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Ranking Every SEC Football Head Coach From Worst to First

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Ranking Every SEC Football Head Coach From Worst to First

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It’s hard to argue any conference but the SEC is the best in country. Seriously, try arguing it with an SEC fan. Naturally, with many of the best football programs in the country, the SEC features a collection of the top coaches that college football has to offer. Here is my ranking of every SEC football head coach from worst to first.

14. Derek Mason - Vanderbilt University

Derek Mason Vanderbilt
USA TODAY Sports - Christopher Hanewinckel

14. Derek Mason - Vanderbilt University

derek mason vanderbilt
USA TODAY Sports - Christopher Hanewinckel

The Vanderbilt head coach struggled as expected in his first year with the Commodores, going 0-8 in conference play. Mason was a hot name in the coaching world last year after coordinating one of the top defenses in the country at Stanford and it’s too early to think he won’t be able to turn it around at Vandy.

13. Mark Stoops - University of Kentucky

mark stoops kentucky
USA TODAY Sports – Kim Klement

13. Mark Stoops - University of Kentucky

mark stoops kentucky
USA TODAY Sports – Kim Klement

Stoops inherited a Kentucky program that had just four SEC wins in the three years prior to him taking the reins in 2013. While he has recruited well in his first two years with the Wildcats, Stoops has only two SEC wins, so things have not gotten much better in Lexington. The impressive recruiting classes are so far Stoops' only positive impact and the results on the field had better improve in a hurry.

12. Jim McElwain - University of Florida

jim mcelwain
USA TODAY Sports – Ron Chenoy

12. Jim McElwain - University of Florida

jim mcelwain
USA TODAY Sports – Ron Chenoy

In case you haven’t heard, Jim McElwain has just been named the new head coach for the Florida Gators. McElwain comes over from Colorado State where he posted a 10-2 record in 2014 and was named the Mountain West Conference’s Coach of the Year. The SEC is a whole different ballgame than the Mountain West, so McElwain will need to prove himself in Gainesville before moving any higher up this list.

11. Butch Jones - University of Tennessee

Butch Jones Tennessee
USA TODAY Sports – Jim Brown

11. Butch Jones - University of Tennessee

butch jones tennessee
USA TODAY Sports – Jim Brown

Mediocrity is the word for what’s been going on in Knoxville, Tennessee for the better part of the last ten years. Jones previously was the head coach at Central Michigan and Cincinnati before being hired by Tennessee. The Volunteers coach has an 11-13 record in his first two years and might be volunteering for new head coaching jobs himself in a couple years should the mediocrity continue.

10. Bret Bielema - University of Arkansas

Bret Bielema Arkansas
USA TODAY Sports – Jasen Vinlove

10. Bret Bielema - University of Arkansas

Bret Bielema Arkansas
USA TODAY Sports – Jasen Vinlove

Heading into November, Bielema would have been placed even lower on this list. The Razorbacks coach lost his first 13 SEC games after being extremely successful as the head coach at Wisconsin. Arkansas won two of their last three games in 2014 with both wins coming by shutout over ranked LSU and Ole Miss teams.

9. Dan Mullen - Mississippi State

Dan Mullen Mississippi State
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9. Dan Mullen - Mississippi State

Dan Mullen Mississippi State
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Winning at Mississippi State is no easy task, as evidenced by Mullen’s 36-28 record with the Bulldogs heading into 2014. This year however saw a different team in Starkville than what fans have been used to. Mullen led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 record and just one five-point loss to Alabama on the road away from winning the SEC-West.

8. Hugh Freeze - Ole Miss

Hugh Freeze Ole Miss
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8. Hugh Freeze - Ole Miss

Hugh Freeze Ole Miss
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2014 was a good year for Hugh Freeze and his Ole Miss Rebels football team. They started the year 7-0 including a win over the eventual No. 1 team in the country, Alabama. The Rebels were ranked in the top five for a good part of the season and have seen improvement all three years since Freeze took over in 2012.

7. Kevin Sumlin - Texas A&M

Kevin Sumlin Texas A&M
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7. Kevin Sumlin - Texas A&M

Kevin Sumlin Texas A&M
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Next season is going to be a big one for Sumlin and Texas A&M. After going 11-2 and finishing the year ranked as the No. 5 team in the country in 2012, the Aggies have followed it up with nine- and seven-win seasons. Sumlin was successful at Houston and there’s little reason to believe he won’t get the Aggies back in the national title picture again as early as next year.

6. Gary Pinkel - University of Missouri

Gary Pinkel Missouri
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6. Gary Pinkel - University of Missouri

Gary Pinkel Missouri
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What Pinkel has done since he and Missouri joined the SEC in 2012 has been nothing short of brilliant. Although it’s not as tough as the Western Division, the Tigers have won two consecutive SEC East championships by going a combined 14-2 in conference play. To top off his resume, Pinkel has the most all-time wins in both Toledo and Missouri coaching history.

5. Mark Richt - University of Georgia

Mark Richt Georgia
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5. Mark Richt - University of Georgia

Mark Richt Georgia
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The only thing missing on Richt’s resume is a national championship. His Georgia program has been a model of consistency in college football since his hire in 2001, but the team has failed to win many big games when they needed to. In the 14 years Richt has been at the helm, Georgia has claimed at least a share of the East Division title six times and finished in the AP top-five three times.

4. Les Miles - LSU

Les Miles LSU
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4. Les Miles - LSU

Les Miles LSU
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Miles is undoubtedly one of my favorite coaches in the country. He’s always good for a memorable quote or two with the media and his aggressive gambling style of coaching has earned him his “Mad Hatter” nickname. LSU has gone 103-28 in the ten years under Miles including a national championship victory in 2007.

3. Gus Malzahn - Auburn Univeristy

Gus Malzahn Auburn
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3. Gus Malzahn - Auburn Univeristy

Gus Malzahn Auburn
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In a sport filled with brilliant and creative offensive minds, Malzahn has risen to the top. The Auburn coach led one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history last year, concluding with an appearance in the BCS Championship game. Even with only a couple years experience as head coach of a major college football team, Malzahn is already one of the top coaches in the country and should pass the next man on this list very soon.

2. Steve Spurrier - University of South Carolina

Steve Spurrier South Carolina
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2. Steve Spurrier - University of South Carolina

Steve Spurrier South Carolina
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Can you believe the “Ol’ Ball Coach” is about to turn 70? It’s hard to believe because he’s showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. Spurrier is 225-85-2 in his college coaching career and has helped turn a South Carolina program into a team mentioned annually in the national title picture. The Gamecocks went 42-11 from 2010-2013 and finished No. 4 in the final AP poll in 2013.

1. Nick Saban - University of Alabama

Nick Saban Alabama
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1. Nick Saban - University of Alabama

Nick Saban Alabama
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Could it be anyone else? In his over seven seasons in Tuscaloosa, Saban has won three national titles and the Crimson Tide look to be on their way to their fourth. Alabama is 90-16 in the Saban era and in the midst of one of the great dynasties in college football history. The talk of who's the best coach in college football begins and ends with Nick Saban.

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