SEC Power Poll: The Coaches

by mlmintampa on Aug 18, 2008 5:00 AM EDT in Football Comment 8 comments

I'll be voting in the SEC Power Poll this season (the committee is listed in the links box). The first exercise is ranking the league's coaches. Leave your comments, concerns or criticisms below. Also, I obviously put more weight into a coach's most recent record than his history.

SEC East

1. Mark Richt

2. Urban Meyer

This is not a reverse jinx. Coaches are judged by two things; winning and how much you get out of your players. Meyer may have a national championship but last season it was Richt who got the most out of his players. UGA looked terrible against South Carolina and Tennessee and had no business competing for an SEC title, much less a BCS game. But Richt was able to push the write buttons. He might be an Eddie Haskell, but he got his team to win. Meanwhile, Meyer spent much of last season apparently shocked he had a young team. He placed part of the blame of the Auburn loss on the offense not moving the ball on their final drive (as opposed to not moving the ball the entire first half) and the team did nothing to protect their young DBs for much of the season. Of course, if UGA chokes again this season, Richt loses any goodwill he earned this season.

3. Steve Spurrier: He still scares Georgia and Tennessee fans. Just imagine if he had the horses.

4. Phillip Fulmer: Tennessee is still a very good team, but they should be in the national title race every year.

5. Rich Brooks: He's made Kentucky relevant again, but can he keep it going?

6. Bobby Johnson: I think I'm a bright guy and yet I cannot tell you anything of note about Johnson's tenure other than banning curse words.

SEC West

1. Les Miles

2. Tommy Tuberville

I enjoy watching both of these guys because they both will do anything necessary to win. They do have their bad losses (USF at Auburn, Arkansas at LSU) but tremendous wins (Auburn at Florida, LSU vs. OSU). Miles gets the edge because he has a real national championship and is completely insane. Tuberville gives the sense that he was a used car dealer in a previous life.

3. Sylvester Croom: Mississippi State sucks. Yet they went to the Liberty Bowl and were extremely competitive. That's all CROOOOOOOM.

4. Nick Saban: Compared loss to Louisiana-Monroe to Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Instead of making insensitive historical references, next time Saban should prepare his team better. Also, CROOOOOOOMED.

5. Houston Nutt: Where Miles would push all in with an Ace-King suited and win the hand by pairing the King on the river, Nutt would push all in as he chases a Jack-high flush. Miles gambles from a position where he can win. Nutt gambles from anywhere.

6. Bobby Petrino: Does anyone have anything nice to say about him?

Overall

1. Richt

2. Meyer

3. Miles

4. Tuberville

5. Spurrier

6. Fulmer

7. Croom

8. Brooks

9. Saban

10. Nutt

11. Johnson

12. Petrino

0 recs | Comment 8 comments

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Comments

My List.

1) Les Miles – Simply put, he scares the hell out of me.
2) Tommy Tuberville – Honestly, he might be the most underrated coach in NCAA football.
3) Urban Meyer – Needs to work on his in-game management, but the rest is perfect.
4) Mark Richt – He’s on the verge, but I’ll need to see how they do with a target on their backs.
5) Steve Spurrier – His SC teams play either up (good) or down (bad) to their competition.
6) Nick Saban – On the field disaster in 2007, but already proving his worth through recruiting.
7) Phil Fulmer – The Vols have only been faux-contenders for some time now.
8) Bobby Petrino – I’m thinking Louisville here, not Atlanta.
9) Rich Brooks – He brought Kentucky football back from the dead, but it might not last.
10) Sylvester Croom – He’s bringing MSU football back from the dead, but it’s not quite there yet.
11) Houston Nutt – Lots of talented teams and creativity, but not enough consistency.
12) Bobby Johnson – As a Broncos fan, I’d like to thank him for Jay Cutler.

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Aug 18, 2008 1:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The scariest part of the entire list is if you include championship stats:

Meyer: 1 Nat, 1 SEC
Spurrier: 1 Nat, 1 ACC (1989- Duke), 6 SEC
Miles: 1 Nat, 1 SEC
Tuberville: 1 SEC (and should have been 1 NAT)
Richt: 2 SEC
Saban: 1 NAT, 2 SEC (all @ LSU)
Fulmer: 1 NAT, 1 SEC
(If I am missing any, continue below.)

Don't question my choice of teams, or I will have to go all troll on you.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 18, 2008 6:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Southern Cal...

…would’ve ripped a hole in Auburn a mile wide just like they did nearly everyone else that year. Auburn was a very very very good team that year, but USC ’04 was magical.

by Nico2.0 on Aug 21, 2008 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs