Georgia vs. LSU: Where Do Les Miles and Mark Richt Rank Among SEC Coaches?

Even though the two SEC coaches are on opposite sides of the conference, the expectations held over Les Miles and Mark Richt by the student body and fans around the country are both extremely high year-in, year-out in the SEC.

With the Southeastern Conference football season coming to a close tonight in Atlanta, let’s take a look at how the entire roster of SEC coaches rank after the 2011 season.

Houston Nutt, Ole Miss

Career record at Ole Miss: 24-26

Accomplishments: 2008 SEC Coach of the Year

Houston Nutt will be looking for a job this offseason after turning in his resignation on November 7th, 2011.

Is there really a need to describe why Nutt is ranked last in these SEC coach power rankings?

James Franklin, Vanderbilt

Career record at Vanderbilt: 6-6

Accomplishments: None

As the first of two new SEC coaches coming into 2011, James Franklin had a good first season in Nashville,

Vanderbilt was able to go .500 for the season, with big wins over Ole Miss and Kentucky.

Will Muschamp, Florida

Career record at Florida: 6-6

Accomplishments: None

If only the infamous Muschamp stare could snap the young Florida Gators from their current talent level to that of their championship season under Coach Urban Meyer.

While some probably would have thought the first-year coach would have had a worse season than Florida actually had in 2011, Muschamp will have a bit of uphill battle with Georgia and South Carolina if he wants to see the Gators back in the SEC title game.

Joker Phillips, Kentucky

Career record at Kentucky: 11-14

Accomplishments: None

After being an assistant at Kentucky since the 2003 season, Phillips was promoted to head coach in the 2010 season after the firing of Rich Brooks.

Since last year, however, the Wildcats coach doesn’t have much to show for it in Lexington.

Derek Dooley, Tennessee

Career record at Tennessee: 11-14

Career Accomplishments: None

Coach Dooley and Tennessee Volunteers fans might not enjoy this, but the best highlight for the Vols since Dooley took over the program in 2010 is the last-second win by LSU.

Tennessee thought they had upset the Tigers, only to witness LSU come back for a stunning 16-14 victory in October, 2010 at Tiger Stadium.

Dan Mullen, Mississippi State

Career record at Mississippi State: 20-17

Accomplishments: 2010 Gator Bowl Win

Though the Bulldogs were out of contention in the SEC for the better part of the 2000s, Dan Mullen has brought the Mississippi State program back to life in recent years.

The team went 9-4 in his second season, with a blowout win over Michigan at the 2011 Gator Bowl.

Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Career record at Arkansas: 33-17

Accomplishments: 2009 Liberty Bowl Win

After abruptly leaving the Atlanta Falcon to take the job at Arkansas, Bobby Petrino has had to deal with being in the shadow of the big dogs of the SEC West, LSU and Alabama.

In the two seasons with the Razorbacks, the team hasn’t finished any better than second in the division but secured back-to-back 10-win seasons in Fayetteville. 

Gene Chizik, Auburn

Career record at Auburn: 29-10

Accomplishments: 2010 National Title, 2010 SEC Championship, 2010 SEC West Title, 2010 SEC Coach of the Year

While Gene Chizik didn’t have the best of luck when he was head coach at Iowa State, the coach has definitely found a great deal of it since coming to the plains of Auburn.

Most notably, of course, is the last season's national title run with Cam Newton, while going 29-10 since 2009.

Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

Career Record at South Carolina: 54-35

Accomplishments: 2010 SEC East Title, 2010 SEC Coach of the Year

Just like Alabama’s Nick Saban, the old ball coach Steve Spurrier has been at two programs in the SEC with Florida and South Carolina.

While he hasn’t reached the same level of success with the Gamecocks, South Carolina did win the SEC East in 2010 for the first time in program history.

Mark Richt, Georgia

Career record at Georgia: 106-36

Accomplishments: Two SEC Titles, Four SEC East Titles (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011), Two-time SEC Coach of the Year (2002 and 2005)

After the hot seat for Mark Richt was red-hot in Athens after two tough seasons, Georgia was able to bounce back this season.

The Bulldogs have gone 10-2 with big wins over Florida and Auburn, as the Bulldogs won their first division title in six years. 

Nick Saban, ALabama

Accomplishments: 2009 National Title, 2009 SEC Championship, Two SEC West Titles (2008 and 2009), SEC Coach of the Year (2008 and 2009)

In his first stint in the SEC as LSU head coach, Nick Saban was extremely successful, but now in his second stint in the conference with Alabama (since 2007), Saban has been even better.

After a tough 7-6 season in 2007, Saban has won 10 or more games every year while going 2-1 in bowl games, including a Rose Bowl win over Texas for the 2009 national title (in addition to a possible berth in this season’s title game).

Les Miles, LSU

Career record at LSU: 74-17

Accomplishments: 2007 National Title, 2007 SEC Title, Three SEC West Titles (2005, 2007, 2011)

As the Mad Hatter looks to make his first trip to the national championship since winning in 2007, LSU has done nothing but win since Les Miles took over.

The Tigers have won five of their six bowl games, including the national title win over Ohio State.