Ranking the SEC coaches (Football)

[oklavol]

Blog ranking SEC coaches, granted its from a Florida fan.......thoughts?

Orange and Blue Hue » SEC Coaching Rankings

1) Urban Meyer (UF) - his credentials are impeccable. You can argue with his schemes and his play calling but you can’t argue with his success. And his resume includes doing almost the same thing at THREE consecutive schools. From 7-5 to 13-1 in two years is impressive on its own.

2) Nick Saban (ALA) - Personally the guy annoys me. He’s abrasive, self righteous and condescending but the man is a proven winner. No, not at the NFL level, he never achieved success in his two years with the Dolphins but at the college level he’s been to the top of the mountain.
3) Mark Richt (UGA) - Georgia struggled this year going 8-4 and losing to Vanderbilt and Kentucky. However they did beat Auburn, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech (all ranked teams) to end the year. Its interesting that one of the WORST years under Richt’s tenure would have been one of the BEST during the decade prior to his arrival.
4) Steve Spurrier (SCar) - Until he builds South Carolina up to the level where they contend for the SEC every year he falls behind Richt. Sure his resume at UF is impressive but he also had several built in advantages when coaching in Gainesville he doesn’t have in Columbia.
5) Rich Brooks (UK) - Laugh if you will but did you notice that UK has 2 more wins than a fellow bowl bound SEC team Alabama this year? Rich Brooks was also a NFL failure like Spurrier but he has done the impossible. He took a football program on probation at a basketball school from joke to bowl in 3 years.
6) Houston Nutt (ARK) - His overall record at Arkansas is 67-43 and has won 9 or more games in 4 out of his 8 years at the school. This is not to say that a coach like Mack Brown, Urban Meyer or Pete Carroll wouldn’t have built a much better program in Fayetteville but . . . come on people, this is ARKANSAS!!!
7) Tommy Tuberville (AUB) - Sure, of course, I can hear it now. How can a coach who led his school to an undefeated record be the 7th best in the SEC??? Now don’t get me wrong, Tommy Tuberville is a GOOD coach but unfortunately there are a LOT of good coaches in the SEC.
8) Phil Fulmer (UT) - No one can argue with the success of Tennessee or the recruits they’ve attracted. What you CAN debate is whether that success should be credited to Fulmer OR his coordinators (Chavis and Cutcliffe). There are very few games during the year where UT isn’t the most talented team on the field.
9) Bobby Johnson (VAN) - Two consecutive 5 win season wouldn’t get you much play anywhere else but at Vanderbilt . . . it can definitely get you a better gig!
10) Les Miles (LSU) - If based strictly on wins at a his current school then Miles would be near the top of this list. He is currently 22-4 at LSU. In his previous coaching stint he took over a sad Oklahoma State team and in his 2nd, 3rd and 4th years won 8, 9 and 7 games respectively.
11) Ed Orgeron (Ole Miss) - The jury is still out on Ed. I and some others were led to believe that Ole Miss might be respectable this year and perhaps even make a bowl game. Boy were we fooled.
12) Sylvester Croom (MSU) - There is no honor in last place even in a league as littered with quality coaches as the SEC. I give Croom credit, I have yet to see a Mississippi State team that doesn’t play hard on the field.

[BigPapaVol]

Very entertaining. Could argue with him on some points, but really wouldn't move any of the coaches very far in either direction, except Brooks.

[Tenn_Vol_Authority]

Is this a "Fire Phil Fulmer" thread?

[Jaytrain5]

it's not going to take long for this thread to move down a very familiar path...

[Tenn_Vol_Authority]

Originally Posted by Jaytrain5

it's not going to take long for this thread to move down a very familiar path...

Exactly...

[droski]

Hal Mumme won at Kentucky too, I wouldn't rank him above fulmer would you? It should also be noted that Oregon wasn't really good until belloti and tedford took over.

[exotic_vols]

Originally Posted by Jaytrain5

it's not going to take long for this thread to move down a very familiar path...

I am about to get started...

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I think you could make a decent argument for any of the top 4 on the list to be #1. Ears, Fulmer, and Miles are your middle tier. The rest of 'em are on the bottom rung. A few observations:

1. Nutt has had 2 losing seasons, one 10-win season and his winning % at Arky is barely over 60%. He's just not up there with the rest of 'em IMO

2. I respect the heck out of Bobby Johnson but he should've taken Vandy to a bowl game at least once in the past two years. The five win season in '05 was a feat. Winning 5 games on a 12 game schedule ain't so hot.

3. Coach O hasn't done anything to impress me at Ole Miss. His recruiting ranking for the '06 class was overinflated because the Rebs signed 30 kids that class.

[justingroves]

Originally Posted by VolunteerHillbilly

I think you could make a decent argument for any of the top 4 on the list to be #1. Ears, Fulmer, and Miles are your middle tier. The rest of 'em are on the bottom rung. A few observations:

1. Nutt has had 2 losing seasons, one 10-win season and his winning % at Arky is barely over 60%. He's just not up there with the rest of 'em IMO

2. I respect the heck out of Bobby Johnson but he should've taken Vandy to a bowl game at least once in the past two years. The five win season in '05 was a feat. Winning 5 games on a 12 game schedule ain't so hot.

3. Coach O hasn't done anything to impress me at Ole Miss. His recruiting ranking for the '06 class was overinflated because the Rebs signed 30 kids that class.

Nutt does seem overrated on that list. Miles is where he needs to be. CPF is about where he needs to be.

Johnson gets praise because winning any games at Vandy makes it a good season there

[VolinArizona]

We seem to do this every other month, and I think the pecking order is pretty standard.

1. Steve Spurrier
2. Urban Meyer
3. Mark Richt
4. Phillip Fulmer
5. Nick Saban
6. Tommy Tuberville
7. Houston Nutt
8. Les Miles
9. Rich Brooks
10. Ed Orgeron
11. Bobby Johnson
12. Sylvester Croom

I assume the traits we consider are: SEC titles, National Titles, recruiting, head to head, longevity - in no order.

[VolinArizona]

BTW, the original list from the Florida fan is the worst thing I've ever seen - don't act like you're doing some sort of editorial when you have no idea what you're talking about.

[justingroves]

Really, about Nutt, he apparently has written the book on how to tear a team apart. Ran off the O-coordinator, then ran off the 5 star QB and his receiver. Really, he's tore a very good nucleus of young guys apart.

[justingroves]

Originally Posted by VolinArizona

We seem to do this every other month, and I think the pecking order is pretty standard.

1. Steve Spurrier
2. Urban Meyer
3. Mark Richt
4. Phillip Fulmer
5. Nick Saban
6. Tommy Tuberville
7. Houston Nutt
8. Les Miles
9. Rich Brooks
10. Ed Orgeron
11. Bobby Johnson
12. Sylvester Croom

I assume the traits we consider are: SEC titles, National Titles, recruiting, head to head, longevity - in no order.

If going by NCs, why is Richt that high? IMO until you win a NC, you have no right to be ranked above someone that has one. I'm talking more about Saban than CPF. Give me Saban over Richt anyday.

[VolinArizona]

Originally Posted by justingroves

If going by NCs, why is Richt that high? IMO until you win a NC, you have no right to be ranked above someone that has one. I'm talking more about Saban than CPF. Give me Saban over Richt anyday.

Justin, please read my post more thoroughly. I said the traits are: SEC Titles, National Titles, longevity, head to head, and recruiting - roll em all up. Saban has 1 National Title, 1 SEC Title and was a fantastic recruiter in a rich state. Richt has 2 SEC titles and is a fantastic state in a state less rich than Louisiana.

[cotton]

I find it strange that people think so highly of Brooks, a guy who was in danger of being unceremoniously dismissed before the season started, based on wins against Texas State, Central Michigan, the Mississippis, Louisiana-Monroe, a down Georgia and a slumping Clemson.

A bowl win at UK may be exciting for their fan base, but I would think an outsider would notice the weakness in this year's schedule and not credit Brooks with dragging the Cats above mediocrity just yet.