Pac-10 Football Is Better Than SEC Football: Part Six

Recently, Paul Daigle responded to one of my comments on Donald Fincher's great article called "Why Do SEC Fans Talk So Much About Their Conference?"  To be quite honest, I was taken aback by the idiocy of Daigle's argument.  His comment reads:

"You want facts. I hope you have time, because this may take a while. The two primary factors in putting together a top program are talent and coaching. If you don't agree with that statement, you may as well stop reading now.

Of the 12 SEC head coaches, four have coached teams to the BCS National Championship: Fulmer (TN), Meyer (UF), Saban (ALA-won while coach of LSU), and Miles (LSU). Spurrier (SCAR) won a MNC prior to the BCS era while the coach at FLA.

Additionally, Tuberville (AUB) coached a team to an undefeated season. There are two Big 12 coaches, Stoops (OK) and Brown (TX), one Pac-10 coach, Carroll (USC), and one Big 10 coach, Tressel (OSU) who've won BCS Championships. Bowden (FSU) won a championship either as an Independent or shortly after joining the ACC.

I did a little unscientific study to evaluate the relative talent of some of the top teams in 2008. I used the rivals ratings for recruiting classes for the period 2004-2008 to include RS seniors as well as incoming Frosh. The first number in the table is the teams ranking that year. The number in ( ) is the average star rating of signed players. I made the basic assumption that attrition rates, including everyone from no-show freshman to those leaving early for academic or disciplinary reasons, injury, or the draft, are equal over time. To limit the length of the list and being an SEC guy, I included only teams, which equal or exceeded the recruiting of the SEC's top six teams.

Since all teams are limited to 85 scholarship players, I think the average star rating is better indicator of team talent than average annual ranking. For example, in 2005 LSU ranked 22(3.69) largely because only 15 players were signed. In 2008 Ala ranked 01(3.72) after signing 32 players, of which the max of 25 could be on scholarship.

The AVG ranking is self explanatory. The PWR number includes 2005-2007 because the bulk of a team is made up of RS Frosh/Soph, RS Soph/Jr and RSJr/Sr players.

Team..2004........2005.......2006.......2007........2008.......AVG..........PWR

USCw..01(4.05)..01(3.95)..01(3.96)..02(4.22)..08(3.89)..02.6(4.01)..01.3(4.04)

LSU.....02(3.54)..22(3.69)..07(3.64)..04(3.88)..11(3.58)..09.2(3.67)..11.0(3.74)

UF.......07(3.52)..15(3.39)..02(3.89)..01(3.89)..03(3.82)..05.6(3.70)..06.0(3.72)

TX.......10(3.50)..20(3.60)..05(3.60)..05(3.79)..14(3.55)..10.8(3.61)..10.0(3.66)

OhSt....09(3.24)..12(3.50)..12(3.61)..15(3.80)..04(3.85)..10.4(3.60)..13.0(3.64)

UGA.....06(3.57)..19(3.58)..04(3.64)..09(3.48)..07(3.67)..09.0(3.59)..10.7(3.57)

Team....2004......2005........2006.......2007........2008......AVG...........PWR

FSU......03(3.59)..02(3.82)..03(3.68)..21(3.20)..09(3.33)..07.6(3.52)..08.7(3.57)

OK.......08(3.72)..03(3.63)..09(3.54)..14(3.38)..06(3.81)..08.0(3.62)..08.7(3.52)

Mich.....05(3.59)..06(3.48)..13(3.63)..12(3.40)..10(3.67)..09.2(3.55)..13.7(3.50)

Mia......04(3.36)..07(3.82)..14(3.36)..19(3.21)..05(3.33)..09.8(3.42)..13.3(3.46)

TN.......11(3.25)..04(3.63)..23(3.09)..03(3.63)..35(3.06)..15.2(3.33)..10.0(3.45)

ND.......32(2.83)..40(3.00)..08(3.46)..08(3.72)..02(3.96)..18.0(3.39)..18.7(3.39)

Team...2004........2005.......2006.......2007.......2008........AVG..........PWR

Aub......27(2.67)..13(3.19)..10(3.52)..07(3.37)..20(3.03)..15.4(3.16)..10.0(3.36)

Ala......15(2.89)..18(3.03)..11(3.61)..10(3.28)..01(3.72)..11.0(3.31)..13.0(3.31)

Neb.....27(2.83)..05(3.33)..20(3.27)..13(3.33)..30(2.96)..19.0(3.14)..12.7(3.31)

As you can see, three of the top six and six of the 15 teams are from the SEC, three are from the Big 12, two are from the Big 10, two are from the ACC, two is from the PAC 10, one independent, and zero from the Big East.

Coaching and recruiting mean nothing if there are no results to show for it. Of the first 10 BCS title games, an SEC team won four, TN, LSUx2, and FLA. The Big 12 won two, OK and TX. The Big 10 won one, OSU. The PAC 10 won one, USC. The remaining two were won by Miami either while a member of the Big East or shortly after joining the ACC and FSU while an independent or shortly after joining the ACC.

The SEC is 4-0 in BCS title games. The Big 12 is 2-3. The Big 10 is 1-2. The Pac 10 is 1-1. Depending on Miami's and FSU's status at the time, either the ACC is 0-0 or 2-2. Independents are either 0-0 or 1-1. The Big East is either 0-2 or 1-2.

I could go on, but I think I've made my point."

Quite frankly, buddy, I think you know little about college football.  If you read Justin Hokanson's article entitled, "College Football Recruiting 101: Stars Mean Everything...And Nothing At All," you would know that the Preseason All-SEC team is composed of 35 three- and two-star players.  Obviously, those stars don't mean as much as you want them to.

Also, having coaches that have been to National Championship games helps a lot, but it doesn't mean these guys are somehow better coaches.  Winning a national championship is a great feat, but it also takes a lot of luck.

These guys were in the right place at the right time when the talent on their team was at a real high.  This is how the SEC measures the success of their coaches, and that is why the coaches who have prior national championships are hired in the SEC.  At other places, character and moral qualities are measured.

I'm not disagreeing that SEC coaches are some of the finest in the land, but just having a prior national championship means nothing towards gaining this year's national championship.

THE LIST IS BUILDING:

6. SEC fans are jealous of the Pac-10 and make up lame excuses.

5. The Pac-10 has a 9-6 record head-to-head against the SEC since 2000.

4. The Pac-10 has just as much, if not more, parity top to bottom than the SEC.

3. The Pac-10's best team is better than the SEC's best team.

2. The Pac-10 plays a better overall schedule.

1. The Pac-10 plays a better non-conference schedule.