Jay Bee
12-13-2006, 09:56 AM
Barnhart: Best and worst SEC jobs
By TONY BARNHART / tbarnhart@ajc.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/13/06
Rich Rodriguez decided to stay at West Virginia. Steve Spurrier took a pass. And Nick
Saban wanted no part of trying on Bear Bryant's famous houndstooth hat.
BLOG:
• Which is the best, or worst, SEC coaching job?
As Alabama enters the third week of what's been a humbling search for a new football coach, critics have suggested the job, once considered a plum, isn't so attractive any more.
That got us to thinking: In today's climate, where coaches can make more than $2 million annually (Tennessee's Phil Fulmer) but be fired a year after a 10-win season ('Bama's Mike Shula), what constitutes a good job?
The Journal-Constitution reached out to 10 former SEC head coaches and asked them to break down the best — and worst — jobs in the conference, taking into account fan support, recruiting base, financial resources, athletic facilities, expectations and backing from
administration when things get tough — as they inevitably will.
1. Florida
With an athletics budget of more than $66 million and a premier prospect-packed home state that rivals Texas and California, Florida was an easy choice for No. 1.
"Some schools go into the fight with a bigger stick than others," former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill said. "Florida has the biggest stick of all because they don't have to leave their state to get great players."
With a large and generous alumni base, where the biggest givers are known as the "Bull Gators," finances will never be a concern at Florida. University officials may soon make Urban Meyer the SEC's highest-paid coach now that the Gators have reached next month's BCS championship game.
Nor will recruiting ever be a problem: In February, the Gators landed the AJC's top-ranked class, which included several in-state stars (Jacksonville's Tim Tebow) plus several out-of-state peaches (Virginia's Percy Harvin).
2. Georgia
When Vince Dooley arrived in Athens in 1964, he inherited a program that relied heavily on out-of-state recruits. Then the state landscape changed, and the job changed with it.
"We could see that the state and Atlanta were really starting to grow," Dooley said. "It was getting pretty clear that in the future, if we controlled the state, we had a chance to be successful."
When SEC football was integrated in the late 1960s and early '70s, the great black players in Georgia no longer had to leave the state to play. And they didn't. "When we were recruiting against Georgia for Herschel Walker, I think we had one alumnus in the whole town of Wrightsville," former Clemson coach Danny Ford said. "Ninety percent of that town was for Georgia."
Under the well-compensated Mark Richt, UGA has controlled the state, only losing a Calvin Johnson every now and then. The only thing missing that other SEC schools have: a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility.
3. LSU
Some would argue LSU should be a spot higher because of the number of top-notch high school players Louisiana produces and the financial commitment the school has made to football.
Les Miles brings in about $1.45 million a year and also has the SEC's two highest-paid coordinators. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bo Pelini earn $400,000 and work on multi-year contracts.
Nick Saban gets lot of credit for LSU's improved recruiting. But his predecessor, Gerry DiNardo, helped make this job what it is as much as anyone.
"DiNardo came in and made it his goal for LSU to control the state again," Scout.com recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg said. "Now, LSU has a wall around that state."
But there's some uncertainty around the job. Hurricane Katrina scattered many top high school players to adjoining states. No one knows if that will have an impact on LSU's future recruiting. Also, it's no secret Fisher and Pelini want to be head coaches.
4. Tennessee
Neyland Stadium, one of college football's great showplaces, seats 107,000 and is packed for every game, be it Alabama or Air Force.
When recruits come to Knoxville for visits, they also see one of the country's top indoor practice facilities and hear about the program's stability. Fulmer has been in place since 1993, making him the SEC's longest-tenured coach.
There's just one difference between Tennessee and the three schools ranked above it: The head coach has to be a tireless recruiter because he and his staff are going to rack up a lot of frequent-flier miles.
"Tennessee has to recruit nationally because there simply aren't enough great high school players in their state to compete for a championship," Sherrill said. "And the further away you go to bring in a player, the less he is going to know about your university.
"That makes it tough, but Tennessee has proven that it can be done."
5. Auburn
Auburn gets the edge over state rival Alabama for a few reasons. First of all, the Tigers have won five in a row against the Tide and have been able to keep their coaching situation relatively stable. Since Tommy Tuberville was nearly fired in 2003, the Tigers have gone 32-5. They'll play in their third consecutive New Year's Day bowl in a few weeks, against Nebraska in the Cotton.
Former SEC coaches rank Auburn here in large part because of its proximity to Georgia, which allows coaches to recruit in Columbus, LaGrange and Atlanta.
"Used to be where if Alabama saw 10 players they wanted and Auburn wanted them, too, Alabama would get six or seven," Ford said. "Now it's at least 50-50 for Auburn."
Tuberville is the SEC's highest-paid coach with a total compensation package of $2.2 million. The school also has a reputation for grooming future head coaches, with Tuberville losing assistants Bobby Petrino (to Louisville) and Gene Chizik (Michigan State).
6. Alabama
In 2002, Alabama committed to spend $47 million on a Bryant-Denny Stadium face-lift. So facilities, which for so long lagged behind the rest of the SEC, are no longer an issue.
"With the facilities we now have and our tradition, there is no reason why we can't [win titles]," said Gene Stallings, who coached the Tide to the 1992 national championship.
So why Alabama has struggled to get back to where Bear Bryant once had it? "The really great programs have a high percentage of the fans and administration thinking and working on the same page," former Tide coach Mike DuBose said. "That is what I still don't see at Alabama."
Several coaches say the program is micromanaged and that it will take a strong personality to be a consistent winner in Tuscaloosa. "My dad always told me that regardless of how much money they pay you, you have to know who's your boss," ex-Georgia coach Jim Donnan said. "And it can only be one guy."
7. Arkansas
Unlike Alabama, there's no doubt about who's in charge in Fayetteville.
Frank Broyles, 81, is in his 50th year at Arkansas and 34th as athletics director. Having a former football coach as an AD is a good thing, the ex-coaches said. Broyles also knows how to find money and how to spend it. He has used his powerful political connections to raise more than $200 million and turn Arkansas' athletic facilities into the country's finest.
Arkansas high school football can't compare to that of Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, but it is improving due to the influx of people to the state who either work directly for Bentonville-based Wal-Mart or for companies who do a major portion of their business with Wal-Mart.
"In order to compete for the championship, you have to set up recruiting bases in East Texas and Louisiana," said Ford, who took Arkansas to its first SEC final in 1995. Getting top players out of Texas has been tougher since Arkansas left the Southwest Conference in 1992.
8. South Carolina
The Gamecocks have captured only one title of any kind in their long football history. They've won more than eight games in a season just twice. And if Steve Spurrier takes them to a bowl in 2007, he'll be the first coach to accomplish that for three straight years.
Still, ex-coaches say, this is an underrated job because the fans always show up and support the program.
"They are the most optimistic and supportive people I've ever been around," said former Georgia coach and Gamecocks assistant Ray Goff. "Regardless of how things are going, they are going to fill up that stadium and have a good time."
Those fans also have money. It's not uncommon for them to pay $25,000 to own one of the precious parking spots next to the stadium.
The downside to the job? "There are usually only eight to 10 top-level prospects in the state, and you have to fight Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia and the Florida schools for those," Goff said.
By TONY BARNHART / tbarnhart@ajc.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/13/06
Rich Rodriguez decided to stay at West Virginia. Steve Spurrier took a pass. And Nick
Saban wanted no part of trying on Bear Bryant's famous houndstooth hat.
BLOG:
• Which is the best, or worst, SEC coaching job?
As Alabama enters the third week of what's been a humbling search for a new football coach, critics have suggested the job, once considered a plum, isn't so attractive any more.
That got us to thinking: In today's climate, where coaches can make more than $2 million annually (Tennessee's Phil Fulmer) but be fired a year after a 10-win season ('Bama's Mike Shula), what constitutes a good job?
The Journal-Constitution reached out to 10 former SEC head coaches and asked them to break down the best — and worst — jobs in the conference, taking into account fan support, recruiting base, financial resources, athletic facilities, expectations and backing from
administration when things get tough — as they inevitably will.
1. Florida
With an athletics budget of more than $66 million and a premier prospect-packed home state that rivals Texas and California, Florida was an easy choice for No. 1.
"Some schools go into the fight with a bigger stick than others," former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill said. "Florida has the biggest stick of all because they don't have to leave their state to get great players."
With a large and generous alumni base, where the biggest givers are known as the "Bull Gators," finances will never be a concern at Florida. University officials may soon make Urban Meyer the SEC's highest-paid coach now that the Gators have reached next month's BCS championship game.
Nor will recruiting ever be a problem: In February, the Gators landed the AJC's top-ranked class, which included several in-state stars (Jacksonville's Tim Tebow) plus several out-of-state peaches (Virginia's Percy Harvin).
2. Georgia
When Vince Dooley arrived in Athens in 1964, he inherited a program that relied heavily on out-of-state recruits. Then the state landscape changed, and the job changed with it.
"We could see that the state and Atlanta were really starting to grow," Dooley said. "It was getting pretty clear that in the future, if we controlled the state, we had a chance to be successful."
When SEC football was integrated in the late 1960s and early '70s, the great black players in Georgia no longer had to leave the state to play. And they didn't. "When we were recruiting against Georgia for Herschel Walker, I think we had one alumnus in the whole town of Wrightsville," former Clemson coach Danny Ford said. "Ninety percent of that town was for Georgia."
Under the well-compensated Mark Richt, UGA has controlled the state, only losing a Calvin Johnson every now and then. The only thing missing that other SEC schools have: a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility.
3. LSU
Some would argue LSU should be a spot higher because of the number of top-notch high school players Louisiana produces and the financial commitment the school has made to football.
Les Miles brings in about $1.45 million a year and also has the SEC's two highest-paid coordinators. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bo Pelini earn $400,000 and work on multi-year contracts.
Nick Saban gets lot of credit for LSU's improved recruiting. But his predecessor, Gerry DiNardo, helped make this job what it is as much as anyone.
"DiNardo came in and made it his goal for LSU to control the state again," Scout.com recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg said. "Now, LSU has a wall around that state."
But there's some uncertainty around the job. Hurricane Katrina scattered many top high school players to adjoining states. No one knows if that will have an impact on LSU's future recruiting. Also, it's no secret Fisher and Pelini want to be head coaches.
4. Tennessee
Neyland Stadium, one of college football's great showplaces, seats 107,000 and is packed for every game, be it Alabama or Air Force.
When recruits come to Knoxville for visits, they also see one of the country's top indoor practice facilities and hear about the program's stability. Fulmer has been in place since 1993, making him the SEC's longest-tenured coach.
There's just one difference between Tennessee and the three schools ranked above it: The head coach has to be a tireless recruiter because he and his staff are going to rack up a lot of frequent-flier miles.
"Tennessee has to recruit nationally because there simply aren't enough great high school players in their state to compete for a championship," Sherrill said. "And the further away you go to bring in a player, the less he is going to know about your university.
"That makes it tough, but Tennessee has proven that it can be done."
5. Auburn
Auburn gets the edge over state rival Alabama for a few reasons. First of all, the Tigers have won five in a row against the Tide and have been able to keep their coaching situation relatively stable. Since Tommy Tuberville was nearly fired in 2003, the Tigers have gone 32-5. They'll play in their third consecutive New Year's Day bowl in a few weeks, against Nebraska in the Cotton.
Former SEC coaches rank Auburn here in large part because of its proximity to Georgia, which allows coaches to recruit in Columbus, LaGrange and Atlanta.
"Used to be where if Alabama saw 10 players they wanted and Auburn wanted them, too, Alabama would get six or seven," Ford said. "Now it's at least 50-50 for Auburn."
Tuberville is the SEC's highest-paid coach with a total compensation package of $2.2 million. The school also has a reputation for grooming future head coaches, with Tuberville losing assistants Bobby Petrino (to Louisville) and Gene Chizik (Michigan State).
6. Alabama
In 2002, Alabama committed to spend $47 million on a Bryant-Denny Stadium face-lift. So facilities, which for so long lagged behind the rest of the SEC, are no longer an issue.
"With the facilities we now have and our tradition, there is no reason why we can't [win titles]," said Gene Stallings, who coached the Tide to the 1992 national championship.
So why Alabama has struggled to get back to where Bear Bryant once had it? "The really great programs have a high percentage of the fans and administration thinking and working on the same page," former Tide coach Mike DuBose said. "That is what I still don't see at Alabama."
Several coaches say the program is micromanaged and that it will take a strong personality to be a consistent winner in Tuscaloosa. "My dad always told me that regardless of how much money they pay you, you have to know who's your boss," ex-Georgia coach Jim Donnan said. "And it can only be one guy."
7. Arkansas
Unlike Alabama, there's no doubt about who's in charge in Fayetteville.
Frank Broyles, 81, is in his 50th year at Arkansas and 34th as athletics director. Having a former football coach as an AD is a good thing, the ex-coaches said. Broyles also knows how to find money and how to spend it. He has used his powerful political connections to raise more than $200 million and turn Arkansas' athletic facilities into the country's finest.
Arkansas high school football can't compare to that of Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, but it is improving due to the influx of people to the state who either work directly for Bentonville-based Wal-Mart or for companies who do a major portion of their business with Wal-Mart.
"In order to compete for the championship, you have to set up recruiting bases in East Texas and Louisiana," said Ford, who took Arkansas to its first SEC final in 1995. Getting top players out of Texas has been tougher since Arkansas left the Southwest Conference in 1992.
8. South Carolina
The Gamecocks have captured only one title of any kind in their long football history. They've won more than eight games in a season just twice. And if Steve Spurrier takes them to a bowl in 2007, he'll be the first coach to accomplish that for three straight years.
Still, ex-coaches say, this is an underrated job because the fans always show up and support the program.
"They are the most optimistic and supportive people I've ever been around," said former Georgia coach and Gamecocks assistant Ray Goff. "Regardless of how things are going, they are going to fill up that stadium and have a good time."
Those fans also have money. It's not uncommon for them to pay $25,000 to own one of the precious parking spots next to the stadium.
The downside to the job? "There are usually only eight to 10 top-level prospects in the state, and you have to fight Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia and the Florida schools for those," Goff said.