| FTBL How would you rank the current SEC Head Coaches?

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

And try to take into account all that goes with it... not just the gameday coaching, but the overall package and abilities of each coach. So basically, look at it like, if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Nick Saban
2. Brian Kelly (Kelly and Smart are basically 2a and 2b)
3. Kirby Smart
4. Hugh Freeze
5. Mark Stoops
6. Josh Heupel
7. Jimbo Fisher
8. Lane Kiffin
9. Billy Napier
10. Sam Pittman
11. Shane Beamer
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette (not enough data, but I figure he would fit in around 10-12)

5-8 is really tough. I think being at Kentucky holds Stoops back a little. Hard to flush Heupel's UCF tenure, but his 1st season with the Vols was really impressive. Kiffin can't stay plugged in long enough to be much higher than mid pack... on any given week he'd be right up there around 4th... the next week... around 13th. I may have Beamer too low, and I could see over time him shooting up the list a good bit... but as of now, I think many overrate him a tad as a coach. Conversely, I may have Napier too high... but I think his issues so far are more the Florida job itself and not his abilities, just not sure he's a great fit there for some reason. If we included Sarkisian and Venables, I'd probably slot them #8 and #12 respectively. Also, I miss my dude Leach still. He'd have been around #11 on the list, but #2 in my heart.

How would you rank them?

 

[TerryP]

Hard to flush Heupel's UCF tenure, but his 1st season with the Vols was really impressive

I don't think I can make a judgement until '24.

That first season at UT he won seven. (Now, it was a three win season the year prior, but also an eight win season the year before.) Last season they were 6-2 in SEC play: 11 wins season. I can see the 11 drop to nine, and a 5-3 record. Those three could come in the first seven (and I'd watch that UTSA contest.) Then @ bama and @Kentucky, with UGA coming into Neyland the week before Vandy.

At UCF he had a great first year (12 wins) and then we saw 10, followed by 6-4 his final season. (They had nine wins the year after he left.)

I'm thinking as we're headed into the fall of '25 his career will be defined as "peak, valley, peak, valley..."

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I don't think I can make a judgement until '24.

That first season at UT he won seven. (Now, it was a three win season the year prior, but also an eight win season the year before.) Last season they were 6-2 in SEC play: 11 wins season. I can see the 11 drop to nine, and a 5-3 record. Those three could come in the first seven (and I'd watch that UTSA contest.) Then @bama and @Kentucky, with UGA coming into Neyland the week before Vandy.

At UCF he had a great first year (12 wins) and then we saw 10, followed by 6-4 his final season. (They had nine wins the year after he left.)

I'm thinking as we're headed into the fall of '25 his career will be defined as "peak, valley, peak, valley..."

That's my bad... Meant last season for him. But if I had made this list a year ago (maybe I did?), he'd have been near the bottom.

 

[UAgrad93]

I agree with your list and summation as well. As for Beamer, I think it’s still early for him to put him solidly in a position. He may actually be swapped with Pittman.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

This one's tough. "Starting a new job six years before retirement...." Saban is 71, Kelly 61, Smart 47, Drinkwitz 40, Kiffin 48, Freeze 53, Jimbo 57, Heupel 45, Napier 43, Stoops 55...that's enough. They are all at different points in their career, who knows how Napier/Heupel/Drinkwitz/Smart end up. They could have a dynasty or get caught ordering prostitutes. Saban is in the twilight, Kelly can see the sunset from where he is - and none of these guys' jobs have gotten any easier. I think the first one to lose their job is Jimbo, so I'll move him down. Hard to rank Kelly ahead of a coach that's won two and just missed on another NC in his first six years or so. As much as it's hard to admit, that's Saban quality.

Saban, Smart, Kelly, Stoops, Kiffin, Freeze, Napier, Heupel, Pittman, Fisher, and the rest are photo finishers. Never doubt Kiffin, Fisher or Freeze, and their ability to snap a leg right out of the gate, though.

 

[BamaFan334]

I think Shane Beamer will continue to surprise some teams and his stock will rise. not to Top 5, but easily Top 7. Still not sold on Freeze, Jimbo, and Napier.

 

[TerryP]

As for Beamer, I think it’s still early for him to put him solidly in a position.

I think Shane Beamer will continue to surprise some teams and his stock will rise.

Two things I'll stand by:

When Spurrier was at UofSC that success was largely based on Beamer's recruitment. And when he was hired, I pointed to that and believed he'd recruit well. He pulled in 12 blue chips last class and has six or seven committed for '24.

They closed out last season strongly with the blow out of UT and the W over Clemson. They could've won their bowl game against ND...tied up until a TD scored in the last two minutes of the 4th. (Yeah, it was Tyler.)

 

[TerryP]

They could have a dynasty or get caught ordering prostitutes.

That's my bad... Meant last season for him. But if I had made this list a year ago (maybe I did?), he'd have been near the bottom.

Heupel did have a hooker last season.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I think Shane Beamer will continue to surprise some teams and his stock will rise. not to Top 5, but easily Top 7. Still not sold on Freeze, Jimbo, and Napier.

I hope Freeze's adjustment back into the SEC is a painful one, but I think he's going do pretty well there when he gets the offensive skill guys he wants (and needs). I could end up completely wrong, but there's a reason I was wishing they'd hire Kiffin or pretty much any other realistic candidate that was on their list. He is going to have to prove though that he can avoid some of the mindboggling pitfall games that he trips on along with some of the late season flat tires that he tends to have.

Two things I'll stand by:

When Spurrier was at UofSC that success was largely based on Beamer's recruitment. And when he was hired, I pointed to that and believed he'd recruit well. He pulled in 12 blue chips last class and has six or seven committed for '24.

They closed out last season strongly with the blow out of UT and the W over Clemson. They could've won their bowl game against ND...tied up until a TD scored in the last two minutes of the 4th. (Yeah, it was Tyler.)

Beamer is maybe the wildest card in the bunch... in some ways, similar to Napier. Both I think have a lot of potential, but maybe with little margin for error.

 

[Justneedme81]

I don't think I can make a judgement until '24.

That first season at UT he won seven. (Now, it was a three win season the year prior, but also an eight win season the year before.) Last season they were 6-2 in SEC play: 11 wins season. I can see the 11 drop to nine, and a 5-3 record. Those three could come in the first seven (and I'd watch that UTSA contest.) Then @bama and @Kentucky, with UGA coming into Neyland the week before Vandy.

At UCF he had a great first year (12 wins) and then we saw 10, followed by 6-4 his final season. (They had nine wins the year after he left.)

I'm thinking as we're headed into the fall of '25 his career will be defined as "peak, valley, peak, valley..."

This fall, more teams will figure out how to stop his offense. Hepuel would have to have magic bottle to pull what they did last season again for this fall.

Freeze, I think he'll be okay, but I can see him struggling somewhat in 2-3 years.

 

[TerryP]

This fall, more teams will figure out how to stop his offense. Hepuel would have to have magic bottle to pull what they did last season again for this fall.

I didn't see him call anything much differently than what he'd done at UCF. I did see him take a job with a better talent base as well as one with more experience than a lot of the teams they faced. He did pretty well with his rosters shuffles as well.

 

[Justneedme81]

I didn't see him call anything much differently than what he'd done at UCF. I did see him take a job with a better talent base as well as one with more experience than a lot of the teams they faced. He did pretty well with his rosters shuffles as well.

But how would he fare in NIL saga?

 

[TerryP]

But how would he fare in NIL saga?

To start, I can say this. He'll hear "Ima leavin'" from Iamaleava if he doesn't play his cards right.

 

[OldPlayer]

And try to take into account all that goes with it... not just the gameday coaching, but the overall package and abilities of each coach. So basically, look at it like, if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Nick Saban
2. Brian Kelly (Kelly and Smart are basically 2a and 2b)
3. Kirby Smart
4. Hugh Freeze
5. Mark Stoops
6. Josh Heupel
7. Jimbo Fisher
8. Lane Kiffin
9. Billy Napier
10. Sam Pittman
11. Shane Beamer
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette (not enough data, but I figure he would fit in around 10-12)

5-8 is really tough. I think being at Kentucky holds Stoops back a little. Hard to flush Heupel's UCF tenure, but his 1st season with the Vols was really impressive. Kiffin can't stay plugged in long enough to be much higher than mid pack... on any given week he'd be right up there around 4th... the next week... around 13th. I may have Beamer too low, and I could see over time him shooting up the list a good bit... but as of now, I think many overrate him a tad as a coach. Conversely, I may have Napier too high... but I think his issues so far are more the Florida job itself and not his abilities, just not sure he's a great fit there for some reason. If we included Sarkisian and Venables, I'd probably slot them #8 and #12 respectively. Also, I miss my dude Leach still. He'd have been around #11 on the list, but #2 in my heart.

How would you rank them?

If you base it on performance/record, I'd change the order

1. Nick Saban (Duh!)
2. Kirby Smart (the last two years say a lot)
3. Lane Kiffin (he hasn't had great players, but gets a lot out of them)
4. Brian Kelly (outperformed expectations last year. Year 2 will say a lot)
5. Hugh Freeze (expectations are higher than reality)
6. Sam Pittman (has done a good job with the talent he has)
7. Mark Stoops (he's had some big wins, but can't win the big one)
8. Josh Heupel (his win over Alabama makes expectations high. Can he do it twice?)
9. Jimbo Fisher (a lot of hype, very little substance)
10. Billy Napier (TBD)
11. Shane Beamer (a few good wins in 2022, but still ended in the same place as previous coaches)
12. Eli Drinkwitz (isn't horrible, but hasn't won big)
13. Clark Lea (Vandy is a tough place to win)
14. Zach Arnette (ranking #14 doesn't mean he's bad, just unproven)

It's the SEC. Ranking 10+ doesn't mean they're a bad coach, just a coach with tough competition.

 

[TerryP]

11. Shane Beamer (a few good wins in 2022, but still ended in the same place as previous coaches)

Rabbit hole.

UofSC has had 36 head football coaches. Only six have had their team finished ranked in the AP poll: Beamer is one of the six.

 

[SnakeDoc]

if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Kirby Smart
2. Brian Kelly
3. Lane Kiffin
4. Nick Saban
5. Mark Stoops
6. Billy Napier
7. Sam Pittman
8. Shane Beamer
9. Josh Heupel
10. Jimbo Fisher
11. Hugh Freeze
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette

 

[Justneedme81]

if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Kirby Smart
2. Brian Kelly
3. Lane Kiffin
4. Nick Saban
5. Mark Stoops
6. Billy Napier
7. Sam Pittman
8. Shane Beamer
9. Josh Heupel
10. Jimbo Fisher
11. Hugh Freeze
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette

Whoa..

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Rabbit hole.

UofSC has had 36 head football coaches. Only six have had their team finished ranked in the AP poll: Beamer is one of the six.

It's difficult to understate the accomplishments of SC football. SC started playing football the same year we did, 1892. No NC's, and a share of one ACC championship is the sum total of their accomplishments, and I think they stunk it up in nonconference play that year. You made me look, and I was right, 6-0 in conference play, 1-4 out, and a 7-4 year with Dietzel. Before Spurrier, I think they had ONE 10-win season since 1892. They had three with him, not another since. That's four in 130 years. In terms of conference performance, it's true they went twenty years as an independent from '71 to '91.

I'm not sure what made them attractive to the SEC in 1991, other than it was another state to add.

 

[AFF]

if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Kirby Smart
2. Brian Kelly
3. Lane Kiffin
4. Nick Saban
5. Mark Stoops
6. Billy Napier
7. Sam Pittman
8. Shane Beamer
9. Josh Heupel
10. Jimbo Fisher
11. Hugh Freeze
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette

That's an interesting take. As I try to picture who would rank Nick Saban the #4 coach in the SEC - this is all I can come up with:

 

[ElephantStomp]

if Coach X was hired by Baylor and coached there for 6 years before retiring, who would have the most success, who would have the least?

1. Kirby Smart
2. Brian Kelly
3. Lane Kiffin
4. Nick Saban
5. Mark Stoops
6. Billy Napier
7. Sam Pittman
8. Shane Beamer
9. Josh Heupel
10. Jimbo Fisher
11. Hugh Freeze
12. Eli Drinkwitz
13. Clark Lea
14. Zach Arnette

Saban would be the 4th best? In what world?