analysis, can be viewed here.
Do you agree with Dodd’s assessment that the SEC West could change drastically after this season?
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
