Following the hiring of five head coaches around the SEC, there was significant turnover at the coordinator position in the SEC this offseason. While not every coordinator listed below is new to the league or his role for the coming season, these 10 assistants stand out as the coordinators with the most to prove in 2018.

Tyson Helton, Offensive coordinator, Tennessee

We all know about Jeremy Pruitt’s reputation on defense. With the Vols defense in the hands of Pruitt and his longtime friend Kevin Sherrer, Tennessee fans should feel confident that that unit is in solid hands. However, Pruitt’s most important hire for the coming season came with Tyson Helton.

Tennessee treated it that way as well, handing Helton $1.2 million to lead the offense in Knoxville. He has his hands full ensuring he’s worth that hefty price tag, though, as he inherits small running backs, small receivers, small tight ends and small linemen and quarterbacks that don’t fit what he ideally would have to run his offensive scheme in Knoxville. That’s why you’ve seen the program become so invested in pursuing graduate transfer players on the offensive side of the ball.

The ultimate success or failure of many head coaches comes back to the decisions they make for the positions below them, and that’s particularly relevant when a coach makes a hire on the opposite side of the ball from his strength. That’s not to suggest that Helton needs to turn around Tennessee’s offense overnight but the unit needs to show a level of progression to keep the momentum going that always begins when a new staff is hired and, perhaps most importantly, to attract an elite quarterback that isn’t yet on the roster on Rocky Top.

According to Bill Connelly’s returning production rankings found at SB Nation, Tennessee returns only 58 percent of its offensive production. That ranks 93th in the country. The Vols face three of the nation’s top 11 defenses from 2017 according to the S&P+ ratings (Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn) and face the challenge of trying to outscore West Virginia in the 2018 opener.

Mike Elko, Defensive coordinator, Texas A&M

Similiar to Helton taking control of the offense in Knoxville, Mike Elko will be charged with taking over the side of the ball that his new head coach isn’t known for having expertise in. Thus, Jimbo Fisher’s initial success in College Station could very well be in Elko’s hands.

During his time in Tallahassee, Fisher got a first-hand look at Elko’s ability to coach up a defense when overmatched in terms of talent. Elko’s Wake Forest defenses in 2015 and 2016 held Fisher’s FSU team well below their scoring averages for those seasons. In 2015, FSU scored 24 on Wake (FSU averaged 31.7 points per game that season) and in 2016, FSU scored 17 on Wake (FSU averaged 35.1 points per game that season). If Elko can show similar results with the superior talent he’ll possess in College Station, the Aggies could quickly develop into a division contender.

Part of the culture change with Texas A&M this season is all about getting tougher and sustaining that toughness for four quarters, and the Aggie defense managed to accomplish that in several marquee games in 2017 — most notably against Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Ole Miss, but did crumble toward the end of the season in a few games.

That should give Elko confidence that his unit doesn’t have to be built from scratch by any means. The pieces are already on hand for a quick turnaround thanks to talented defenders like Landis Durham, Tyrel Dodson, and Anthony Hines. A&M returns 78% of its defensive production, which ranks 27th in the nation. Elko’s defense will face only one offense that ranked inside the top 20 of offensive efficiency in 2017 (Ole Miss – ranked No. 9).

Derek Dooley, Offensive coordinator, Missouri

The most bizarre hire in the SEC — if not the nation — this offseason, Derek Dooley has much to live up to in 2018. After being five years removed from the college game, he’s being asked to step into multiple roles he’s never held before (offensive coordinator, play caller, and QB coach) while at the same time, he’s being asked to ensure Mizzou continues the progress it made on offense in the second half of last season. Having Drew Lock will certainly ease those tasks for the first-time OC but there’s also pressure to improve the Mizzou senior but at the same time, not tweak his game so much that he’s less effective. That could be a difficult balance for Dooley to achieve but it will be fascinating to watch either way.

Other factors that should help Dooley: Mizzou gets two home games to start the season against UT-Martin and Wyoming, and the Tigers return 70% of their offensive production, which ranks 54th best in the nation, and features several offensive linemen, receivers and one of the SEC’s best young tight ends in Albert Okwuegbunam.

Bob Shoop, Defensive coordinator, Mississippi State

Of all the preseason hype being thrown Mississippi State’s way, most of which is well-deserved, how well the team replaces its coach isn’t being talked about enough. No, I’m not talking about Dan Mullen, it’s Todd Grantham’s departure that has me wondering if there will be a drop off in Starkville in 2018. How Grantham did not win the Frank Broyles Award — given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach — for the job he didn’t last season remains a mystery. MSU had one of the nation’s most pathetic defenses in 2016, and they turned into one of the meanest and best units in the SEC last season.

The vast majority of that unit returns intact, and it will be Bob Shoop’s job to get the most out of it. Shoop was in a similar situation not long ago, taking over Tennessee’s 2016 defense that was loaded with future NFL talent and the results simply were not there very often. His 2017 defense was even worse and played a large role in the firing of Butch Jones in Knoxville. Hailed as a defensive genius upon his arrival, Shoop transformed Penn State and Vanderbilt before that into top units in two of the country’s toughest conferences.

So which job will Shoop perform for Mississippi State in 2018? Make no mistake, the MSU DC has some image rebuilding to do this season, but all the pieces are in place to make that happen. With a manageable early schedule against Stephen F. Austin, at Kansas State and UL Lafayette, the defense should have plenty of time to adjust to Shoop prior to SEC play. The Bulldogs defense ranked 19th in the nation according to S&P+ and faces only one offense that ranked in the top 10 in offensive S&P+ (Ole Miss ranked 9th).

Bryan McClendon, Offensive coordinator, South Carolina

This struck me as an odd decision when it was made considering McClendon’s lack of experience as a full-time OC or quarterback coach. The hire made more sense when Will Muschamp hired QB coach Dan Werner, but it still seems like a bit of a gamble considering the momentum this program has heading into 2018. Muschamp’s OC hires doomed his Florida tenure, and it was clear Kurt Roper didn’t get enough out of Jake Bentley or the offense last season. Now the pressure is on McClendon to not only do so but help elevate the Gamecocks to new heights quickly this coming season.

The team’s offensive performance in the bowl game left much to be desired for the better part of three quarters and will now need to be firing on all cylinders Week 2 of the season when Georgia comes to Columbia. The good news there? The Bulldogs face plenty of questions on the defensive side of the ball heading into 2018 and getting that team early could pay off for the Gamecocks as UGA is expected to play several young players across the defensive two-deep.

The Gamecocks return 84% of their offensive production, which ranks 15th in the nation. S&P+ ranked South Carolina as having the nation’s 88th most efficient offense last season. Those numbers suggest a big turnaround is in order and it will be on McClendon’s shoulders if it doesn’t happen.

John Chavis, Defensive coordinator, Arkansas

Chad Morris and his young coaching staff bring plenty of excitement and energy to Fayetteville, but the one thing they don’t bring is much SEC experience. That’s a big reason the hire of John Chavis was an important one for the new Razorback coach. Chavis has been in the league for so long, having spent the previous nine seasons in the SEC West, he knows not only what to expect from the coaches and players from every Razorback opponent, he knows the culture, environment, and challenges they can uniquely present, as well.

When you consider Morris didn’t inherit the ideal players necessary to most effectively run his offense and his previous coaching history suggests it may take a season or two before the offense kicks into high gear, Chavis and his defense are going to need to be a stabilizing force for the Razorbacks early in 2018.

Despite the team’s poor record last season, there’s plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball for Arkansas from the likes of Randy Ramsey, McTelvin Agim, De’Jon Harris, Dre Greenlaw, Santos Ramirez and the return of Ryan Pulley from injury. The Razorbacks return 66% of its defensive production from last season, which ranks 58th best in the nation.

The team’s big non-conference game against Colorado State will be an interesting matchup to keep an eye on. CSU ranked 12th in the nation in S&P+’s offensive efficiency metrics, but the team returns only 27 percent of that production, which ranks 129th in the nation. Chavis’ ability to limit Mike Bobo’s CSU offense will likely be the deciding factor in the game, which could make or break the momentum Arkansas has heading into SEC play.

Steve Ensminger, Offensive coordinator, LSU

No coordinator hire will be judged harsher if it doesn’t pay off immediately than Ed Orgeron’s decision to reinstate Steve Ensminger and remove Matt Canada less than a year after luring him to Baton Rouge with a hefty contract. There’s no understating that decision; it could very well cost Orgeron his job if it backfires epically in 2018. No pressure, Ensminger.

With no starting experience returning at quarterback, even with the addition of Ohio State graduate transfer Joe Burrow, no alpha male running backs for the first time in recent school history and a receiving corp lacking much experience in the SEC, albeit a very talented group, the recipe for an offensive quagmire is in place in Death Valley. To Ensminger’s credit, when he took over the offense near the mid-season mark in 2016, the unit exploded after looking rather weak when it was run by Cam Cameron. If Ensminger can pull off another similar act, he’ll have to do so against one of the toughest schedules in the nation in 2018.

The Tigers open up in Arlington against Miami, which led the Power 5 in forced turnovers with 31 in 2017. The Hurricanes return an experienced secondary that is less than ideal for a first-time starting QB playing away from the friendly confines of Death Valley. If that landmine is conquered, LSU then travels to Auburn two weeks later to face the SEC’s best defensive front. No SEC team faces a tougher task during the first three weeks of the season and how well it goes could be in the hands of Ensminger.

The Tigers return only 39 percent of their offensive production from 2017, which ranks 124th in the nation.

Dave Aranda, Defensive coordinator, LSU

There might be some cause for concern this offseason in Baton Rouge, but one area that should give LSU fans no worries is Dave Aranda’s defense. The unit took a slight step back in 2017 following the departure of some elite talent and to the fact the Tigers were forced to play many young defenders but those players (Devin White, Greedy Williams, Grant Delpit, Jacob Phillips, Ed Alexander, Richard Lawrence, K’Lavon Chaisson) look to be the centerpieces for a defense that could be the best in the league in 2018.

With the offense expected to be somewhat of a work in progress during the league’s toughest early-season schedule, Aranda’s unit will need to anchor the program if the Tigers are going to come out on the other side unscathed before returning home for their first game against a Power 5 opponent in Week 4. Thanks to the addition of Stanford graduate transfer cornerback Terrence Alexander and potential impact from Kelvin Joseph, one of the nation’s best high school defensive backs, Aranda may finally be able to break out his “peso” defense in Baton Rouge. That package is largely credited for the offensive destruction Aranda’s Wisconsin defenses routinely created before his hiring at LSU. If the Tigers can break that out consistently, SEC offenses won’t know what hit them.

The Tigers return only 57 percent of their defensive production from last season, which ranks 90th in the nation but Aranda’s defense was ranked as one of the 20 most efficient units in the nation in 2017.

Phil Longo, Offensive coordinator, Ole Miss

While coaching changes, whether it be at head coach, at the coordinator position or at an assistant spot, often arrive with much fanfare, results rarely are evident immediately. The vast majority of the time, it isn’t until Year 2 that everything comes together following a change, and that should be the case in Oxford entering Phil Longo’s second season with Ole Miss.

Longo’s offense wasn’t too impressive early last season but by the end of the year appeared to have found its footing following Jordan Ta’amu’s insertion into the starting lineup. That bodes well for the coming season as the vast majority of the offense returns and have both experience and a better understanding of what Longo is trying to accomplish on offense. The Rebels return five offensive linemen with starting experience (Greg Little, Javon Patterson, Sean Rawlings, Alex Givens and Jordan Sims), arguably the best receiving corp in the SEC (with A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf and DaMarkus Lodge leading the way) and possess an emerging tight end in Dawson Knox.

Assuming Ta’amu continues to progress in the system, there’s a good chance the Rebels have the league’s best offense next season. Ole Miss returns 64 percent of its offensive production from a unit that ranked in the top 10 nationally in offensive efficiency. When you consider those numbers would potentially have been drastically different if Ta’amu had started the entire season over Shea Patterson, all the pieces are in place for an explosive offense next fall in Oxford.

Tosh Lupoi, Defensive coordinator, Alabama

In three years time, Alabama has gone from two of the most accomplished defensive coordinators in recent SEC history to a coach who has never made a single defensive play call. In fact, Tosh Lupoi is only a few years removed from being an analyst with the Crimson Tide, but following the departure of so many experienced and respected assistants in recent offseasons, Lupoi is now one of the most experienced defensive coaches on Nick Saban’s staff.

Despite Lupoi’s inexperience in calling plays, there’s a reason he was the highest paid outside linebackers coach in the nation before his promotion. Saban wouldn’t hand the job over to someone he didn’t trust and, of course, Alabama’s head coach will have his hands all over the unit as always but there could potentially be some growing pains for Lupoi to get through that may not happen until late in the season. It’s been pointed out by many that the Crimson Tide do not currently project to play a ranked opponent until November, and if that is indeed the case, Lupoi’s ability to make the correct call in a crucial moment may not be tested until late into the season. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

Without a doubt, Alabama is going to have the edge in terms of overall talent regardless of who they play all season long, and Saban has successfully managed to adapt to the loss of assistants unlike any other coach in college football history, but at some point, that unmatched streak will come to an end. With Auburn, Georgia and potentially Mississippi State nipping at Alabama’s heels this season in league play, one mismanaged gameplan at the wrong time could come back to haunt the Crimson Tide like the Iron Bowl loss nearly did last November.