Auburn. Tennessee. Arkansas. These are Southeastern Conference schools with head coaching positions that either have come open recently or may open in the near future. But the job everyone wants? It's not in the SEC. Ask Jimmy Sexton, agent to star coaches across the nation:"Every coach in the country right now wants Clemson," he said. "All of them. Because they feel like it's a quote `SEC' job.Well, who can blame them? In the SEC East there are three national championship coaches: Steve Spurrier, Phillip Fulmer and Urban Meyer. Mark Richt has won a boatload of SEC titles and is gunning for his first national championship this year if he can beat the Gators in Jacksonville. Even perennial doormats Vandy and Kentucky have risen their level of competition."Eighty-something thousand people. Close to Georgia, in South Carolina, great recruiting base. But you play in a conference that isn't the SEC.
"A lot of coaches are starting to look at the SEC and say this might not be the best time to go there."
In the west, Tommy Tuberville led the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004, while Nick Saban and Les Miles have both won crystal footballs wearing purple and gold. Bobby Petrino is struggling in his first year at Arkansas but went 41-9 at Louisville. And Ole Miss' Houston Nutt won the SEC West in 2006 as head coach of the Hogs.
Add it all up and it's one tremendously competitive conference, a difficult place to win. And apparently it's even harder to find "volunteers" to resuscitate a moribund football program.
Say what you like about the ACC, but it can provide a good livin' for a hard-working football coach.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-30-2008 @ 9:23AM
macfute said...
The big 12 is the conference to avoid if it is the competitiveness of the conference that is the issue. As for as the ACC is concerned, most of these schools are tougher scholastically with notable exceptions (FSU, Miami, possibly some others). Attracting recruits to these schools is harder. Clemson is harder than South Carolina but they attract better recruits. The 'ol ball coach will probably pack it in another two years.
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10-30-2008 @ 4:59PM
Jeff Sturgis said...
Good points mac. As a Clemson fan (ugh!) I can see why a coach would want to come here. The cupboard is not bare, they just need to pay more attention recruiting "non-skill" players. Two years in a row with new offensive lines. Not good balance.
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10-30-2008 @ 8:42PM
gatorfan1449 said...
alot of times guys its not the coach its the players, you can teach the players 2 run excellent play, but when they get on that field and execute to the fullest then the result is a lost but who gets the blame, the coach, alot of good coaches have been fired, behind these kids that want 2 get drunk, fight, steal, etc. it doesnt matter what the confer. is
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10-30-2008 @ 10:29PM
Bama Girl said...
gatorfan's right, coming from a house full of coaches, the player's are all involved in the equation! Right now living here in Baton Rouge some LSU fans are trying to start the blame game with L. Miles, like they've done with all the past LSU coaches, it's not that loud or obvious yet, but give them time! From the coaches talk radio show last night they even blamed L. Miles for the moisture condition of the field for their loss against the GA Dawgs! And during the game left before the end because they were losing! What happened to sportsmanship of the fans and just good ole football by doing your best! The SEC is a great conference and its the fans that can make or break it....use your head and keep it in perspective. ROLL TIDE.. looking forward to seeing the Gators in the SEC championship game............ GO BAMA!
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10-31-2008 @ 6:29AM
Fritz said...
Bama Girl wrote: "And during the game left before the end because they were losing! "
Do you mean like the folks at Bryant-Denny did last year when Louisiana-Monroe (sic) beat the Tide?
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11-01-2008 @ 12:18AM
Jesse W said...
Expectations are extremely high at ALL SEC schools and there are just some personalities that cannot accept the challenge. The great ones show their colors like Richt and Meyer, others fall by the waste side.
Jesse W.
http://www.subprimeblogger.com
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11-02-2008 @ 5:49PM
Woody said...
Like it or not, 'Bama is back. Spurrier put FLA on the map and (with their plethora of in-state recruits) the Gators are there to stay.LSU (done a pretty good job lately), Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn are strong programs and the right coaches can win there. There are enough players to go around. It should be a 'want' job for the great coaches. Sooner or later, the NCAA will wise up, have a playoff and the PAC-10's and Big 11's who hide from a league playoff champion will be exposed. Any coach that would rather go to Clemson instead of Tennessee or Auburn is a chicken, a Bowden and NOT a great coach. I'm hoping that Tennessee looks at some of the great young coaches out there (my fav is GREG SCHIANO-Rutgers) when Fulmer plays out his hand. The AD there has the stones to clean house, not hire David Cutcliffe and go for the top, The 'top' coaches aren't afraid of the SEC.
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