Rank the Big Ten and SEC Head Coaches

[AEW Champion]

Here’s a little exercise that I thought could be interesting and lead to some discussion. I’d like everyone to rank the Big Ten head coaches 1 to 16 (including Lincoln Riley and Chip Kelly); then rank the SEC head coaches 1 to 16 (including Steve Sarkisian and Brent Venables); and then do a combined third list where you rank the Big Ten and SEC head coaches from 1 to 32.

What criteria you choose to use is up to you. I personally would base my rankings on how I feel each coach will perform over the next five years, but also factor in past results a bit.

Here are the coaches, generally in geographic order:

Big Ten:

Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Mike Locksley, Maryland
James Franklin, Penn State
Ryan Day, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Tom Allen, Indiana
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Bret Bielema, Illinois
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Lincoln Riley, USC

SEC:

Billy Napier, Florida
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Hugh Freeze (presumed Auburn HC)
Nick Saban, Alabama
Mike Leach, Mississippi State
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Brian Kelly, LSU
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Brent Venables, Oklahoma

Feel free to add any discussion points as desired.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

 

[LCL]

Best to Worst.
My criteria:
#1- Overall Success as a Head Coach/Coordinator
#2- Consistient successes as a coach
#3- Fully employing all resources available in an effort to be successful (i.e. Kentucky vs Florida)

SEC
#1 Nick Saban
#2 Brian Kelly
#3 Kirby Smart
#4 Josh Heupl
#5 Lane Kiffin
#6 Jimbo Fisher
#7 Mike Leach
#8 Mark Stoops
#9 Shane Beamer
#10 Steve Sarkisian
#11 Brent Venables
#12 Sam Pittman
#13 Hugh Freeze
#14 Billy Napier
#15 Eli Drinkwitz
#16 Clark Lea

B10
#1- Kirk Ferentz
#2- Lincoln Riley
#3- Bret Bielema
#4- Jim Harbaugh
#5- Ryan Day
#6- Chip Kelly
#7- James Franklin
#8- Pat Fitzgerald
#9- Jeff Brohm
#10- PJ Fleck
#11- Matt Rhule
#12- Luke Fickell
#13- Tom Allen
#14- Mel Tucker
#15- Greg Schiano
#16- Mike Locksley

I know these are controversial picks. In the SEC, you might be screaming how can you put Brian Kellly at #2, or how is Mark Stoops so high?

In the B10 you might be yelling about Kirk Ferentz being #1 or Bret Bielema being above Day and Harbaugh.

Again, I am considering past success, consistent success, and fully employing available resources for football. I.E. Napier is ranked low because he is not putting to use his success as a coach and applying it to all of the resources Florida provides, which are a lot.

 

[nwwarrior09]

Mark Stoops is easily top half in the SEC. He is getting just about the max one could hope for out of UK. I would consider bumping him as high as 5th in the SEC.

 

[LCL]

Ranking them #1-32 by Win Percentage

Ryan Day (45-5/.900)
Lincoln Riley (66-11/.857)
Kirby Smart (78-15/.839)
Nick Saban (274-67-1/.803)
Josh Heupl (45-16/.738)
Jimbo Fisher (121-44/.733)
Brian Kelly (175-64/.732)
Billy Napier (78-16/.719)
Luke Fickell (63-25/.716)
Jim Harbaugh (102-45/.694)
Chip Kelly (73-35/.676)
Hugh Freeze (83-42/.664)
James Franklin (101-51/.664)
Lane Kiffin (84-45/.651
Kirk Ferentz (185-115/.617)
Bret Bielema (109-69/.612)
Jeff Brohm (65-43/.602)
Shane Beamer (15-10/.600)
PJ Fleck (73-49/.598)
Mike Leach (158-107/.596)
Eli Drinkwitz (28-19/.596)
Steve Sarkisian (58-46/.558)
Matt Rhule (47-43/.552)
Mark Stoops (65-58/.528)
Mel Tucker (23-21/.523)
Pat Fitzgerald (110-101/.521)
Sam Pittman (18-17/.514)
Brent Venables (6-6/.500)
Greg Schiano (80-88/.476)
Tom Allen (30-40/.429)
Clark Lea (7-17/.292)
Mike Locksley (22-54/.289)

 

[eastisbest]

Brohm deserves a little higher doesn't he? Quite a few upsets of ranked teams. Beat Tenn in last year's bowl game. Not really a recruiting mecca. Every team seems to have at least one walk-on star. Had to fix the program left by Danny Hope ( 0.45 ) and Darrel Hazel ( 0.21 ). Lost a couple games this season because of dumbstuff but still better than expected considering lost all their play-makers to the NFL.

I don't think he'll ever get a 10 win season but when you're recruiting to an engineering school not in Palo Alto, he's doing pretty good.

 

[Orin Swift]

Best to Worst.
My criteria:
#1- Overall Success as a Head Coach/Coordinator
#2- Consistient successes as a coach
#3- Fully employing all resources available in an effort to be successful (i.e. Kentucky vs Florida)

SEC
#1 Nick Saban
#2 Brian Kelly
#3 Kirby Smart
#4 Josh Heupl
#5 Lane Kiffin
#6 Jimbo Fisher
#7 Mike Leach
#8 Mark Stoops
#9 Shane Beamer
#10 Steve Sarkisian
#11 Brent Venables
#12 Sam Pittman
#13 Hugh Freeze
#14 Billy Napier
#15 Eli Drinkwitz
#16 Clark Lea

B10
#1- Kirk Ferentz
#2- Lincoln Riley
#3- Bret Bielema
#4- Jim Harbaugh
#5- Ryan Day
#6- Chip Kelly
#7- James Franklin
#8- Pat Fitzgerald
#9- Jeff Brohm
#10- PJ Fleck
#11- Matt Rhule
#12- Luke Fickell
#13- Tom Allen
#14- Mel Tucker
#15- Greg Schiano
#16- Mike Locksley

I know these are controversial picks. In the SEC, you might be screaming how can you put Brian Kellly at #2, or how is Mark Stoops so high?

In the B10 you might be yelling about Kirk Ferentz being #1 or Bret Bielema being above Day and Harbaugh.

Again, I am considering past success, consistent success, and fully employing available resources for football. I.E. Napier is ranked low because he is not putting to use his success as a coach and applying it to all of the resources Florida provides, which are a lot.

Pittman too low, prior to Pittman Arkansas went winless in conference for 3 years. Kirk automatically gets #16 for the abomination that his is son he refuses to fire.

 

[AEW Champion]

Here’s how I’d rank them:

Big Ten:

1. Lincoln Riley
2. Jim Harbaugh
3. Matt Rhule
4. Bret Bielema
5. Ryan Day
6. Jeff Brohm
7. Chip Kelly
8. Luke Fickell
9. James Franklin
10. Mel Tucker
11. Greg Schiano
12. Mike Locksley
13. PJ Fleck
14. Pat Fitzgerald
15. Kirk Ferentz
16. Tom Allen

SEC:

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

Combined Ranking:

1. Kirby Smart
2. Nick Saban
3. Lincoln Riley
4. Jim Harbaugh
5. Lane Kiffin
6. Matt Rhule
7. Hugh Freeze
8. Brian Kelly
9. Bret Bielema
10. Ryan Day
11. Josh Heupel
12. Mark Stoops
13. Jeff Brohm
14. Sam Pittman
15. Chip Kelly
16. Steve Sarkisian
17. Jimbo Fisher
18. Luke Fickell
19. James Franklin
20. Mike Leach
21. Mel Tucker
22. Shane Beamer
23. Greg Schiano
24. Billy Napier
25. Brent Venables
26. Mike Locksley
27. PJ Fleck
28. Pat Fitzgerald
29. Kirk Ferentz
30. Clark Lea
31. Eli Drinkwitz
32. Tom Allen

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

 

[AEW Champion]

I wonder what the Penn State and Michigan State administrations would think about their $95 million head coaches being in the bottom half of my combined SEC/Big Ten list.

My list also properly ranks guys like Pat Fitzgerald and Kirk Ferentz who the media likes to pump up anytime they have a decent year.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

 

[LCL]

I wonder what the Penn State and Michigan State administrations would think about their $95 million head coaches being in the bottom half of my combined SEC/Big Ten list.

My list also properly ranks guys like Pat Fitzgerald and Kirk Ferentz who the media likes to pump up anytime they have a decent year.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

I think Ferentz's ranking on this list might be more of "what have you done for me lately" ranking. I'm in no way at all an Iowa homer, in fact I kind of despise Iowa, but I do recognize that Ferentz's best days are behind him and he is overpaid.

As for Pat, the only credit to his success is what he has done to make Northwestern relevent. They were terrible this year, but they have made B10 title game appearances. I also dont think this https://www.google.com/amp/s/theath...9/28/northwestern-new-football-stadium/?amp=1 happens without Pat leading the program.

Matt Rhule's ranking on this list puzzles me. Other than turnaround Temple for a short time, and make Baylor relevent again after the fallout of Art Briles and become a lousy NFL Head Coach, I'm not quite sure he is deserving of a Top 5 ranking.

 

[Orin Swift]

I wonder what the Penn State and Michigan State administrations would think about their $95 million head coaches being in the bottom half of my combined SEC/Big Ten list.

My list also properly ranks guys like Pat Fitzgerald and Kirk Ferentz who the media likes to pump up anytime they have a decent year.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

Scrambling to fire them both now, heard they were content until this morning. What a shake up you’ve caused!

 

[AEW Champion]

Scrambling to fire them both now, heard they were content until this morning. What a shake up you’ve caused!

I’m available to ADs as a coaching search firm.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

 

[14Red]

Big Ten:
Ryan Day, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Lincoln Riley, USC
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
James Franklin, Penn State
PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Bret Bielema, Illinois
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Mike Locksley, Maryland
Tom Allen, Indiana


SEC:
Nick Saban, Alabama
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Brian Kelly, LSU
Billy Napier, Florida
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Mike Leach, Mississippi State
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Hugh Freeze (presumed Auburn HC)


Overall
Nick Saban, Alabama
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Brian Kelly, LSU
Ryan Day, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Mike Locksley, Maryland
James Franklin, Penn State
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Lincoln Riley, USC
Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Bret Bielema, Illinois
Mike Leach, Mississippi State
PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Billy Napier, Florida
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Hugh Freeze (presumed Auburn HC)
Tom Allen, Indiana

Just a few comments, thanks for posting this, good exercise.
Saban #1, no question, but Kirby Smart is closing the gap. Kelly has LSU going the right direction, they will be near the top, year in and year out.

Day is still the best in the big ten, Harbaugh 2nd.

Hard to rate some because they are guys who've led "good" teams but not great teams. Franklin, Ferentz, Jimbo

I think you'll see a clear separation in the coming years of the guys who can coach a "program" meaning the old recruit freshman and build them up over the next 3-4 years and the transfer portal guys. We are seeing now that some programs can win with transfers immediately. The ability to build can be quicker than ever. Unfortunately for many of the lower programs, this is where they'll just get plucked year in and year out with their best running back/ receiver / linebacker for greener pastures. It's too bad but the rulemakers have decided that player movement is more important than building loyalty and trust.

 

[irish_buffalo]

TBH all of these coaches are talented. Outside of a few, if most of these coaches had top tier talent would be just as successful as Smart and Saban.

 

[KingKong24]

TBH all of these coaches are talented. Outside of a few, if most of these coaches had top tier talent would be just as successful as Smart and Saban.

That’s a bold statement. Look at the talent Ryan Day inherited. His teams have managed to regress from 1 season to the next every year. Can’t whiff on coordinators and fail to develop the talent you recruit.

 

[irish_buffalo]

That’s a bold statement. Look at the talent Ryan Day inherited. His teams have managed to regress from 1 season to the next every year. Can’t whiff on coordinators and fail to develop the talent you recruit.

"Outside of a few"

I can tell you Pat Fitzgerald and Kirk Ferentz are excellent head coaches who have both been pursued multiple times and have chosen to stay put out of loyalty and coach up a bunch of 2 star guys and make the B10 title game and bowl wins. If these guys had the budget and resources and pull of an OSU/Bama/Georgia I am very convinced they would be just as successful.

 

[SWGA Fan]

Mark Stoops is easily top half in the SEC. He is getting just about the max one could hope for out of UK. I would consider bumping him as high as 5th in the SEC.

Just so you know, the dummy Stoops' moonshiners were picked to finish third or fourth in the conference in 2022! I think that they won FIVE games. He had the 7A offensive player of the year from Colquitt County on his roster recently. And he had MAYBE fifty carries in FOUR SEASONS! He was as good as Colquitt RB Daijun Edwards, who has been in the starting RB rotation, for TWO seasons for UGA!

 

[SWGA Fan]

"Outside of a few"

I can tell you Pat Fitzgerald and Kirk Ferentz are excellent head coaches who have both been pursued multiple times and have chosen to stay put out of loyalty and coach up a bunch of 2 star guys and make the B10 title game and bowl wins. If these guys had the budget and resources and pull of an OSU/Bama/Georgia I am very convinced they would be just as successful.

Did those two-star guys ever play on Sunday? UGA has two, McConkey and Bennett, who could very well do that next season.

 

[SWGA Fan]

TBH all of these coaches are talented. Outside of a few, if most of these coaches had top tier talent would be just as successful as Smart and Saban.

SOOO, you think that they could convert three-star talent, into Sunday players, like Kirby has? There aren't THAT many four and five stars to go around. Especially since Kirby is competing against a dozen other high profiled programs, for the same 300 players. And then there is PRIME TIME, who thinks he's a real coach. And comes into Georgia with his flash and dash, to hijack a half dozen or so of those players, as well. In the past two seasons, Georgia has produced three of the top ten players at their position, in the COUNTRY. And NONE have gone to UGA! They went to Colorado and Alabama.

 

[SWGA Fan]

Big Ten:
Ryan Day, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Lincoln Riley, USC
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
James Franklin, Penn State
PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Bret Bielema, Illinois
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Mike Locksley, Maryland
Tom Allen, Indiana


SEC:
Nick Saban, Alabama
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Brian Kelly, LSU
Billy Napier, Florida
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Mike Leach, Mississippi State
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Hugh Freeze (presumed Auburn HC)


Overall
Nick Saban, Alabama
Kirby Smart, Georgia
Brian Kelly, LSU
Ryan Day, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Mike Locksley, Maryland
James Franklin, Penn State
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Lincoln Riley, USC
Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Bret Bielema, Illinois
Mike Leach, Mississippi State
PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Billy Napier, Florida
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Hugh Freeze (presumed Auburn HC)
Tom Allen, Indiana

Just a few comments, thanks for posting this, good exercise.
Saban #1, no question, but Kirby Smart is closing the gap. Kelly has LSU going the right direction, they will be near the top, year in and year out.

Day is still the best in the big ten, Harbaugh 2nd.

Hard to rate some because they are guys who've led "good" teams but not great teams. Franklin, Ferentz, Jimbo

I think you'll see a clear separation in the coming years of the guys who can coach a "program" meaning the old recruit freshman and build them up over the next 3-4 years and the transfer portal guys. We are seeing now that some programs can win with transfers immediately. The ability to build can be quicker than ever. Unfortunately for many of the lower programs, this is where they'll just get plucked year in and year out with their best running back/ receiver / linebacker for greener pastures. It's too bad but the rulemakers have decided that player movement is more important than building loyalty and trust.

Kelly will do well, because Louisiana is ALWAYS LOCKED DOWN for them Tigas!

 

[14Red]

Kelly will do well, because Louisiana is ALWAYS LOCKED DOWN for them Tigas!

Not a betting man, but I'd bet that LSU will be the newest Alabama / Georgia from the SEC. Dude wins everywhere he goes. LSU always has plenty of NFL talent, but until they had Joe Burrow, they didn't win it all. Kelly will get QB's down there.

 

[Orin Swift]

Did those two-star guys ever play on Sunday? UGA has two, McConkey and Bennett, who could very well do that next season.

McConkey is returning, so no he won’t be doing it next season. You’re 0/2 when talking about Ladd.

 

[Orin Swift]

Georgia has produced three of the top ten players at their position, in the COUNTRY. And NONE have gone to UGA! They went to Colorado and Alabama.

Players from GA ranked in the top 10 of their position who signed with UGA the last two years, per 24/7 Sports Composite:
CJ Allen, #5 LB
Lawson Luckie, #8 TE
Kelton Smith, #10 IOL
Mykel Williams, #2 DL #4 overall
Malaki Starks, #1 ATH would have been #2 safety
Oscar Delp, #2 TE
Gunnar Stockton, #7 QB

 

[irish_buffalo]

SOOO, you think that they could convert three-star talent, into Sunday players, like Kirby has? There aren't THAT many four and five stars to go around. Especially since Kirby is competing against a dozen other high profiled programs, for the same 300 players. And then there is PRIME TIME, who thinks he's a real coach. And comes into Georgia with his flash and dash, to hijack a half dozen or so of those players, as well. In the past two seasons, Georgia has produced three of the top ten players at their position, in the COUNTRY. And NONE have gone to UGA! They went to Colorado and Alabama.

Routinely, in most cases, the top teams in the country coincide with level and depth of talent.

Over the past 6 years or so Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson have had the top talent. Going by Phil Steele all four usually have 25-34 top 25 PS ranked kids on their two deep. In most years, teams like LSU, Oklahoma, and a handful of other SEC teams get close as well.

For instance. Last year Georgia led the country with 34. This year they dropped to 30 and OSU jumped up around 32. To put things in perspective Michigan somewhere around 14. Iowa and Northwestern are lucky to have 1 kid ranked that high in their two-deep most seasons.

 

[eastisbest]

Routinely, in most cases, the top teams in the country coincide with level and depth of talent.

Over the past 6 years or so Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson have had the top talent. Going by Phil Steele all four usually have 25-34 top 25 PS ranked kids on their two deep. In most years, teams like LSU, Oklahoma, and a handful of other SEC teams get close as well.

For instance. Last year Georgia led the country with 34. This year they dropped to 30 and OSU jumped up around 32. To put things in perspective Michigan somewhere around 14. Iowa and Northwestern are lucky to have 1 kid ranked that high in their two-deep most seasons.

I think some handle that level talent, their egos, agents, parents, .... better. Maybe through experience. Probably also through triage. I think there's something the Sabans and do differently as far as building team personality that allowed them to rise through the ranks. What it is? IDK. I wouldn't put ALL top program head coaches into that category. HC's like Day? I think benefit from where they got the job. Harbough? On the job learning.

Saban I feel could go anywhere and raise a program, legit. Unlike Urban, he seems to have adjusted to times and finds ways to get players to want to bend to his way of doing, without forcing them. Others like Liepold at the least, know where to go to fit the players they can get and their personality to his needs. Same Snyder.

 

[irish_buffalo]

I think some handle that level talent, their egos, agents, parents, .... better. Maybe through experience. Probably also through triage. I think there's something the Sabans and do differently as far as building team personality that allowed them to rise through the ranks. What it is? IDK. I wouldn't put ALL top program head coaches into that category. HC's like Day? I think benefit from where they got the job. Harbough? On the job learning.

Saban I feel could go anywhere and raise a program, legit. Unlike Urban, he seems to have adjusted to times and finds ways to get players to want to bend to his way of doing, without forcing them. Others like Liepold at the least, know where to go to fit the players they can get and their personality to his needs. Same Snyder.

There is some truth to this. You still have to be a good coach, builder, and motivator. But at the end of the day the last 10 national champions have been top three in terms of talent. Kirk Ferentz and Pat Fitzgerald are phenomenal coaches but they will never win a National Title with the talent they are able to draw.

 

[adselder09]

Not a betting man, but I'd bet that LSU will be the newest Alabama / Georgia from the SEC. Dude wins everywhere he goes. LSU always has plenty of NFL talent, but until they had Joe Burrow, they didn't win it all. Kelly will get QB's down there.

Well each of their previous three coaches have found ways to win National Championships, so you're really going out on a limb there.

2003 - Nick Saban w/ QB Matt Mauck
2007 - Les Miles w/ QB Matt Flynn
2019 - Ed Oregon w/ QB Joe Burrow

 

[14Red]

Well each of their previous three coaches have found ways to win National Championships, so you're really going out on a limb there.

2003 - Nick Saban w/ QB Matt Mauck
2007 - Les Miles w/ QB Matt Flynn
2019 - Ed Oregon w/ QB Joe Burrow

Do you think the LSU faithful can wait many years? Then again, back up 5 years and the Georgia Bulldog faithful probably thought they'd never win one.

 

[cjb5656]

Do you think the LSU faithful can wait many years? Then again, back up 5 years and the Georgia Bulldog faithful probably thought they'd never win one.

The biggest dynamic that will change the SEC is when Saban retires. It will be like when Bear Bryant retired. Sure, Bama had some highs between Bryant and Saban, but the rest of the SEC flexed their muscles when the python’s grip was loosened.

Freeze and Kiffin don’t play by many rules, so as long as neither becomes the next Bama coach look for them to have a say in the SEC title chase most years while Bama slides back a bit.