Thanks to Coaching Stability, ACC Football Is Poised to Strike!

Disclaimer: I am an ACC guy, so what I am about to right will surprise some.  Despite rankings, records, and insinuations, the ACC is not tougher than the SEC.  Now, I define tougher as tougher to win a championship, and that stems from the power of the top two teams, who would be really tough to sweep.

On the other hand, if Bama was in the Coastal Division and Florida was in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, they would each probably have another loss, but would have been in the championship game just as they were in the SEC.

All that being said, the near term future is brighter for the ACC due to several factors, most importantly the coaches and the stability being offered to each.  The SEC lost three coaches this year to the ACC's one.  A couple of those are justified, but others are the shortsighted, "keep up with the Joneses" firings based on near term performance, and that attitude breeds discontent and instability.

This continued hostility from within (see fire Willie Martinez at UGA) is the termite that eats away at the SEC tower and will leave a top-heavy conference that can certainly topple once the discontent leads to poorer performance and further rash actions that keep more quality coaches out of the conference.

The same people who rage about Fulmer, Tuberville, and Richt are the same people who can't understand why Butch Davis would not leave UNC for Tennessee.  Butch sees the insanity and doesn't want anything to do with that. 

The ACC is giving coaches more leeway to build programs, and sometimes they give too much time, but it certainly beats the alternative.  Would Frank Beamer still be at South Carolina after winning an average of four games in his first six seasons?  Decidedly not, and probably not many ACC schools either, but Duke gave Ted Roof five years with six wins (OUCH!).

UVA has given Groh another chance, but like all "rules," there are exceptions.  Tommy Bowden deserved another year, but the SEC wannabe said no by setting demands and being too proud to adjust.  Miami and Maryland have remained patient and stand by their men despite mixed results that would have certainly "called for a change" elsewhere in the SEC.

Are these distinct attitude differences due to expectations alone, or are the ACC heads preaching patience? 

With a good batting order top to bottom, there are few easy outs in the ACC, and while the SEC has some legendary home run hitters, the corrosive nature of the fans and their expectations could really be harmful to the SEC and its title as the Best Football Conference in the country. 

SHHHH—don't tell your SEC friends the secret, but it's not like they would listen to a basketball conference anyway...