The SEC has eight new defensive coordinators. In a large part that’s due to three SEC defensive coordinators getting bumped up to SEC head coaching positions, causing a domino effect throughout the conference.

Given their promotions, Alabama’s Kirby Smart, Auburn’s Will Muschamp and Missouri’s Barry Odom must have done a good job directing defenses.

But there have been a few unexpected changes, too. Manny Diaz, who professed that he wouldn’t leave Mississippi State after one year did just that when the defensive coordinator job came open at Miami, his hometown. Tennessee coach Butch Jones dumped John Jancek, whose defense had a good season, in order to hire Penn State’s Bob Shoop.

Each of the SEC’s new defensive coordinators arrives with an outstanding track record and appears to be a good fit with their new teams.

The Candidates:

Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Missouri defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, Mississippi State defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon, South Carolina defensive coordinator Travarus Robinson and Mississippi State recruiting coordinator/secondary coach Terrell Buckley.

NOT QUITE

Tennessee pulled off an impressive coup when Shoop decided he didn’t want to wait for Penn State to rebuild. Shoop’s resume is amazing. His Penn State defense ranked No. 2 in the nation in 2014 and was No. 15 last season. But he’s inheriting a solid unit at Tennessee, especially with the decisions by LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and CB Cameron Sutton to return. The Vols gave up only 20 points per game, so there’s only so much improvement Shoop can make.

Steele is the quintessential hired gun. He’s served as defensive coordinator at Tennessee, Alabama and LSU before moving over to Auburn to replace Will Muschamp. Fired at Clemson after the 2011 season when West Virginia dropped 70 points on Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Steele rehabbed his image at LSU. He’ll have a chance to prove his worth at Auburn, where the Tigers gave up 26 points per game despite holding Memphis and Paxson Lynch to 10 points in the Birmingham Bowl. With DE Carl Lawson returning and the likelihood of an improved offense, the Auburn defense should be better.

Cross is a good fit with Barry Odom, Mizzou’s defensive coordinator last season. Cross had success as Texas Christian’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In 2015, Cross moved safety Travin Howard to linebacker, where he earned All-Big 12 honors. In 2014, Paul Dawson was chosen Big 12 Defender of the Year. Cross also spent five years on the Buffalo Bills coaching staff. The coordinator, who played with Odom at Mizzou, should be able to improve the Tigers’ recruiting in his native St. Louis area.

Tucker inherits good talent at Georgia, though he must replace the entire starting linebacker corps — Leonard Floyd, Jordan Jenkins and Jake Ganus — and three of four starters on the line from the nation’s No. 7 defense last season. But DT Trenton Thompson and Roquan Smith should emerge as standouts, and the entire two-deep in the secondary is back. Tucker served with Kirby Smart as defensive backs coach last season at Alabama, successfully starting two freshmen in the secondary for a national championship team. Tucker coached with Nick Saban at Michigan State and LSU and with Jim Tressel at Ohio State before moving to the NFL, where he was defensive coordinator at Jacksonville and Chicago.

Pruitt is no stranger to the SEC. Rumored to have squabbled with Richt last season, Pruitt was strongly backed by Georgia’s defensive players, who lobbied for Pruitt to stay while Richt was under scrutiny. Georgia led the nation in pass defense in 2015 and was No. 7 in total defense. His transition at Alabama should be easy — he played for the Crimson Tide and coached defensive backs for Nick Saban from 2010-2012. Before that, he was defensive coordinator at Florida State. Pruitt is a solid choice for the Tide, who have to replace most of its front seven, but he’ll have impressive talent ready to move into the lineup. The Tide defense should be in good shape.

THE CASE FOR BUCKLEY

He’s not a coordinator. In fact, Dan Mullen has yet to announce what Buckley’s responsibilities will be within the Bulldogs’ secondary. But Buckley could be a difference maker for Mississippi State on the recruiting trail, where he is the new coordinator.

Although Mississippi State won 19 games in the past two seasons, much of the credit for that success belongs to the offense, in particular, Dak Prescott. The Bulldogs need to close their recruiting gap on the West elite, and Buckley is an ideal candidate to do that. The 44-year-old Buckley should have plenty of street credibility in his native state. He coached cornerbacks the past two years at Akron and Louisville.

An All-American cornerback at Florida State, Buckley won the Jim Thorpe Award and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1991. He left FSU as the career leader in interceptions with 21. He made 50 interceptions in the NFL and was a member of the 2001 Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

THE WINNER

Aranda has the best chance to make the biggest impact in his first season. The Tigers return a wealth of talent, and if they improve their pass rush and passing game, have conference championship potential. Leonard Fournette should keep the LSU defense rested.

The Tigers return their starting front four, including leading pass rusher Lewis Neal, and CB Kevin Toliver II, a standout as a true freshman. LSU was good against the rush, holding opponents to 122.9 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. But the Tigers gave up 224.3 yards per game through the air and made only 17 sacks.

Aranda’s track record makes improving the pass defense a good possibility. At Wisconsin, with lower-rated recruits, his defense ranked No. 2 in the nation last season after ranking No. 4 in 2014 and No. 7 in 2013, his first season. Wisconsin was No. 7 in pass defense in 2015 and No. 4 in 2014.