The top offensive coaches in the country are often popular choices for teams looking for a new head coach. Fans prefer to watch teams that can score points while playing at a faster pace.

But in the SEC, a good defense is paramount for winning a conference championship. Defense is the biggest reason why Alabama has dominated the SEC Western Division since Nick Saban arrived in 2007. It’s important to note that all four teams in this year’s College Football Playoff rank in the top 25 in scoring defense.

Considering those facts, defensive coaches were the choices for the three SEC schools with head coaching openings this year. Georgia hired Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. Missouri promoted Barry Odom from its defensive coordinator after Gary Pinkel resigned. And South Carolina hired Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

Now, with all the SEC head coaching vacancies being filled, only one question remains: Which program made the best hire?

Below is a case for why each one of these coaches was hired and the verdict for which team made the best hire.

Kirby Smart, Georgia: Smart seemed to have a plan as soon as Georgia hired him. He  swiped Jim Chaney away from Pittsburgh to run the Bulldogs’ offense. He also recently got his first commitment at Georgia — DB Richard LeCounte III — who’s No. 8 in the ESPN Junior 300 rankings. If Smart decides to retain Kevin Sherrer — a top recruiter in the Southeast who landed five of Georgia’s commits in its 2016 class — Georgia could become even more lethal on the recruiting trail. Smart got good news when Jacob Eason, the second-ranked quarterback in the ESPN 300, announced he was sticking with his commitment to Georgia.

Barry Odom, Missouri: Missouri is not an easy place to win. Though Mizzou recruits heavily in St. Louis and Kansas City, the Tigers have to go into Texas, Florida and Georgia for a significant number of out-of-state products. A starting linebacker on back-to-back, top 25 teams at Mizzou in 1997-98, Odom knows the recruiting territory and the formula for winning at the school. Popular with his players, his transition from defensive coordinator should be smooth. Odom is also an accomplished defensive coordinator. In his final season at Memphis in 2014, the defense ranked 27th nationally in total defense. This season, Mizzou ranked sixth in the nation in scoring defense and ninth in total defense.

Will Muschamp, South Carolina: Hiring Muschamp should help fix problems on defense. There is also little doubt that Muschamp will bring the passion and energy that South Carolina needs to reboot after Steve Spurrier resigned. On top of that, Muschamp is exceptional at evaluating defensive players at the high school level. He is a huge reason why Florida — where Muschamp was a head coach from 2011-14 — has had one of the best defenses in the country the past five years. He also has recruiting roots in Georgia, Alabama and Florida and should bring in quality out-of-state talent.

And the verdict is… Barry Odom.

In an SEC coaching carousel that lacked splashy hires, the least splashy hire might have been the best. Not that Odom is better than Smart or Muschamp, but he was an obvious fit for Missouri’s coaching vacancy.

With the other two hires, it’s easy to wonder whether Georgia or South Carolina could have done better.

Shouldn’t Georgia have hired someone with head coaching experience after firing Mark Richt, who was very successful from 2001-15?

And was it a good idea for South Carolina to hire Muschamp, knowing full well that he has a tendency to lose his composure on the sideline and that he didn’t win at Florida?

There are solid questions surrounding Odom, but he is likely the right guy for Missouri.