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Defense Wins Championships
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Writeups by Richard Cirminiello
Best Coach – Steve Spurrier, South Carolina – Even with the departure of Nick Saban, no other conference matches the SEC’s collection of premier head coaches. Spurrier’s six outright SEC titles and 87-14 record in league play still pack a punch, and the thinking here is that his two miserable years in the NFL had more to do with a bad career choice than plummeting skills. Urban Meyer, Mark Richt, Tommy Tuberville, Phil Fulmer and Les Miles round out a Murderers’ Row of head coaches.
Most Underrated – Houston Nutt, Arkansas – No other coach in the SEC consistently gets more out of his kids than Nutt. His talent is never up to par with the conference elite, but that hasn’t kept him from appearing in six bowl games in his seven seasons in Fayetteville.
Most Overrated – Mark Richt, Georgia – In some parts, this will read like blasphemy. Richt is a very good coach, but with all the talent he’s had in Athens, one BCS bowl game in four years doesn’t quite add up. Plus, the offense—his supposed strength—has been a relative dud, forcing the defense to carry the program. Now that defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and the Davids—Greene and Pollack—are gone, we’ll get a chance to see just how good Richt is this fall with yet another loaded team.
Coach on the Hot Seat – Rich Brooks, Kentucky – This hiring was questionable two years ago, and looks even worse today. Barring a surprise postseason bid for the ‘Cats, Brooks will struggle to survive beyond year three. ‘Bama is loaded this year, so things could also get uncomfortable for Mike Shula if the Tide don’t make strides and beat Auburn for the first time in his tenure.
Bucking for a Promotion – Ed Orgeron, Ole Miss – Since the SEC is the pinnacle for most coaches, no one technically qualifies for this category. It’s strictly a hunch, but once Orgeron realizes how much tougher it is to win national titles at Ole Miss than it was at Miami and USC, he’ll have feelers out following his first seven-win season.
Best Offensive Coordinator – Spurrier – He won’t have the same caliber skill position players at South Carolina as he did at Florida, but Spurrier should continue to be one of the most innovative offensive risk-takers in the coaching profession. Auburn’s Al Borges earns a silver medal for the way he sparked the Tiger offense, and rejuvenated Jason Campbell’s up-and-down career in 2004.
Best Defensive Coordinator – Joe Kines, Alabama – The SEC’s three best defensive minds (Nick Saban, Brian VanGorder and Gene Chizik) are elsewhere, meaning the league could see an uptick in scoring in 2005. Kines has a bottomless resume, but its his recent work with the Tide D, which gives him the edge over newcomers Bo Pelini of LSU and Reggie Herring of Arkansas. ‘Bama returns most of its starters from a unit that ranked among the nation’s best in 2004.
Best Off-season Hire – Urban Meyer, Florida – From Steve Spurrier in South Carolina to Les Miles and Bo Pelini at LSU, there were a number of notable signings in the SEC this off-season. However, in terms of impact, no one could touch Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. The Gators landed college football’s most eligible man, prying him from Notre Dame, a school Meyer had previously dubbed his “dream job”. Unless the NFL can lure him away with money, he has a chance to be the face of the Florida program for a decade or more, much the way Spurrier was in the 1990s.
Worst Off-season Loss – Nick Saban, LSU – Even the blindest Bayou optimist didn’t believe Saban would stay for the long haul, but it’s still rough saying goodbye to the SEC’s best coach, and the man that brought the Tigers back to national prominence. In terms of departing defensive coordinators, Georgia’s Brian VanGorder (now with the Jacksonville Jaguars) is a slightly more profound loss than Auburn’s Gene Chizik (now with Texas).
http://collegefootballnews.com/2005/Spring_Preview/CoachRankings_SEC.htm
Best Coach – Steve Spurrier, South Carolina – Even with the departure of Nick Saban, no other conference matches the SEC’s collection of premier head coaches. Spurrier’s six outright SEC titles and 87-14 record in league play still pack a punch, and the thinking here is that his two miserable years in the NFL had more to do with a bad career choice than plummeting skills. Urban Meyer, Mark Richt, Tommy Tuberville, Phil Fulmer and Les Miles round out a Murderers’ Row of head coaches.
Most Underrated – Houston Nutt, Arkansas – No other coach in the SEC consistently gets more out of his kids than Nutt. His talent is never up to par with the conference elite, but that hasn’t kept him from appearing in six bowl games in his seven seasons in Fayetteville.
Most Overrated – Mark Richt, Georgia – In some parts, this will read like blasphemy. Richt is a very good coach, but with all the talent he’s had in Athens, one BCS bowl game in four years doesn’t quite add up. Plus, the offense—his supposed strength—has been a relative dud, forcing the defense to carry the program. Now that defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and the Davids—Greene and Pollack—are gone, we’ll get a chance to see just how good Richt is this fall with yet another loaded team.
Coach on the Hot Seat – Rich Brooks, Kentucky – This hiring was questionable two years ago, and looks even worse today. Barring a surprise postseason bid for the ‘Cats, Brooks will struggle to survive beyond year three. ‘Bama is loaded this year, so things could also get uncomfortable for Mike Shula if the Tide don’t make strides and beat Auburn for the first time in his tenure.
Bucking for a Promotion – Ed Orgeron, Ole Miss – Since the SEC is the pinnacle for most coaches, no one technically qualifies for this category. It’s strictly a hunch, but once Orgeron realizes how much tougher it is to win national titles at Ole Miss than it was at Miami and USC, he’ll have feelers out following his first seven-win season.
Best Offensive Coordinator – Spurrier – He won’t have the same caliber skill position players at South Carolina as he did at Florida, but Spurrier should continue to be one of the most innovative offensive risk-takers in the coaching profession. Auburn’s Al Borges earns a silver medal for the way he sparked the Tiger offense, and rejuvenated Jason Campbell’s up-and-down career in 2004.
Best Defensive Coordinator – Joe Kines, Alabama – The SEC’s three best defensive minds (Nick Saban, Brian VanGorder and Gene Chizik) are elsewhere, meaning the league could see an uptick in scoring in 2005. Kines has a bottomless resume, but its his recent work with the Tide D, which gives him the edge over newcomers Bo Pelini of LSU and Reggie Herring of Arkansas. ‘Bama returns most of its starters from a unit that ranked among the nation’s best in 2004.
Best Off-season Hire – Urban Meyer, Florida – From Steve Spurrier in South Carolina to Les Miles and Bo Pelini at LSU, there were a number of notable signings in the SEC this off-season. However, in terms of impact, no one could touch Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. The Gators landed college football’s most eligible man, prying him from Notre Dame, a school Meyer had previously dubbed his “dream job”. Unless the NFL can lure him away with money, he has a chance to be the face of the Florida program for a decade or more, much the way Spurrier was in the 1990s.
Worst Off-season Loss – Nick Saban, LSU – Even the blindest Bayou optimist didn’t believe Saban would stay for the long haul, but it’s still rough saying goodbye to the SEC’s best coach, and the man that brought the Tigers back to national prominence. In terms of departing defensive coordinators, Georgia’s Brian VanGorder (now with the Jacksonville Jaguars) is a slightly more profound loss than Auburn’s Gene Chizik (now with Texas).
http://collegefootballnews.com/2005/Spring_Preview/CoachRankings_SEC.htm