On the Hot Seat

Going into the season there is always a lot of hope. Sometimes a coach can enter a season on the hot seat and end the season very safe. And the opposite can happen as well. As of right now, here is how I think each coach sits with regards to job security:

EAST:

Will Muschamp (Florida) - He just took the job so he's definitely safe through the season and into the next.

Mark Richt (Georgia) - Things started out so great for him at UGA, he was 52-13 after his first 5 years...being in contention for a national title or winning an SEC title every year. In '06 they struggled but the season was saved with a flurry of wins at the end, and '07 they overachieved winning the Sugar Bowl and having an 11-2 record. But ever since they were preseason #1 in 2008, things have gone downhill. 10-3 that year wasn't what fans expected and a horrible defense and 8-5 record in '09 had fans really upset. 2010 was his worst year, starting 1-4, ending 6-7 with a loss to Central Florida...Richt's seat is starting to warm up. I don't think he'll get fired if Georgia has a winning season, if they go 6-6 I'll say it's 50/50 and if they have a losing record I think he is gone.

Joker Phillips (Kentucky) - Phillips is only in his second year but he was the coach in waiting at UK and offensive coordinator for the previous six years. While Kentucky has been to 5 straight bowl games, the best stretch ever for their football program, they have slowly regressed record-wise during that 5 year run. Joker Phillips is safe, but if he doesn't do better that another 6-6 year he'll be feeling a little warmer going into next year.

Steve Spurrier (South Carolina) - Spurrier's tenure at USC almost feels like a favor than anything. There is no way he is or will ever be on the hot seat in Columbia.

Derek Dooley (Tennessee) - Derek Dooley was not Tennessee's first choice, but he is the best they could get for the situation Lane Kiffen left them in. Going into his second year, with a new A.D., he's probably going to be judged more like Joker Phillips...like it's his 3rd year instead of his 2nd. So another 6-6 season and his seat will start warming up.

James Franklin (Vanderbilt) - Another first year coach, and he is the safest coach in the SEC East because of it. As a 39-year-old up and coming coach he'll get at least five years at Vandy to make a name for himself.


WEST:

Nick Saban (Alabama) - Extremely safe. Bama fans are ecstatic about having Saban as their coach and can only dream that he'll be there for another 10 years.

Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) - I've kind of viewed Petrino and Arkansas' relationship as a cautious business one over the past three years. The Hog's fans don't want to get attached to him because he might bolt at any time, but he's a really good coach so they'll pay him well and hope he stays. So the Arkansas athletic department might have it's eye on a few coaches, but that's only so they aren't blind-sided when Petrino takes off in the middle of the night for a different job.

Gene Chizik (Auburn) - Even though he just won a National Championship, I would say Chizik is the 3rd most safe coach in the SEC West behind Saban and Mullen. Auburn is smart to pay their assistants top dollar, because they don't want to fall victim to other school gutting their coaching staff like what happened to Florida. The only thing that NC did for Chizik is give him 5 years to win 45 games. If he does that he keeps going, if not...he's asked to resign.

Les Miles (LSU) - Last year Miles was definitely on the hot seat, but some big wins later and he's off it for now. This is supposed to be a big year at LSU so going 7-5 might get him canned. 9-3 and his seat will be on fire going into next year. 11-1 and he's just fine.

Dan Mullen (Mississippi State) - Mullen is a close 2nd to Saban as far as being safe as an SEC head coach. MSU fans love him right now, and even if State falls off this year and has a disappointing season his seat won't warm up...it will probably take two years of losing for that to happen. Another 9-win season and he'll earn himself at least another 5 years as Bulldog HC.

Houston Nutt (Ole Miss) - Nutt got his final 'promised' contract extension after last season, and we'll see what happens after 2011. I don't think there's anything he can do aside from violate his contract to get fired this year because Ole Miss would have to fork over too much money, but the fans will definitely warm up his seat if he has another losing season.


JB