College Football 2011: SEC Coaches' Hot Seat Gauge

Welcome to the Hot Seat Gauge! Since this version 1.0, we'll take it slow. Though I don't know if that can possible when examining the hottest conference in America, the SEC.

Each coach will be put on a scale ranging from mild, warm, hot, blazing and 911!

Keep a look out for my other articles that will examine other power conferences coaches in college football.

So, let's turn up the heat!

Auburn Tigers: Gene Chizik

Gene Chizik- Warm

Warm! Yes, warm. If you think that I'm going to give a SEC coach anything below warm, then you don't know the SEC. Even if Chizik is coming off of Auburn's first national championship in more than half a century.

If you need proof, just look at his predecessor, Tommy Tuberville. Tuberville was forced to resign after a 5-7 season in 2008, which was his first losing season since his first year at the school. That was two years after winning 11 games and four after a perfect 13-0 record.

Sure, it wasn't a national championship, but those were still tremendous accomplishments.

Also, questions still remain about Cam Newton's "eligibility," so you never know. Right Jim Tressel fans?

Alabama Crimson Tide: Nick Saban

Nick Saban- Mild

Saban already has a statue in T-town and a national championship. Not bad for a guy who wasn't supposed to coach the Crimson Tide.

Most fans forget that the job was offered to Rich Rodriguez first. Now that's irony.

Anyway, back to Saban. He is as safe as a coach can get the powerful SEC. In fact, he could probably run for governor of the state and win by a landslide. That's what happens when you win 43 games in your first four years.

He is one of two coaches in the SEC in the mild category.

Vanderbilt Commodores: James Franklin

James Franklin- Hot

Even though this is his first year in the SEC, he falls under the category for two reasons.

One, he is not on the same level as a Chizik or Saban.  Two, because there is the realistic possibility that he could only only win one game at Vanderbilt this season.

Franklin coached in the NFL for a period of time and was the offensive coordinator at Maryland in 2009. Even though he wasn't Vandy's first choice (Gus Malzahn was), Franklin has a good background that could bring success.

Mississippi State Bulldogs: Dan Mullen

Dan Mullen- Warm

In two years, Mullen has become one of the hottest young coaching prospects in the nation. He has done the impossible at Miss. State and has not only turned them into winners, but contenders as well.

After winning nine games last season, including a victory in the Gator Bowl, Mullen has the Bulldogs on the brink. In a few years, he could move to the mild category of the gauge.

South Carolina Gamecocks: Steve Spurrier

Steve Spurrier- Mild

Let's start out by saying this. Spurrier is bigger than South Carolina football. Yes, a coach is bigger that the program. It's hard to believe, but Spurrier is entering his seventh season as head coach of the Gamecocks.

South Carolina is coming off of their best season in years after appearing in their first SEC Championship game. They are favorites to once again reach Atlanta again this December.

Also, if they get rid of Spurrier, that kills their visor sales business.

Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Richt

Mark Richt- Blazing

Richt is the longest-tenured coach in the SEC. He might also be the classiest guy in the league as well. However, after coming off of a 6-7 season last year, Richt's seat is also one of the hottest in the conference.

Georgia and Richt have reached that point in their decade-long relationship where they have to define what they are to each other.

It can be compared to a couple's relationship. There reaches a point where a guy has to determine whether a girl is a dating material or marriage material. In this scenario, Georgia's the guy.

So this is the make or break year for Richt. Either he is out or committed to Georgia for a long period of time.

Ole Miss Rebels: Houston Nutt

Houston Nutt- 911!

Here we go ladies and gents. The first 911! victim.

Nutt is sinking fast in Oxford after a horrible 4-8 season, and mascots might not be the only changing if he isn't careful.

Don't get me wrong, Nutt is solid SEC head coach. However, he just might be a short-term solution guy. In his first two seasons, Nutt was great and finished with 9-4 records. He had similar records when he started out at Arkansas in the mid 1990s.

Now, as he enters his fourth season at Ole Miss, I just doubt if he has enough magic to keep them relevant and competitive this year or in the future.

Kentucky Wildcats: Joker Phillips

Joker Phillips- Warm

Even though Phillips had a losing record in 2010, 6-7, he still got the Wildcats to the postseason. Phillips has proven in the past that he is a great offensive mind in the SEC.

However, there is one man that is the key to Phillips' job security. And he's not even associated with the gridiron.

John Calipari.

One thing I like about Kentucky is that they know what they are. They pretend to be a football school even though they're in the conference of football worship. Ask any "Big Blue" fan and they will tell you that they are a basketball school.

Meaning, more eyes on basketball. And going 8-5 in football is like going 11-2 at Alabama.

Arkansas Razorbacks: Bobby Petrino

Bobby Petrino- Warm

Petrino might be the best offensive mind in the SEC. Last year it all came together for the Hogs as the earned an appearance in the Sugar Bowl. If it wasn't for Ryan Mallet's interceptions or the NCAA bias (my bad again Ohio St. fans) they would have won 11 games.

Petrino has set the foundation for Arkansas to be a power not only in the SEC but on the national landscape as well.

And good news Hogs fans, he's definitely not going back to the NFL.

Florida Gators: Will Muschamp

Will Muschamp- Warm

Congrats Muschamp on recieving the best coaching job in America. Your reward, probably the most pressuring coaching job in America.

It is my opinion that you have to be a really mediocre coach not to win at least eight to nine games a year at Florida now. (It was a different atmosphere at Florida when Ron Zook was the head coach so that disqualifies him from the previous statement.)

That said, I'm already on the Muschamp bandwagon. He will be great.

Tennessee Volunteers: Derek Dooley

Derek Dooley- Hot

For me, Dooley falls in the middle of the spectrum. He did an outstanding job in his first season finishing with a 6-7 record. Not many experts saw that team making a bowl game.

The only thing working against Dooley is Tennessee's athletic department which has been in chaos for months. Currently, there is no AD in Rocky Top, so who knows the direction that school will head?

It also doesn't help that Dooley coaches in the SEC.

LSU Tigers: Les Miles

Les Miles- Hot/Blazing

Let me start by saying, I love Les Miles coaching at LSU. He has to be on of the most entertaining coaches I have ever seen. Yet, I have never seen a fan base root against there team, so they will get rid of a coach.

This guy has won 62 games in six years, yet if you ask most LSU fans, they will say he hasn't a clue.

Just bring up the name Les Miles, and see the debate that follows.

Seriously, he could save Tiger Stadium from Mike the Tiger running lose, and people still wouldn't be satisfied. "Why did he use that type of tranquilizer? " an LSU fan might say.

I guess he'll just have to win another national title or two.