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SEC Football: Power Ranking the SEC East’s New Coaches

By John Richardson

Dec 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; The SEC trophy on display before the SEC coaches press conference with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; The SEC trophy on display before the SEC coaches press conference with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets fans during the Dawg Walk before the spring game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets fans during the Dawg Walk before the spring game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

#2.  Kirby Smart

With all this talk of SEC football legends, it must be noted that Smart has already created a legacy of his own.  He has helped craft some of the most dominant defenses in SEC football history on the way to aiding Alabama win three more national championships.  He’s on the level of a John “Chief” Chavis of Texas A&M in terms of coordinator respect and legacy.  He may have even surpassed him.

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Smart also has spent the last 11 years learning under Nick Saban.  While Gary Pinkel is a great coach and a legend, there’s no debating that Saban has a greater legacy.  Whether or not that proves to be an aid in succeeding as a head coach remains to be seen, but I do think it helps Smart.

He is joining a program with a proud football tradition in a talent-rich area.  Those facts alone already set him up more for success than the other two guys on the list.  But there is one thing that Smart has down that should aid him in becoming a great coach:  recruiting.

No, you can’t be a great recruiter and a terrible coach and still expect to have success in SEC football.  But recruiting elite talent is half of coaching at the collegiate level, regardless of sport.  Smart has helped Alabama lure #1 recruiting class after #1 recruiting class.  And he’s learned.

Smart was able to maintain most of the players that committed under Richt’s tenure and even “stole” a few that he was recruiting during his time at Alabama.  He landed a top 10 class according to 247sports.com, even though he stayed with Alabama through their national championship run.

Georgia will play great defense and have elite talent while Smart is in town.  That isn’t always enough in the world of SEC football, though, as the man that leads this list can pay witness to.

Next: Giving it another Shot

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