As you know, this is the first year in a while when the SEC boasts no new head coaches. For what it’s worth, here’s how Dennis Dodd sees the warmth of the seats under the current bunch.
First, his rating system:
Now, the coaches, by school, in alphabetical order:
- Saban 0
- Morris 2
- Malzahn 3
- Mullen 1
- Smart 0
- Stoops 2
- Orgeron 2
- Moorhead 1
- Odom 2
- Luke 2
- Muschamp 1
- Pruitt 2
- Fisher 1
- Mason 3
The only coach who Dodd sees as being on shakier ground in 2019 than last year is Malzahn. Even then, he’s only good for a “Pressure is mounting” rating.
All in all, this appears to be a pretty secure bunch, at least in Dodd’s lights. Your thoughts?
Get The Picture 
Gus is only at the level he is because of the buyout. Isn’t it $30m+ at this point?
Pruitt and Mullen are the ones by the end of the year might be scalding. If Tennessee loses to Vandy again (love typing that) and doesn’t get bowl eligible, it could get ugly in Knoxville. If Florida’s offensive line is as bad as many think it will be and recruiting continues to go south, Dopey Dan make find his seat on fire.
I think both of them have to show dramatic improvement in year 2. Pruitt really has to show improvement.
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I think you’re overrating the heat on Mullen. He’s working for the AD who hired him at both schools he’s coached. The Gators won 10 games last year in his first season in Gainesville, with wins over three ranked opponents.
It’s going to take a collapse on the order of McElwain’s last season for Mullen to be on shaky ground after 2019.
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True … but I do think this summer you’ve begun to see some buyer’s remorse from Gator fans about him. He has made his AD a lot of money between Starkville and Hogtown. The attitude about him would be very different if Michigan and Georgia had shown up for their bowl games.
I’m going to be interested in watching them play Miami because Manny Diaz is going to go after that offensive line. While Tennessee won’t beat Florida, I can see Pruitt gearing his team up with that game in mind. Auburn has the horses on defense to make life miserable for Franks. They have to go to Baton Rouge. Then, they come to Jacksonville.
If that offensive line struggles, they could have 3 losses before we lay the wood to them.
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The flip side to that is if they stay healthy, their defensive line and secondary are elite. You can stay in a lot of games with that as a place to work from.
Florida’s big concern this season is depth.
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Yep … that only works against elite teams if you can keep the chains moving. If they go 3 and out a bunch, that d-line gets worn out.
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This why I think Tennessee brings everything to beat Florida. Pruitt should be able to get creative against their OL and pressure Franks. Add in that UT is trying to become a grinder on offense, and I think they have a chance. Beating UF would go a long way towards convincing the Vols faithful that Pruitt is the right coach.
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UT’s o-line situation is at least as bad as UF’s. The Vols will likely start true freshmen at both tackle positions. And the Gators’ d-line is better than Tennessee’s is.
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I think 10rc can put a scare into Florida, but for the same reason plus the game is in Hogtown, I don’t think they can beat them. I would take Franks over Guarantano at QB (that’s like talking about who’s the tallest midget … sorry, little person).
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*Bogtown 😉
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LOL.
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Agree. They are still in denial about Sideshow Dan down there. They still think he’s a qb whisperer and an offensive genius and still think it’s cute that he trolled Kirby. When the honeymoon ends it will be ugly but they still think Captain Tuttle is a real guy right now.
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Malzahn hasn’t been run off because he’s “one of them”. Meaning, he’s just like any and nearly all AU people. “Awe, shucks”, Waffle House, crazy wife. Here’s the truth. Malzahn, and Pearl, are “all in”, booster suckin, shills for Auburn because they can’t get work anywhere else. Not at this level. Point being, Gus at three is about right. They want him win and not have to search for another coach.
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They had to give him the biggest buyout in college football to keep him from leaving for to the University of Arkansas, but sure he “can’t get work anywhere else”. Swing and a miss there bud.
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I don’t remember ARK having a solid offer for his services. I may be mistaken. There was talk but Auburn headed off any potential loss of their coach by signing him to the new deal. They really didn’t want to lose him. Is it because he’s a great coach? YMMV
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I think Muschamp should be a 3. The chicken faithful still live under the delusion that they are somehow a football power. Their message boards are full of comments about 6 wins being unacceptable and it being time for Muschamp to start winning games against ranked opponents. I don’t think he is in any danger of being fired after this season unless they went 3-9 or something like that but next season could be testy if they lose 6 games.
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The thing about Muschamp is USC has an impossible schedule. 8-9 wins is a great season, but I agree their fans won’t see it.
If they fire Muschamp, who would go there?
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K Junior.
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If Boom get’s through that schedule with 9 wins they should put up a statue.
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Some of their fans are talking about how they will beat Bama because they get them at home and they beat them the last time they came to Columbia. They are also talking about beating Clemson because they scored so many points on them last season and they play them at home. The delusion in their fan base is a thing of wonder.
If they were smart, which they are not, they would go after a young coach from a smaller D1 program who has the energy to build a program and would embrace the opportunity. Instead, they would go the same route they always do, hire a retread or a coach near the end of his career. I think they would go strong after Mark Dantonio at Michigan State.
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Looking back almost a decade to say why they are going to beat somebody is so Lamecock. Bama is going to beat the chicken $#!+ out of USCjr.
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SC is still the last team in the East to beat Bama.
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Sides, you do have to admit what happened 9 years ago has no bearing on what’s going to happen this fall.
That is pretty amazing that Bama hasn’t lost to an East foe since then. Of course, with as bad as 10rc has been over that time as their permanent opponent, no one should be surprised. They have beaten us 4 times in that period with one woodshed job and 3 games that have come down to the last play.
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Of course it has no bearing on that game. I just thought it was a good time to remind everyone. Congrats on your 3 close losses.
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Excellent job of trolling, Sides. Gotta get your licks in where you can, I suppose. 😉
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This dude doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Lovie ain’t goin nowhere and he’s got him listed as a 5.
Base compensation
2017 guaranteed pay: $3,000,000
Total contract pay: $22,807,692
Contract length: 6 years
Start date: 3/7/2016
Expires: 1/31/2022
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That Big Televen TV money will pay that buy-out.
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Maybe but not for a while.
“Buyouts have become a factor in college football contracts. Smith’s is bulletproof. Smith had four years remaining on a deal that pays him $4 million a year. He also had a $12 million buyout protecting him in case of 63-0 against Iowa. In the new deal, Smith relented on the buyout, but for the time being, the buyouts remain $4 million for 2019 and $2 million in 2020. In 2021-22, the buyout drops to $1 million.”
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I think that Malzahn is on shakier ground here than Dodd realizes. He’s probably approaching things from a rational standpoint considering Malzahn’s huge contract buyout (and boy, I sure hope Gus is sending his agent Christmas cards). But as we all know, the Auburn Family is anything but rational. If they drop that LSU game and stumble a few more times along the way, I could see the pressure ratchet way up.
By the same token, dude is crazy if he think Derek Mason’s seat is even remotely warm at Vanderbilt. Vandy fans know exactly who they are, and they love the dude. They would have to regress to Wiedenhofer-level futility for him to be in trouble.
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I have several close Auburn friends (I know) and they are pretty much resigned to the fact that they won’t be a power again until Saban retires. My cousin the LSU alum essentially told me the same thing at my wedding a few months back. The tide’s dominance of the league is dumbfounding.
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All I know is Pruitt has to fix UT’s Vandy problem. That sounds awesome!
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Muschamp will have his hands full trying to hold it together this year. By the time they play Clemson they will be either frayed beyond recognition or battle hardened into a respectable unit that can scrap it out.
I like to goad SC fans as much as the next guy, but they do know what Boom is up against with that schedule. And that schedule will make the Chicken Peckers a tougher football team down the line somewhere. If they can pull off one upset it will be a great season for them and they know it.
On the other hand, they could get tired and just fold. I’ll catch flak for this, but I think he’s the kind of coach that can rally his team to keep it’s head above water and put up a fight.
Having to play Georgia, Alabama and Clemson in a year when all three likely vying for playoff spots is going to net SC a lot of attention one way or the other.
They are the ultimate “mutual opponent” this year!
Bless their hearts…and may they find some way to beat Clemson.
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Are style points really a thing?
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Don’t disagree that every coach in the SEC is safe going into the season, but there are a few that could come out of 2019 with a lot of heat coming their way. AU has the largest group of disgruntled fans on his butt starting out, and taking over the play calling in 2019 his position more precarious, especially with 2 unproven options at QB. Worse than 8-4 could be enough to get him chased, or make 2020 a year he has to make it Atlanta to hang on.
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Mason a 3!? I think he’s done a pretty good job considering what he has to work with a Vandy.
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Boom should be a little higher. And he will be after the schedule the Cocks have this season.
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I think Pruitt will elevate Tenn quicker than Sideshow Dan will elevate Fla.
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I think Stoops is a 1 or maybe even a 0.5. He had Kentucky playing for a divisional title in November….. has a recruiting and development model/system that is working very well within their historic expectation range.
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Muschamp has to be a 3. The author vastly underrates the expectations of the USCe faithful.
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I’d have Luke lower and Mason higher. Otherwise it looks about right.
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How is pressure mounting on Mason with a winning streak against Tennessee?
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