Which SEC coach will be next to earn extension?

Auburn’s contract extension for Gus Malzahn earlier this month lifted him third in the SEC in salary behind Nick Saban at Alabama and Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M.

But it also apparently crossed him off the list of coaches on the hot seat. It added a year to his previous deal, which was through 2019.

Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Malzahn’s job status came into question last season when the Tigers were at the bottom of the SEC in almost every major offensive category. Malzahn also went on a hiring frenzy with five new members of his staff, including a third defensive coordinator in four years. But the extension will at least put some of those arguments on the back burner until the first misstep this season.

Similarly, SEC coaches like Kentucky’s Mark Stoops and Sumlin have drawn some criticism for their offensive struggles and personnel issues. While the terms to fire Malzahn didn’t change, the same could be done for Stoops and Sumlin, who also each see their contracts expire in 2019. Dan Mullen still has the shortest remaining contract length in the SEC at 2018, while his rival, Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss, is under agreement until 2019.

One traditional adage that agents usually sell athletics directors on is a five- or six-year window of a contract to prevent negative recruiting. That reportedly was why Malzahn’s extension came out following a big recruiting weekend when players and families no doubt inquired about his job status given last season’s disappointment.

With money from the SEC Network generating $31.2 million per school last year, USATODAY reported, athletics directors have some cushion to play the long-term recruiting game agents covet. But it also gives them an emergency fun to pay a buyout if things go south.

However, the length of time between extensions can come into question when Mullen, for example, received his extension just over a year ago. It was plenty warranted at the time following five weeks at No. 1 for the Bulldogs during the 2014 season. Still, the recurring questions for all involved — coaches, administrators, players and fans — is what have you done lately? When do you raise the bar from $4 million a year over five or six years?

Barring some early losses, Mullen (below) is most likely to receive the next extension, especially when openings come, and he has a chance to interview elsewhere.

Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Yet give Stoops and Sumlin a chance to upset a division rival, and a reward could be their agent sitting down for a celebratory negotiation with the AD.

Here’s a look at the status for every SEC coach: