Coaching comparison: Spurrier, Pinkel square off in key SEC East matchup

In anticipation of Saturday’s SEC showdowns between South Carolina-Missouri and Texas A&M-Arkansas, Saturday Down South takes a closer look at the coaching matchup featured in each game. This week’s matchups include South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier vs. Missouri’s Gary Pinkel, and Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin vs. Arkansas’ Bret Bielema.

STEVE SPURRIER

• Record as FBS head coach: 222-80-2 (20-13-1 at Duke, 122-27-1 at Florida, 80-40 at South Carolina)
• Previous coaching stops: Washington Redskins (head coach), University of Florida (head coach, quarterbacks coach), Duke University (head coach, offensive coordinator), Tampa Bay Bandits (head coach), Georgia Tech (quarterbacks coach).
• Achievements as coach: one national championship, one ACC championship, six SEC championships, eight SEC East titles, two-time ACC coach of the year, seven-time SEC coach of the year.

Breakdown: Spurrier has pushed all the right buttons so far in 2014, leading a suspect South Carolina team to a 3-1 record and a top 15 ranking in this week’s Associated Press Poll. The Gamecocks rank in the bottom half of the SEC in total offense, scoring offense, total defense and scoring defense, yet already have two conference wins in three tries in addition to a win over a quality East Carolina team. The Head Ball Coach has had one of his best coaching stretches early this season, and quarterback Dylan Thompson is responding well to Spurrier’s coaching, improving with every game.

GARY PINKEL

• Record as FBS head coach: 178-101-3 (73-37-3 at Toledo, 105-64 at Missouri)
• Previous coaching stops: University of Toledo (head coach), University of Washington (offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, tight ends coach), Bowling Green State (wide receivers coach), Kent State (wide receivers coach, graduate assistant).
• Achievements as coach: 1995 MAC championship, 1995 MAC Coach of the Year, three MAC East division titles, three Big 12 North division titles, 2013 SEC East division title.

Breakdown: Pinkel was beyond impressive in navigating Missouri through its transition from the Big 12 to the SEC, and already has an SEC East title just two years into Mizzou’s SEC membership. He’s led this year’s Tigers to a 3-1 start, but most recently lost a disappointing home contest to the Indiana Hoosiers. Pinkel has coached his fair share of successful dual-threat quarterbacks at Mizzou, and current quarterback Maty Mauk may be his best quarterback to date. Pinkel is acclimated to life in the SEC and now begins a stretch of eight straight games in the conference to close out the regular season. Who has the edge: Spurrier has the edge in this particular matchup thanks to his aggressive playcalling and impeccable timing as a head coach. Missouri ranks 10th in the SEC in passing defense and scoring defense, and Spurrier is not afraid to take shots down the field to keep opposing defenses off-balance. Pinkel and Mauk are among the best coach-quarterback tandems in the SEC, but Mizzou has not proven it can protect Mauk consistently or that it can shut down an offense with as much explosive upside as the Gamecocks have. Both coaches will manage their own teams well, but look for Spurrier to key in on the Tigers’ weaknesses, especially on defense, in leading his team to another crucial SEC East win.

KEVIN SUMLIN

• Record as FBS head coach: 59-23 (35-17 at Houston, 24-6 at Texas A&M)
• Previous coaching stops: University of Houston (head coach), Oklahoma University (co-offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, special teams coordinator, tight ends coach), Texas A&M (offensive coordinator, assistant head coach), Purdue University (wide receivers coach), University of Minnesota (wide receivers coach, quarterbacks coach), University of Wyoming (wide receivers coach), Washington State (graduate assistant).
• Achievements as coach: SEC Coach of the Year, two-time Conference USA Coach of the Year.

Breakdown: Sumlin is an offensive-minded coach who has had success wherever he’s coached during his career. His coordinators at Texas A&M have changed, as have his quarterbacks, but the Aggies’ potent offense remains as dangerous as ever. Sumlin has excelled at finding dynamic athletes to fit his system, and he likes his offense to play fast and run as many plays as possible. Like Pinkel, he brilliantly navigated A&M through its transition from the Big 12 to the SEC, and his program appears to have overtaken the Texas Longhorns as the premier program in the Lone Star State, which has paid major dividends in recruiting.

BRET BIELEMA

• Record as FBS head coach: 74-34 (68-24 at Wisconsin, 6-10 at Arkansas)
• Previous coaching stops: University of Wisconsin (head coach, defensive coordinator), Kansas State (co-defensive coordinator), University of Iowa (linebackers coach, graduate assistant).
• Achievements as coach: Big 10 Coach of the Year, three Big 10 championships, two Big 10 Leaders division titles.

Breakdown: Bielema is an old-school coach who prides his teams on playing slow-paced, smash mouth football on both sides of the ball. Bielema builds his teams from the inside out, beginning with powerful offensive and defensive lineman and a strong rushing attack. Arkansas has run the ball as well as anyone in the SEC this season, and the Razorbacks are in no hurry to give up possession of the football the way some no-huddle spread offenses are throughout the conference. His program has shown tremendous growth in his first two seasons in Fayetteville, already recording convincing victories over the likes of Texas Tech and Northern Illinois this season. Who has the edge: These two coaches will bring two contrasting styles to the field, which should create a fascinating chess match between Sumlin and Bielema. Both coaches have tremendous faith in their own philosophies, and neither will budge until absolutely necessary, making the first quarter of this showdown critical in determining which style will dictate the tone of the game. Sumlin earns the edge simply because he has won more games in the SEC by establishing his fast-paced style. Bielema, on the other hand, is 0-9 against SEC foes the last two years. One coach is not necessarily better than the other, but until Bielema proves his brand of power football can win against the speed of the SEC, the nod goes to Sumlin’s top 10-ranked Aggies.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.