Ranking the SEC coaching jobs in 2016
Ready for the upcoming presidential debates? We didn’t think so.
We figured we’d do something more fun, such as rating the college football coaching jobs in the SEC. If all 14 of the conference’s programs were forced to fire their head coaches today and re-hire someone new, which school would be the most attractive option in 2016?
14. Vanderbilt
Nashville’s appeal is obvious for several reasons, but Derek Mason is in a tough spot. First of all, he has followed a coach in James Franklin who was arguably the best in school history. Plus, he’s working for an SEC school that puts academics ahead of athletics while paying him one of the lowest salaries in the conference. Because Vanderbilt is a private institution, it’s not required to reveal its coaches’ incomes, but Mason’s total pay in 2014 was about $2.6 million. Barry Odom will earn $2.35 million in his first season as Missouri’s head coach.
13. Kentucky
Bear Bryant, one of the biggest names in the sport, coached here for eight seasons yet basketball is still king in Kentucky. Want proof? Check out how similar John Calipari and Nick Saban’s salaries are. UK should be able to capitalize on its proximity to a recruit-rich state such as Ohio, but that apparently isn’t enough of an advantage to help the Wildcats challenge in the SEC East, let alone qualify for a bowl game.
12. Mississippi State
With Dak Prescott taking the NFL by storm, the Bulldogs have to find a way to overcome the loss of the greatest player in school history. At least they still have arguably the best coach in Mississippi State history running the show in Dan Mullen. Major rebuild aside, as small as the Magnolia State is, it doesn’t produce as much homegrown talent as Texas, Florida, Georgia or even Alabama. Plus, even within Mississippi, Starkville (cowbell) seems like a harder sell than Oxford (Hotty Toddy). In addition to Ole Miss, the Bulldogs have to compete each year with LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, A&M and Bama in the toughest division in the country.
11. Missouri
This is a program with some appealing elements: a solid fan base, a good stadium and a decent history. Gary Pinkel had a lot to do with molding that history; perhaps Odom can put his own stamp on the program. Recruiting wise, it rules the Show Me State, and it has an edge with the St. Louis market. But even within its own division, Mizzou has to contend with what Tennessee, Georgia and Florida offer year after year. Maybe developing a rivalry with one of those schools could expand the Tigers’ recruiting reach.
10. South Carolina
Before the Steve Spurrier era, one of the most loyal fan bases in the SEC supported losing Gamecocks teams for years. The Head Ball Coach improved the program’s reputation with the best stretch in school history, but knowing the cupboard was bare, he knew it was time to bail. New coach Will Muschamp gets to recruit in a talent-rich state, but he has to contend with other SEC teams along with longtime rival Clemson. It will be hard for Muschamp to get the Gamecocks where Spurrier took them, and that might even be true of any coach who follows him.
9. Ole Miss
When it comes to game-day environments in college football, The Grove is as good – or better than – any locale in the game. And as small as Mississippi is, it has produced a fair share of elite recruits, but it faces the same challenges its rival in Starkville endures every year. Via legitimate means or not, Hugh Freeze has found a way to win but might not be able to sustain that success. The Rebels’ resources pale in comparison to those at Alabama and other SEC schools. And even within its own division, Ole Miss has a tough time competing with a team such as LSU from many standpoints.
8. Arkansas
Despite being the only major program in the Razorback state, Arkansas isn’t the biggest recruiting hotbed. But Texas and Oklahoma are close enough to offset that, which is a good thing. Plus, the Hogs have a decent home venue in Razorback Stadium. In addition, in terms of producing annual revenue, Arkansas has the country’s 16th-largest athletic department, according to usatoday.com, which always helps. Except for when John L. Smith is coaching the team, Arkansas always seems to be decent. If Bret Bielema can help the Hogs match their pre-SEC, Southwest Conference glory days, Fayetteville will become a much more appealing destination.
7. Auburn
For starters, Auburn has to contend with Alabama on an annual basis. Then consider where it is geographically, where it has to compete with the Crimson Tide along with other schools such as Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Florida State for recruits. Those are definitely challenges, but there are some positive aspects about working on The Plains. There’s a tradition of Heisman Trophy winners and national championships. Plus, whoever coaches at Auburn will always have an opportunity to vie for titles in the best division in the sport. However, beating Alabama on and off the field will constantly be the toughest task.
6. Texas A&M
College Station is full of great amenities: the recently renovated Kyle Field along with a top-notch football complex that includes an impressive indoor practice facility. Some may chafe about Kevin Sumlin’s $5 million per year contract, but because A&M has the nation’s largest athletic department in terms of revenue, the school can more than afford it. It helps that the Aggies are anchored in Texas, but these days they have to compete with Baylor, Houston and Texas, among other schools in the Longhorn State. The toughest thing is being in the SEC West, which might not result in any kind of championship anytime soon.
5. LSU
From a recruiting standpoint, the Tigers are in the enviable position of being Louisiana’s powerhouse school. After poaching most – if not all – of the state’s biggest recruits, LSU can always turn toward Texas to try to scoop up what it doesn’t already have. Plus the Tigers’ success in Death Valley at night, albeit clichéd, is still a selling point. And as hard as it is for some LSU backers to admit, Saban brought the Tigers back to prominence, which Les Miles has tried really hard to extend. The addition of Texas A&M to the conference and the SEC West in general has made this a much tougher job on and off the field.
4. Tennessee
Let’s start with the superlatives: Neyland Stadium is a terrific building. Tennessee also boasts one of the best traditions and fan bases in the country. Plus, after six straight wins to cap a 9-4 season, Butch Jones potentially has the Vols on the precipice of an even better year in 2016. One of the drawbacks Tennessee faces in recruiting is the fact that it has to contend with Vanderbilt for prep players out of Nashville. And when it ventures to Memphis, it has to ward off Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss. But the good thing is, even though the Volunteers haven’t won a national championship since Phillip Fulmer roamed the sidelines, Knoxville definitely has the resources for another title run.
3. Georgia
Despite averaging more than nine wins in each of his 15 seasons in Athens, Mark Richt lost his job after failing to win a national championship. Even with Kirby Smart taking over, the fan base will be just as demanding, but that shouldn’t be a deterrent. It may not be the recruiting hotbed that Florida, Texas or California are, but Georgia has to be considered among the nation’s top five states in that regard. Though it may not translate to championship-caliber success, the Bulldogs always seem to have a loaded roster. Combine that with UGA’s tradition, stadium and backing, and this remains one of the best jobs in America.
2. Florida
Spurrier and Urban Meyer proved that multiple national championships are possible in Gator Country. Of course, they happened to be situated in arguably the richest recruiting region in the country, but by winning it all, they managed to do what others before them couldn’t. On the plus side, before announcing that he will be stepping down on Oct. 1, athletic director Jeremy Foley insisted that improving the Gators’ football facilities was the highest thing on Florida’s agenda. Any kind of improvement in that category is more than overdue. On the field, fixing an offense that hasn’t been the same since the days of Meyer and Tim Tebow is of utmost importance. Florida also has to deal with Florida State’s recent dominance along with Miami’s emergence, but there’s no denying that being located in the Sunshine State should keep the Gators competitive for a long time.
1. Alabama
With four national championships over the last seven seasons, Saban has created a standard that will be hard to match. Alabama has rewarded him for that success by making him the highest-paid coach in college football. But when a loss in the College Football Playoff is now considered a disappointing season, you know you are at a different – and special – place. The Crimson Tide’s tradition is one thing, but its 25 SEC championships and 16 national titles put it in its own stratosphere. Saban has done so well that the coach who replaces him will be in an impossible position. However, whoever that ends up being will walk into a place where recruiting has been a breeze. Combine that with an incredibly rabid fan base, and you have one of the most demanding – but simultaneously exciting — jobs on the planet.