SEC Football: Predicting the Next Head Coach for Every SEC Football Program
The SEC is a league of transition. The one thing that is certain in the world of SEC coaching is uncertainty. Coaches leave for a variety of reasons but changeover is expected each season for the coaches of the NCAA's top league.
Some coaches leave because they are fired. Some leave because they are promoted to better college jobs or the NFL. Other coaches simply become burned-out because of the high demands that come with the position of an SEC coach.
It is not absurd to think that two-thirds of the today's SEC coaches could be gone in three seasons. As a result, I will list who should be the next coach at every SEC school.
Vanderbilt Commodores- Tyrone Willingham
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I can't remember a coach in recent years, that has had more ups and downs in his coaching career than Tyrone Willingham. However, I believe that he is a perfect fit for the Commodores.
Vanderbilt, much like Stanford and Notre Dame are difficult schools to coach at because of their academic standards. However, Coach Willingham has a terrific resume in this department. He trains up good young men and academic scholars.
Yes, he has had some bad seasons as a head coach, but the winning standard is not very high at Vanderbilt. He is also the kind of coach who would stay at Vanderbilt even if he was successful and other colleges approached him. At this point in his career, I believe that he would be content with staying with the Commodores. If it is not a coach similar to Coach Willingham than it is likely going to be a coach desiring to use Vanderbilt as a stepping stone.
Kentucky Wildcats- Mike Leach
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With the hire of John Calipari as the Kentucky Wildcat basketball coach, it became clear that Kentucky is willing to hire controversial coaches for the sake of winning. After the hiring and success of coach of Coach Calipari I doubt anyone in the Blue Grass state is complaining.
They could make a similar hire by going after former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. Yes, Coach Leach has some major baggage, but he could make Kentucky football relevant again for the first time in many seasons. Leach is a hard-nosed coach that could make Nick Saban blush.
Leach has Kentucky ties as he served as their offensive coordinator for two seasons in 1997 and 1998. During his time in Kentucky, his offense broke four NCAA records, 42 SEC records and 116 school records.
Mike Leach was able to take Texas Tech from a bottom feeder to a top 25 team. Kentucky is unlikely to field the talent level to be a consistent SEC contender without some type of gimmick offense. However, Leach could help make theme relevant again.
Mississippi State Bulldogs: Bud Foster
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Over the years, when Mississippi state has been at their best, it has been the result of a tenacious defense. This is what would make Bud Foster a perfect candidate for the Bulldogs new coach. He is a great defensive coordinator, and he is a passionate leader as well.
Mississippi State is unlikely to break the bank to find a replacement for current coach Dan Mullen. However, they should be able to hire Foster with a pay scale similar to the one Coach Mullen now has.
Coach Foster has consistently produced top 10 nationally ranked defenses and has done it with integrity and loyalty. Foster has been patiently waiting on a head coaching job, and the Bulldogs could be his best option.
I have no doubt that he could field a winning team in the SEC. My only question is, if he is, would he bring the "Enter Sandman" entrance with him. That in combination with the Bulldogs' cow bells would make for one of the top game-time experiences in the NCAA.
Ole Miss Rebels- Skip Holtz
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Ole Miss could be looking for a new coach sooner than later if things don't turn around quickly for current head coach Houston Nutt, and Skip Holtz might be the best suited person for his replacement. Holtz not only has a great pedigree, but he has proven to be a very good coach and one who is able to rebuild programs.
If you are not impressed by his 34-23 coaching record while at East Carolina, consider they were only 3-22 in the 25 games prior to his arrival. Holtz could look at the Ole Miss job as an opportunity to prove that he is one of college football's top young coaches.
Holtz has also won three conference titles in his career. He understands the importance of recruiting, but he also has a history of developing those young recruits into solid contributors.
Tennessee Volunteers: Kyle Whittingham
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I have been openly critical of the hire of Derek Dooley by the University of Tennessee. It is not because I do not believe that Dooley will end up a fine coach. My lack of enthusiasm for Dooley's hire is because the University of Tennessee is a top 15 job.
Tennessee should be the hiring ground for proven coaches, not the training ground for young coaches. Prior to the hiring, Dooley was coming off a 4-8 season in a weak conference. Moreover, it was his second losing season in his three years as a head coach,
Next time, I think that they should go for a coach who has a proven track record, and current Utah coach Kyle Whittingham might be the perfect coach. Coach Whittingham has a career record of 58-20 including a bowl record of six wins and one loss.
Still not sold? Consider this. Tennessee advertised Dooley as a coach from the Saban coaching tree. However, Coach Whittingham dominated Nick Saban and a more talented Alabama football team in the Sugar Bowl. He has already had two top five finishes which equals the amount that Coach Saban has accomplished over his entire career.
Kyle Whittingham would be a perfect fit of character and strong coaching.
Arkansas Razorbacks: Chris Petersen
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Regardless of how you feel about the Razorbacks, you have to give them credit for their recent hires. They have been knocking the ball out of the ball park bringing in some of the top coaches in the nation. They were able to snatch Petrino from the Atlanta Falcons and then bring in the most underacted basketball coach in the NCAA in Mike Anderson.
As a result, I believe that Arkansas could do what no one else has been able to do, and that is lure Chris Petersen away from Boise State. Make no mistake about it, Petersen is a top 10 coach nationally. Critics of Peterson like to point out that Boise State could not win consistently in the SEC. While this is true, it would be unfair to judge his coaching ability on how Boise would do in the SEC with less talent.
The better question is what could he do in the SEC with SEC talent. The answer, for anyone thinking rationally, is he would be successful. He has consistently beaten BCS schools with lower tier recruits. If Petrino leaves Arkansas prior to coaching in the BCS Championship game, Peterson could be the man that puts them over.
Petersen would also be a good fit with the talent that will be on campus when Petrino finally leaves. Although they do not run the same offense, they require the same skill set for their positions inside their offenses. I believe that Petersen will eventually end up in the SEC, and Arkansas could be the spot.
South Carolina Gamecocks- Charlie Strong
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The past two hires for the Gamecocks football program have been legendary coaches brought in to build the program up to a contender. I believe the next coach will be younger and brought in to sustain the program. If that is the case, than Charlie Strong might be the perfect selection. Coach Strong is currently the head coach of the University of Louisville.
Coach Strong served as the defensive coordinator for the South Carolina Gamecocks for three seasons from 1999-2001. The combination was historical because Strong was the first black coordinator in the SEC.Coach Strong left the Gamecocks for the University of Florida. He served as defensive coordinator for seven seasons and also won a national championship while there.
Coach Strong is an elite recruiter and a defensive mastermind. I feel certain that he could help sustain the Gamecocks on the level that Coach Steve Spurrier and Coach Lou Holtz laid the foundation for.
Florida Gators- Bobby Petrino
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The Florida Gators were by far the most difficult team to align a new coach with of all 12 SEC schools. As I mentioned with Tennessee, I was not impressed with the hiring of Coach Will Muschamp.
Florida has risen to the level under former coaches Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer that a first-time head coach should never be hired to lead the Gators. I am not attempting to belittle Muschamp, but I believe he should have had to prove himself at a lower school before coaching the Gators. With that said, he is off to a very good start.
I have to be honest about this selection, I don't have any idea what the Gator pulse would be on this one. Also, it is not as educated of a guess as the other slides are. However, in my mind, Bobby Petrino is the most likely candidate. He is the top offensive mind in the SEC at the current time. With his offensive schemes an the level of recruits that would come to Florida he would likely have the most potent offense in the nation. The Gators two most successful runs as a football program were during he coaching tenure of offensive-minded coaches.
In my opinion, Bobby Petrino is the coach that the Gators should have persued after Coach Meyer resigned. However, they might have found the next great coach in Will Muschamp or the next sacrificial (Ron Zook) lamb.
LSU Tigers- Bo Pelini
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I might be completely off base. However, I would think the first call that LSU will make the day that Les Miles is no longer the LSU head coach would be to Bo Pelini. He has the connections. He has the experience, and he has the makings of a a great SEC coach.
Pelini served as defensive coordinator at LSU from 2005-2007 and was part of their national championship team. Pelini's defenses are among the nations best every season. In fact, in 2009, when Alabama's defense was christened as one of the best of all time; Nebraska's was still better.
The lure to Baton Rouge is more than the bigger paycheck for Pelini. He has great SEC recruiting ties and could field a top five class every season. Les has been great for LSU, but Pelini has the potential to be even better.
Georgia Bulldogs: Garry Patterson
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When Coach Mark Richt finally does leave the University of Georgia, the next coaching hire will be crucial. They will not be searching for a coach that just wins football games. They will demand of their coach strong character and high academic standards.
As a result, Garry Patterson is the perfect hire for the Bulldogs. The problem with this prediction is that Patterson is happy at TCU, and with the Horn Frogs now moving to a BCS conference, he is even happier.
However, there is one thing that UGA can offer Patterson that few teams can match, and that is money. UGA is always one of the most profitable football programs in the entire nation. Despite being 6-7 last season, they finished second in profits nationally just behind Texas. Because of the high profits the football program yields, the pressure will be high for the University of Georgia to go and get a proven coach. I fully expect the Bulldogs to offer him over $5 million per season to become the next Bulldogs football coach.
Patterson will have the Bulldogs as a national contender the first day he steps on campus; he is that good. He has had double-figure wins in seven of the last nine seasons with the Horn Frogs en route to an overall record of 98-28.
Patterson's teams are among the most fundamental teams in the nation, and his standard of excellence will fit in well in Athens.
Auburn Tigers: Gus Malzahn
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Unfortunately for Tiger fans, Gus Malzahn will likely become a head coach in two to three seasons. He loves Auburn University, but the right opportunity is going to come along at some point. As a result, Malzahn will leave Auburn as a popular figure with the blessings of the fanbase.
However, there will also come a time that Gene Chizik will move on. I doubt this will happen within the next five seasons, but eventually, it will happen. Auburn has shown with hiring Gene Chizik that they don't mind hiring former coordinators, and the same could be true with Malzahn. This would be the perfect fit for the Tigers. Coach Malzahn has always been viewed as a roamer, but he generally loves the Tiger nation.
Coach Malzahn has proven to be a difference maker wherever he has gone. As I stated in my Auburn preview, In Malzahn's five years as an offensive coordinator, his teams have averaged almost 11 wins per season (10.8). The seasons prior to his arrival at these three schools that he served as an offensive coordinator for they averaged less than six wins per season (5.66). The season after he left, they only averaged 6.5 wins.
As soon as Coach Chizik is gone, it will be time to bring Gus home.
Alabama Crimson Tide- Kirby Smart
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The University of Alabama will have the hardest job of replacing their head coach of any team in the SEC. Great coaches don't mind going to schools with legendary coaches. However, rarely do they want to be the coach who directly follows a legend.
Nick Saban has already obtained legend status in Tuscaloosa. Perhaps, the most adored current football coach in college football by his fanbase. As a result, coaches are unlikely to want to have their every move compared to Saban.
As a result, they need a coach who can keep the talent level as high as it currently is but also be the bridge to the next great Crimson Tide coach. Kirby Smart is the perfect candidate to fulfill this. Many people see Smart as a puppet and not the true defensive coordinator. In fact, when is the last time you heard an announcer say that a team will be squaring off against a Kirby Smart defense. Chances are you have always heard it referred to as Nick Saban's defense.
With that said, the only thing we really know about Smart is that he is a relentless recruiter. As long as he is at Alabama the talent level will be high. Regardless if he turned out to be a complete knucklehead as a coach he will win 8-9 games a season. Just enough to get him fired in three seasons and to bring in the next great Alabama coach.
It is a full-proof plan. If he succeeds at Alabama Mal Moore looks like a genius. If Coach Smart fails as a head coach, the talent level is still going to be high and enticing to top notch coaches.
Final Take
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There are a lot of variables that go into hiring a head coach. For example, the coach a school desires to hire may not be available when they are conducting a coaches search, As a result, these are not concrete highers. However, they are hires that make sense and would help the programs be successful.
Do you agree with the list? Do you disagree with the list? Who would you want as your teams head coach?
