Just my personal opinion (what do I know - huh?) — But, LET’S GET REAL!….
WHO are the BEST football coaches in the SEC???
1) Kirby Smart - UGA. Best Coach? Or best $$$ & NIL resources? I will give him props for recruiting! - # 1 for now.
2) Steve Sarkisian - Texas. “Ditto” - # 2 (By those factors) — Not much else to say…
3/4) TIE - Josh Heupel - Tennessee. / Lane Kiffen - Ole Miss.
— While Heupel continues to recruit, develop, and improve the players (while promoting a positive team culture); Kiffen is the master of “the transfer portal” with immediate returns….
5) Brett Venables- Oklahoma. Young(er?) & Innovative— He has a strong & solid winning history. Oklahoma should be much better soon!
6) Brian Kelly - LSU. A “Yankee in Bourbon Street Court”. He has been blessed with a Lot of good players & time to show if he can actually “coach ‘em up”!
7) Kalen DeBoer - Alabama. (for now) - He still has a chance to “prove” himself. But, the honey-moon is already over - for sure. After 4 BAMA losses last year, I’d say his leash is kinda Short!
8) Clark Lea - Vandy. (almost a stretch) - But, if he could coach Vandy to beat Bama - He’s a better coach than most….
9) Hugh Freeze - Auburn. He has proven to be a winner. — At several major & minor schools, now….
10) Eli Drinkwitz - Mizzou. He’s a pretty good coach, but Missouri is a low market venue — unless you’re talking about the KC Chiefs….
11) Mark Stoops- Kentucky. He’s NOT his Older Brother. Sometimes he comes up with some pretty solid games. But, Kentucky is (and will always be - a basketball school)…..
12) Mike Elko - Texas A&M. He’s not a Bad coach. But, he has All of the advantages as UGA & Texas - as far as $$$, NIL deals, & fan support. Yet, TAMU always “slips up” about TWO games each year that they should have won….
13) Sam Pittman - Arkansas. He’s a very Old, gritty, & crusty guy that could have won a LOT of games - 30 years ago…..But, this is NOT the SEC of the 90’s…
14) Jeff Lebby - MISS ST. He’s a nice & likable guy. — Player’s coach…. But, who can really win in Starkville, anyways….
15) Shane Beamer. USC Jr. - He is a joke of a coach. He has benefited from the local players in the UGA / South Carolina area - and he only got a job as a Head Coach in the first place because of his father’s good name!…
16) Billy Napier - Florida. There is a reason that everyone still calls him “Sun-Belt Billy”! Despite having the best talent-pool of players (in the state of Florida) He can’t coach his way out of a wet paper bag! — Don’t forget the entire SWAMP chanting “FIRE BILLY” in their miserable showing against Miami last year. He has already had the luxury of replacing most of his game-day coordinators & He has been on thin ice for the last two years. — It’s only a matter of time for Billy “the process” Napier….
I think you have to consider who and where some of these guys are coaching, and what they have accomplished.
Kirby Smart - Sure he is at Georgia, but in his first HC job, he took Georgia to hovering just below what Tennessee had been to a bigger program than Alabama.
Mike Deboer - At Bama/Previously HC Washington. He’s only been at Bama one year, so hard to judge. While he inherited a 12 win team only to go 9-4 in his first year at Bama, he previously inherited a Washington team that had 3 and 4 wins respectively, and took them to 11 and 14 wins the following seasons along with a appearance in the playoff finals.
Venebles - He’s at Oklahoma and inherited an 11 win team. He has achieved one 10 win season in 3 years, sandwiched by two 6 win seasons.
Just my personal opinion (what do I know - huh?) — But, LET’S GET REAL!….
WHO are the BEST football coaches in the SEC???
1) Kirby Smart - UGA. Best Coach? Or best $$$ & NIL resources? I will give him props for recruiting! - # 1 for now.
2) Steve Sarkisian - Texas. “Ditto” - # 2 (By those factors) — Not much else to say…
3/4) TIE - Josh Heupel - Tennessee. / Lane Kiffen - Ole Miss.
— While Heupel continues to recruit, develop, and improve the players (while promoting a positive team culture); Kiffen is the master of “the transfer portal” with immediate returns….
5) Brett Venables- Oklahoma. Young(er?) & Innovative— He has a strong & solid winning history. Oklahoma should be much better soon!
6) Brian Kelly - LSU. A “Yankee in Bourbon Street Court”. He has been blessed with a Lot of good players & time to show if he can actually “coach ‘em up”!
7) Kalen DeBoer - Alabama. (for now) - He still has a chance to “prove” himself. But, the honey-moon is already over - for sure. After 4 BAMA losses last year, I’d say his leash is kinda Short!
8) Clark Lea - Vandy. (almost a stretch) - But, if he could coach Vandy to beat Bama - He’s a better coach than most….
9) Hugh Freeze - Auburn. He has proven to be a winner. — At several major & minor schools, now….
10) Eli Drinkwitz - Mizzou. He’s a pretty good coach, but Missouri is a low market venue — unless you’re talking about the KC Chiefs….
11) Mark Stoops- Kentucky. He’s NOT his Older Brother. Sometimes he comes up with some pretty solid games. But, Kentucky is (and will always be - a basketball school)…..
12) Mike Elko - Texas A&M. He’s not a Bad coach. But, he has All of the advantages as UGA & Texas - as far as $$$, NIL deals, & fan support. Yet, TAMU always “slips up” about TWO games each year that they should have won….
13) Sam Pittman - Arkansas. He’s a very Old, gritty, & crusty guy that could have won a LOT of games - 30 years ago…..But, this is NOT the SEC of the 90’s…
14) Jeff Lebby - MISS ST. He’s a nice & likable guy. — Player’s coach…. But, who can really win in Starkville, anyways….
15) Shane Beamer. USC Jr. - He is a joke of a coach. He has benefited from the local players in the UGA / South Carolina area - and he only got a job as a Head Coach in the first place because of his father’s good name!…
16) Billy Napier - Florida. There is a reason that everyone still calls him “Sun-Belt Billy”! Despite having the best talent-pool of players (in the state of Florida) He can’t coach his way out of a wet paper bag! — Don’t forget the entire SWAMP chanting “FIRE BILLY” in their miserable showing against Miami last year. He has already had the luxury of replacing most of his game-day coordinators & He has been on thin ice for the last two years. — It’s only a matter of time for Billy “the process” Napier….
I think you have to consider who and where some of these guys are coaching, and what they have accomplished.
Kirby Smart - Sure he is at Georgia, but in his first HC job, he took Georgia to hovering just below what Tennessee had been to a bigger program than Alabama.
Sarkisian - TX / Previously USC with s stop at Bama as OC he achieved mediocre success at USC and his first HC job. Battling personal problems during that time. He had inherited a 10 win team at USC only to post 9 and 8 wins seasons After shoring up his issues and spending time under Saban, he moved on to TX to coach a Texas team that posted 7 wins before his arrival. His team initially dipped while in the Big 12 posting 5 and 8 wins the following seasons, only to arrive at 12 wins during their final season at Texas. Then he brought Texas to the SEC to reach the conference championship game with 11 wins, get a win in the quarters and make it to the semis of the playoff.
Mike Deboer - At Bama/Previously HC Washington. He’s only been at Bama one year, so hard to judge. While he inherited a 12 win team only to go 9-4 in his first year at Bama, he previously inherited a Washington team that had 3 and 4 wins respectively, and took them to 11 and 14 wins the following seasons along with a appearance in the playoff finals.
Lane Kiffin - Lane has had quite the HC tenure, so I’m not going to cover all of that. I think had Lane Kiffin stayed at Tennessee, he would have had us on top of the coaching ranks. I do not think he would be a likable person at all, and I dare say I don’t think Tennessee sports would be as healthy as it is today. He inherited a fallen program at USC that has needed a run in the dumps to return to any level of respectability. However, Lane did prove his impact ability as an OC at Bama and turned FAU into a noteworthy team in its conference when he was there. All that aside, his job at Ole Miss is really what I’m basing his rank off of, because he’s been there since 2020. He inherited one of the only SEC teams as Tennessee. Ole Miss posted 5,6,5,4 wins the previous four seasons before taking the job. His first season, he only posted 5 wins, but in his second fourth and fifth seasons he posted 10, 11 and 10 win seasons respective with a dip in his 3rd season to 8 wins. At Ole Miss, Kiffin is doing more with less than anyone else.
I just think he’s done slightly more than Heupel thus far with what he inherited and has had a tougher schedule to do it with. He also has more experience as an HC. Once again, I believe if he were at Tennessee we would be at the top of the coaching ranks, but I don’t think we would be as healthy across the athletic spectrum.
Brian Kelly - At LSU, previously HC at ND and Cinci. What Kelly achieved at Cinci was special, but it was against lesser competition. Then Kelly gets ND into the playoffs twice giving them 10+ win seasons over 50% of the time. We all know those are great numbers, but we also know these are years when their competition was lacking.
He has posted two 10 win seasons after inheriting a team that won 5 and 6 wins the prior to his taking the helm at LSU and most recently posted a 9 win season—but with a season opening loss to USC who was a 6 loss team last year. That’s pretty bad at LSU and when you are recruiting well.
With all that Kelly has accomplished at other schools, and his worst season at LSU being a 9 loss season accompanied by two 10 win seasons at LSU, I’m not ready to slide him past Beamer and Heupel, but I am starting to wonder if Kelly was the benefactor of weaker schedules at these other schools. Yes we destroyed LSU in their house, but his overall results in his first 3 years have been better than Heupel’s.
Josh Huepel - At TN/Previously UCF his experience at UCF could not have been any different than at UCF. He inherited a team that went undefeated in a weak conference that was completely built by Frost to a team. That team was NOT weak and should have made the CFP. The following to seasons under Huepel showed slight drop offs from a 13 win season previously to 12 wins and 10 wins.
Yet at Tennessee he inherited a team that went 3-7 the year prior. A couple of handfuls of remaining stars either graduated or left the team and then he was hit with roster restrictions. He took that hodge lodge to 7 wins in his first season. A 4 win difference from its first season and 2 more than Lane’s first year at Ole Miss. Then he took Tennessee to a 11 and 10 win season with a drop to 8 wins between the two and an appearance in the playoffs in the latter of the two 10+ win seasons.
That’s one 10+ win season less than Lane, and I fully believe that we benefited from one of the weaker schedules in the conference last year. Last year’s team doesn’t get more than 8 wins with one of the tougher schedules in the conference. I’m also concerned about how lethargic our offense was last year. Without Sampson, we were dead meat.
I think the next two years will give us the best idea of Huepel’s rankings within this group. If he posts another 10 win season with this group, I’m giving him a nod over Kiffin and perhaps Deboer if Bama goes less than 10 wins again. I will have expectations of competing with the upper echelon the following year if he accomplishes that much this year. I might have those expectations anyways. Regardless, I am putting him here for now.
Shane Beamer - I honestly struggle to put Beamer behind Heupel and here is why.
He’s at SC which has never been a powerhouse. Other than the 3 11 win seasons from 2011-2013, they haven’t seen 10+ win season since 1984. They had never seen a 10 win season before that.
Sure, he has yet to reach the 10 win mark, but he was 5 points away from achieving that last year, and he is building off a SC team that had 4 and 2 wins respectively before his arrival. Since then his teams have posted 7,8,5 and 9 wins respectively. 9 wins being the latest. At SC, in an expanded SEC that includes LSU, TN, Ole Miss, Bama and Georgia and a FL team that recruits far better than SC is able to is saying something about coaching ability. Add an annual contest against Clemson. His job is just a much tougher feat than what I have seen most SEC coaches tackle, and I’m not sure Heupel necessarily does better or perhaps as good at SC.
Beamer’s 8 win team also smashed Huepel’s best team. And we all know that season could have been completely different had Milton not gotten injured. Heck they were two points shy of beating Bama on the road and they only lost to LSU by three. They were 10 points over 3 games from reaching 12 wins last year.
I just don’t think Tennessee’s team last year posts 9 wins with that schedule and is that close to being a 12 win team. Our close road loss was to Arkansas for good measure.
Still, Heupel has 4 10 win seasons as a head coach. Hard to put a man who has 0 in front of him.
Eli Drinkwhateveritz - Missouri, previously App St Eli did well at App St. Eli inherited a better situation at Missouri than Beamer, Kiffin or Huepel did at their respective schools. He’s the only coach whose program did not improve from the start from the previous two years and in fact did as bad or worse the next 3 years. As of late, he has two 10+ win seasons and had a monster of a 11 win team that manhandled Tennessee on a down year 2 years ago.
Last year, however, he benefitted from one of the few weaker schedules than Tennessee’s. Like Heupel, I think he has more to prove with what he has.
Stoops - He’s been at KY forever, so I’m not concerned with what he did before. KY is no blue chip football school ironically. He’s had two ten win seasons there, but a lot of really bad and mediocre seasons. Last year be best Ole Miss on the road with a team that had 4 wins. That’s strange, and so is the fact Stoops won’t or can’t leave to find a better situation. Why has he been there so long? Regardless I can’t give two ten wins over 12 years much attention with all of the 5 or less win seasons mixed between—especially with his last season at 4 wins.
Elko seems like a better coach than Venebles. Still has done nothing at A&M. But he has his success as an HC at Duke, so I will give him the nod over Venebles. His team was better in his first year than Venebles’ in his 3rd.
Venebles - He’s at Oklahoma and inherited an 11 win team only to drop to 6 wins. He has achieved one 10 win season in 3 years, sandwiched by two 6 win seasons. Part of that while being in the big 12. He comes to the SEC and gets 6 wins again. I’m just not impressed with anything he has done.
Clark Lee - Vandy. What he did last year was more special to me than anything anyone below in this list has done, and perhaps more special than anything Venebles has done. Still, he hasn’t gotten Vandy to 8 wins in 4 years. He has to do more, but if he gets Vandy in the 8 win category and keeps him there, he is a better coach than a lot of these guys. Just hasn’t done that yet, so he stays here.
Napier - I could care less what Napier did for the Cajuns. He is at Florida and has been there for 3 years and posted 6, 5 and 8 win seasons. He has to do more for me to put him in front of anyone else.
Hugh Freeze - Seems he is a has been. I could put him in front of Napier, but why spend more time thinking about these two?
Pittman - i like Pittman, but he should have stayed an OL coach. He has cost Arkansas some games with some stupid decisions. He’s the Garner of the OLs and needs to accept that IMO, but he will have to be removed from HC type money. He’s not going to do that himself.
Lebby - Miss St.’s I am tried or writing and pretty sure he belongs down here with 2 wins last year.
