SEC East: Power Ranking the SEC East Head Coaches

The SEC East is home to quite a collection of coaches. The seven combine for less than a decade of experience at their respective schools, but only one can top the power rankings.

Entering 2015, the SEC East had a plethora of experience when it came to head coaches. Mark Richt, Gary Pinkel and Steve Spurrier were all legends at their schools. All 3 failed to win a national championship at their school; all 3 are now gone.

The seven SEC East head coaches have 9 years of experience at their schools. Combined.

Jim McElwain has been at Florida for one season and an SEC East title to his credit. Derek Mason has been in Nashville for 2 seasons and has a solid defense but not much else. Butch Jones (3 years) recruits well and beats who he is supposed to at Tennessee. The jury is still out on Mark Stoops after 3 seasons. Georgia, Mizzou, and South Carolina all welcome new coaches.

This power ranking should be quite interesting.

7. Derek Mason- I’ll be the first to admit that Mason is building a program at Vanderbilt that seems sustainable. He is aiming to build Vanderbilt into a program that competes for bowl eligibility year in and year out. While the current trajectory of the program does not include an SEC East title, regular bowl appearances would be an uncommon and welcome occurrence in Nashville.

6. Mark Stoops- Yet another year of almost for Big Blue Nation. After winning their first five in 2014, Kentucky won 4 of their first 5 in 2015. In both years, Kentucky was unable to secure a bowl bid. With as down as the SEC East has been and the level of recruiting Stoops has been able to perform at Kentucky, it is disturbing that he has still yet to make a bowl game.

More from SEC News

5. Barry Odom- There is no way Odom is even this high if he were coaching in the SEC West. The caliber of coaches is just yet another example of the disparity between the SEC West and SEC East. But if you told me I could have Mason, Stoops or Odom, I’d gamble on Odom. Both Stoops and Mason should be on the hot seat entering 2016. Odom could be the next Pinkel after serving on his staff for so long.

4. Kirby Smart- Even more so than Odom, Smart gets a nudge here because of his experience and who that experience came under. Smart has already begun attracting both an impressive staff and recruiting class to Athens. That in itself is enough to jump him past the failures of Mason and Stoops. He lands in front of Odom due to coaching under Saban for so long and understanding the pressures that come along with a head coaching job in the SEC.

3. Will Muschamp- Seriously. Will Muschamp ranks third in the SEC East Power Rankings. I’m as shocked as anyone that he was able to land an SEC job only a season after being ousted by the Gators. But let’s be honest. We know Muschamp can recruit like crazy and field an impressive defense. Can we say the same about 7-4 on this list?

Ole Miss vs. Alabama Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4

Betsided

Arkansas vs. LSU Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4Betsided

UTSA vs. Tennessee Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4Betsided

Alabama Football: Power Ranking the SEC after week threeBama Hammer

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 3Wildcat Blue Nation

LSU Football: Welcome to Arkansas Razorbacks hate weekDeath Valley Voice

2. Butch Jones- This will be another offseason of hype for Tennessee, similar to what we saw in 2015. Jones has proven he can recruit and beat most of the teams he is “supposed” to. After appearing like he may land on the hot seat, Tennessee went on a winning streak against inferior competition to close out 2015 and get the hype train rolling once again. He’ll need to deliver more than 8 wins in 2016, though, to keep himself from the hot seat

1. Jim McElwain- I know this post has been filled with shots at the SEC East coaches in comparison to the SEC West coaches. But seriously. I went from deciding between two national champion coaches who had multiple SEC titles to their name to naming a one year head coach who was throttled in the SEC Championship as the top coach in the SEC East. What is the craziest part? He is the only current coach in the SEC East who can claim a division title. Let that sink in.

Next: Alabama Football: Pruitt to Alabama Just Makes Sense

More from Southbound and Down