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Jeremy Hillman
SouthernPigskin.com SEC Writer
SouthernPigskin.com SEC Writer Jeremy Hillman talks about the new coaches in the SEC this season.
Hope is defined as “a general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled.” This hopeful feeling was lost a year ago, for the most part, by fans of three SEC programs. The losses mounted, no bowl invitations were attained, and no rankings had been earned. Hope was fleeting. Doom was setting in. Change was needed at Tennessee, at Auburn, and at Mississippi State.
• Tennessee finished 2008 with a disappointing 5-7 record, no bowl game and an embarrassing late season loss to lowly Wyoming. The Vols also lost to top SEC programs Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia by an average score of 28-8.
• Auburn finished 2008 with a 5-7 record, no bowl game, and a 36-0 blowout loss to their rival, Alabama, to end the season on a very sour note. The Tigers also lost 6 of their last 7 games.
• Mississippi State ended the 2008 season with a 4-8 record, no bowl game, and suffered a 45-0 blowout lost to their rival, Ole Miss, to end the painful season. The Bulldogs also opened the 08’ season with a deflating loss to underdog Louisiana Tech.
It was a time for change. Not just to change coaches, but to change directions and to try and reinstate some hope.
Each coaching change created a stir, among fans and media. Tennessee let go national championship-winning Phillip Fulmer, and replaced him with young and loose-lipped Lane Kiffin. Auburn ousted Tommy Tuberville, who had plenty of success on the Plains, for Gene Chizik, who had a less-than-stellar record in his two years as head coach at Iowa State. Mississippi State booted well-respected Sylvester Croom, for Dan McMullen who had zero head coaching experience. While change was needed, not everyone was sure these changes were for the better.
The new kids on the block in the Southeastern Conference went to work right away. Each of them knew they had a lot of rebuilding to do. Change is never easy. Slowly, but surely, each of these coaches put together impressive staffs. Tennessee hired NFL veteran and defensive guru Monte Kiffin (Lane’s father and father of the Tampa 2 defensive formation). Auburn rushed out and snatched up offensive guru Gus Mahlzan (he had lead Tulsa to be one of the nation’s top offense the last two seasons). Mississippi State was able to hire long time SEC defensive coach Carl Torbush (successful stints at Alabama and Ole Miss highlight his impressive resume). These and other hires, got the ball rolling in the off season, and then it was time to coach…
Flash Forward to Saturday October 31st :
• Tennessee routed South Carolina 34-16. Yes, hope is alive and well in Rocky Top. The Vols are 4-4 and getting better every week, and could see 7 or more wins on the season. A bowl game is likely and the Vol nation is excited about the future and it’s leadership.
• Auburn upset #24 Ole Miss 31-18 and moved to 6-3 on the season. The Tigers are already qualified for a bowl and should move to an impressive 7-3 on the season with a win over Furman this Saturday. Hope is breathing again in East Alabama and Tiger fans are rallying behind the program.
• Mississippi State upset Kentucky 27-14 and tallied their 4th win of the season. With new hope for a bowl invite, State will play meaningful games in November and that has the Bulldog nation cheering their new coach.
With visions of bowl games, winning seasons and new respect, these coaching changes are beginning to look like a success early on. It is too early to tell, as recruiting must go well for these staffs and consistent winning is what will be expected by these programs. To keep things in perspective, it is tough as a first year coach to win in the SEC.
From 1994 through 2008, there have been 28 rookie coaches in the SEC. First year SEC coaches have gone 157-171-1 in that time span. That averages out to 5.7 wins and 6.1 losses per season, per first year coach. Works out to be almost a 6-6 record. Here are a few examples:
Bobby Petrino, Arkansas 2007: 5-7
Nick Saban, Alabama 2006: 6-6
Steve Spurrier, South Carolina 2005: 7-5
Rich Brooks, Kentucky 2003: 4-8
Mark Richt, Georgia 2001: 8-4
Lou Holtz, South Carolina 1999: 0-11
Tommy Tuberville, Auburn 1995: 6-5
Jim Donnan, Georgia 1996: 5-6
Bottom line is it is not an easy task to take over an SEC program, especially since many coaching changes leave the new coach with less to work with than some of the veteran coaches of the league have in their program. That is why Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State fans should feel good about this season. The Vols and Tigers will exceed the 6-6 rookie SEC coaching record average, and the Bulldogs have a shot at reaching it.
Would Tennessee, Auburn, or Mississippi State have just as many wins without a coaching change last offseason? Maybe. Would there be as much new excitement and hope for the future? Probably not. Hope sells tickets, attracts media and appeals to recruits. This is a business, SEC football, and hope is the currency. After all, hope springs eternal. Just ask any Vols, Tigers or Bulldogs on their way to next week’s ballgame. They will tell you what having new hope is all about.
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Stories written by SouthernPigskin.com columnists are done independently. Views do not always coincide with those of the remainder of the staff or the ownership of SouthernPigskin.com.
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