June 13, 2018 · 6:40 AM

Number three, with a bullet

Kirby Smart earns a significant rise in Athlon’s 2018 rankings of SEC head coaches, from twelfth in 2017 to third, behind only Saban (duh) and Fisher.

Agree?  Disagree?

25 Comments

Filed under Media Punditry/Foibles, SEC Football

25 responses to “Number three, with a bullet”

  1. David K
    June 13, 2018 at 6:47 AM

    Fair enough. Jumbo has a ring.

    Like

    • Macallanlover
      June 13, 2018 at 8:45 AM

      There are several dummies with rings, Coker, Chizik, and Fulmer head the list in the past 20 years. That isn’t a determining factor to me at all. I agree the jury doesn’t have enough info on Kirby yet to be definitive, but he looks to be a lock to end up better than Jumbo. I have watched many games with FSU and Fisher just isn’t that great as a HC (thank you Jameis and Bobby Bowden.) With all the new coaches in the SEC, this list is pretty meaningless, but I will take Kirby in Athens over any of them, and that includes Saban.

      Like

  2. Dolly Llama
    June 13, 2018 at 6:48 AM

    Dumbest thing I’ve read in a good long while.

    Five of the coaches ranked ahead of Smart, Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, Butch Jones at Tennessee, Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss, Bret Bielema at Arkansas, Jim McElwain at Florida, were let go last season, and another, Dan Mullen, left Mississippi State for Florida. There was not much Smart could do but move up.

    If you read that and still kept reading, please tell me what it said, because I couldn’t make myself do it.

    Like

  3. Biggus Rickus
    June 13, 2018 at 7:51 AM

    How is Matt Luke 14th? He inherited a mess and kept the team respectable. Ed Orgeron would be perennially ranked 14th until he’s fired if I were making a list.

    Like

  4. Go Dawgs!
    June 13, 2018 at 9:00 AM

    At first blush, that certainly seems to be a bit high for a third-year head coach. But it’s indisputable that Kirby is one of the best there is at one of the most important functions of coaching: recruiting. I’d argue that he’s the second best head coach working right now as a recruiter, behind the guy in Tuscaloosa. We knew that he had what it takes in preparation and attention to detail. Last year he proved that he can perform more than well enough as a gameday coach as well. #3? I don’t know about that, but there aren’t many people I’d want running my program right now instead.

    Like

  5. Dylan Dreyer's Booty
    June 13, 2018 at 9:17 AM

    Between this coach thing and SEC SI player thing, it only means one thing to me: The season can’t start soon enough. Yeah, there will be some really stupid things written about who will be bowl eligible in September, but at least we’ll have actual games played.

    Like

  6. 1smartdude
    June 13, 2018 at 9:25 AM

    I think when you reach the title game you should get some good credit. Recruiting efforts are a part of the deal too. A two year sample size is pretty small, knowing that, it could probably go the other way just as fast. Consistency is what makes a coach great, IMO. The things are in place for Kirby to achieve that status. All that being said, 3rd is pretty respectable for a 3rd year head coach in the SEC.

    Like

  7. Derek
    June 13, 2018 at 9:27 AM

    Gus is way overrated as is Mullen. Don’t get the Moorhead love.

    Expect Pruitt to move up after 2019.

    Will is doing a better job than his ranking suggests. SOS left a tire fire.

    I thought Jimbo did a great job of managing a talented train wreck in Winston to a natty so I’ll give him 2 for now and hope he starts competing with alabama soon. We’re due to play A&M in Athens in 2019 right? I know it’s note set but that’s what it’s gonna be right?

    Like

    • dudemankind
      June 13, 2018 at 9:50 AM

      I am curious why you have Mullen down as overated? He was SEC coach of the year in 2014 and won 10 games at a place where it had only been done twice before.

      Like

      • Derek
        June 13, 2018 at 10:13 AM

        His record vs. teams that finished ranked is atrocious. I think he may have beaten 2 teams in 10 years that finished the season ranked.

        The performance in Athens after beating LSU was an embarrassment. Not only didn’t they live up to everyone’s prediction that they’d win the game, they never got off the bus.

        Go back and look at Mullen’s biggest wins as HC and then look at where those teams finished. I’ve done it. It’s very underwhelming.

        I’m glad he is where he is.

        Like

    • Biggus Rickus
      June 13, 2018 at 11:36 AM

      Mullen averaged 8 wins a year (rounding up) at Mississippi State. That’s hard to do. Fourth seems about right to me. Who else should be ranked ahead of him? Mark Stoops, whose done less in a similar position? Will Muschamp, who, while he’s done okay so far at South Carolina, is the same guy who had a 4-8 season with a talented Florida team?

      Like

      • Biggus Rickus
        June 13, 2018 at 11:37 AM

        who’s*

        Like

      • Derek
        June 13, 2018 at 11:58 AM

        You’re right in the sense that there’s just not a lot of choices but if I had to hire a coach and I had Will and Derek Mason and Mullen on a list, Dan would finish third.

        Give Chad and Pruitt and maybe even Moorhead some time and Mullen will start falling back on the list.

        Like

        • Biggus Rickus
          June 13, 2018 at 12:07 PM

          I think Morris will be good. I’m less bullish on Pruitt and Moorhead, though in Moorhead’s case it’s only because he’s at a crappy spot. He’d probably be fine at a real program. You’re also a lot higher on Muschamp and Mason than I am.

          Like

  8. ASEF
    June 13, 2018 at 10:04 AM

    Offseason lists and hall of fame debates.

    Must be June

    Like

  9. wewoof
    June 13, 2018 at 10:55 AM

    Jimbo ain’t gonna like the SEC…..his bank acct does like it but his winning percentage is going down and it’s going down hard.

    Like

  10. Jared S.
    June 13, 2018 at 11:05 AM

    CKS ought to be ahead of Fisher.

    Like

  11. DawgPhan
    June 13, 2018 at 11:06 AM

    its not like they ranked him 3rd in the east. its fine.

    Like