SEC Football 2011: Ranking Every Head Coach

The SEC is the nation's best conference, and the reason for that is the great players along with the great coaches that play and coach in this league.

With coaches Les Miles, Nick Saban and Gene Chizik leading their teams to national titles the last couple years, it is evident that some of the best coaches in college football are in the SEC.

The 2011 season is coming closer and closer, and one of these coaches will lead their team to an SEC Championship and potentially a National Championship.

Vanderbilt and Florida welcome new coaches for the 2011 season, and because this ranking isn't based on potential, they were not ranked for this list. While they have potential, it is too early to rank them.

So who are the best coaches in the SEC, without further ado, here is my ranking as the 2011 season approaches.

Not Ranked: James Franklin, Vanderbilt; Will Muschamp, Florida

It is unfair to rank Franklin and Muschamp because this is their first year at their respected school, and it is also the first head coaching job for either coach.

10. Joker Philips, Kentucky

Career Record: 6-7 (1 year) (Kentucky)

Philips led Kentucky to the BBVA Compass Bowl in 2010, but the Wildcats finished with their first losing season since 2005.

Th schedule in 2011 is difficult with games against LSU, South Carolina, Miss. State, Georgia and Tennessee, but Philips will look to improve during his second year, and potentially move up higher on this list.

9. Derek Dooley, Tennessee

Career Record: 23-27 (4 years) (Louisiana Tech, Tennessee)

Dooley begins his second season as an SEC head coach looking to improve on the 6-7 record and loss in the Music City Bowl from last year.

The schedule is brutal as the Volunteers play the top six SEC teams (Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida). Dooley has a talented group returning, and they have a chance to knock off some of those teams.

8. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State

Career Record: 14-11 (2 years)

Although Mullen finished his first year at Mississippi State with a 5-7 record, he led them to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Gator Bowl last year.

Mullen looks to build on that in the 2011 season with senior quarterback Chris Relf and running back Vick Ballard. The schedule is brutal being in the SEC West, but they will play LSU and Alabama at home.

7. Houston Nutt, Ole Miss

Career Record: 133-86 (18 years) (Murray St, Boise St, Arkansas, Ole Miss)
Ole Miss Record: 22-16 (3 years)

Nutt began his career at Ole Miss with back-to-back 9-4 seasons appearing in the Cotton Bowl both years.

As the 2011 season approaches, Nutt will need to improve in the nation's best division, and he will have his hands full with games against Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and Miss. State.

6. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Career Record: 64-24 (7 years) (Louisville, Arkansas)
Arkansas Record: 23-15 (3 years)

Although the nicest things can't be said about Petrino after he quit coaching the Atlanta Falcons during the 2007 season, he has done a great job improving the Razorbacks.

In his first year, Arkansas went 5-7, the following year they went 8-5, and last year they improved again going 10-3. The Razorbacks have a difficult schedule and have to face both LSU and Alabama on the road.

5. Mark Richt, Georgia

Career Record: 96-34 (10 years) (Georgia)

Mark Richt is the only head coach in SEC history to win two SEC Championships and have four straight 10-plus win seasons in the first five years at a school.

But as the 2011 season approaches, it is a lot more about what have you done for me lately, and for Georgia fans, it's just not enough. In an era where the SEC has won five straight SEC Championships, the Bulldogs have struggled and finished 6-7 in 2010.

The pieces are in place for the Bulldogs to succeed in 2011, and Mark Richt needs to have a much better season, or he will probably lose his job.

4. Gene Chizik, Auburn

Career Record: 27-24 (4 years) (Iowa State, Auburn)
Auburn Record: 22-5 (2 years)

Chizik came to Auburn in 2009 with a 5-19 head coaching record. As he begins his third season at Auburn, he has only lost five times in his two years at Auburn.

The National Championship last season is the only reason why Chizik is high on this list, if he doesn't win he is several spots back. He will have his hands full in 2011 after losing Cam Newton, Nick Fairley and 14 other starters from a year ago.

3. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

Career Record: 186-73-2 (21 years) (Duke, Florida, South Carolina)
South Carolina Record: 44-33 (6 years)

The Head Ball Coach has won five SEC Titles and one National Titles, but those were at Florida, and the last SEC Title was in 2000.

At South Carolina, Spurrier led the gamecocks to their first appearance in the SEC Championship Game last year, but the Gamecocks have failed to reach 10 wins in a season during his tenure in Columbia, S.C. He did that nine times in 12 years at Florida.

2. Les Miles, LSU

Career Record: 90-38 (10 years) (Oklahoma State) (LSU)
LSU Record: 62-17 (6 years)

Miles begins is seventh year as head coach of the LSU Tigers coming off his fourth 11-plus winning season at LSU. He led the Tigers to a 12-2 record and the BCS National Title back in 2007.

The 2011 Tigers are very talented and will be in the National Title hunt again. Miles will match up with the No. 1 coach on this list Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa, and the winner will go to Atlanta to represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship, and if that game is won, LSU will represent the SEC in the National Championship.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

Career Record: 129-53-1 (15 years) (Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, Alabama)
Alabama Record: 38-11 (4 years)

In only four years at Alabama, Saban has already won a national championship, and coached Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.

As the 2011 season approaches, he has built Alabama into a national power and the 2011 Crimson Tide will be national title contenders yet again.