Storyline: Iconic figures? In the SEC it’s Nick Saban and…. Where have all the coaches gone?
SEC football has seen its fair share of coaches come and go in the past 12 months. And it’s not like the SEC has lost guys that don’t have very much association to the conference. They’re guys who had strong ties to the conference–the heart and soul of the SEC.
Since last October Steve Spurrier, Gary Pinkel, Mark Richt and, most recently, Les Mile, have all taken a step back from the sideline and hung up the ol’ headset (or in Spurrier’s case, the visor). Some of them went willingly, others were fired, and some departures were “mutual” (yeah right!).
So let’s take a step back and examine what led to these guys’ dismissal and also whether the departures did any good for their respective programs.
Courtesy: nationofblue.com
Steve Spurrier: I’ll never forget where I was when I heard the news. I saw the update on my phone and simply couldn’t believe it: Steve Spurrier had basically just fired himself … six games into the season. But I think Spurrier was smart enough to know what was coming in the near future. Spurrier was coming off of a subpar 7-6 season in 2014, the Gamecocks were 2-4 and winless in SEC play to start the 2015 season. Two of those losses were at HOME to Kentucky (perhaps the biggest “no-no” in coaching SEC football) and a rebuilding Mizzou team.
Spurrier’s Gamecocks definitely did not play well in the last two seasons of his coaching career. But the “Ole Ball Coach” had tremendous success in the seasons before. He won an impressive six SEC championships and one national title in his time at his alma mater, Florida. He then went on to take the helm at South Carolina after his failed attempt coaching the NFL’s Redskins.
Spurrier made the Gamecocks into a valid threat in the SEC East. The team captured its first divisional title in school history in 2010.
It’s a shame Spurrier’s tenure in Columbia ended the way it did, but he is still–and will always be–one of the most iconic figures in SEC history.
Courtesy: 1meee.com
Mark Richt: The longtime Georgia coach’s job was terminated last November after a WIN against Georgia Tech. What was his record on the year? 9-3. Wow, 9-3. That’s pretty good.
But Georgia fans want championships, not 9-win seasons. Richt had won SEC championships before–in 2002 and 2005—but he never won another crown. Georgia’s last appearance in the SEC championship game was 2012. So they booted Richt and brought in Kirby Smart. Richt was hired by Miami soon after being fired.
So how has Richt fared so far in 2016? The Hurricanes are currently 4-0 and ranked #10. Smart’s Bulldogs are currently 3-2, unranked, and 1-2 in SEC play. The irony is uncanny, but I doubt a Georgia fan sees the humor.
Courtesy: garypinkel.com
Gary Pinkel: Gary Pinkel’s departure was one that didn’t grab a ton of national attention. The former Missouri Tigers’ coach retired last November after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgins lymphoma.
But Pinkel will go down as one of the most prolific coaches in Mizzou history. His coaching allowed the Tigers to compete with powerhouses, like Oklahoma and Texas. And after 2012 (when the Tigers moved to the SEC) Mizzou competed well with Georgia and South Carolina.
Under Pinkel Missouri went to ten bowl games and climbed all the way to the #1 ranking in 2007.
Pinkel may not be a Steve Spurrier or Mark Richt in national stature, but he left an imprint at Mizzou. He’ll always be remembered.
Courtesy: outkickthecoverage.com
Les Miles: I’m not sure there was possibly any way for Les Miles’ tenure at LSU to end any worse. Tiger quarterback Danny Etling had found D.J. Chark in the end zone on the last play of the game against Auburn. It appeared that LSU had just stunned an upstart Auburn team on the last play of the game. But official review showed that the Tigers failed to snap the ball before the clock hit zero. So the refs took the points off of the scoreboard. Partisan fans went crazy at Jordan-Hare and Les Miles was fired shortly after. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was also let go because of the Tigers’ poor offensive performance.
A week later LSU throttled Missouri, 42-7, in Ed Orgeron’s first game as interim head coach. Apparently the Tigers decided to replace eccentric with… even more eccentric. Not many coaches challenge their own players to a fight.
But let’s face it: Les Miles finished as the 2nd all-time-winning coach in LSU history with a 114-34 record. He won one national title and two SEC championships. If that’s not impressive enough, he made a claim that will always be remembered: “The grass at Tiger Stadium tastes best.”
Like I said, just a tad bit eccentric….
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Courtesy: outkickthecoverage.com
Even though these guys have had their fair share of failures, every single one of them left an everlasting impact on the conference. Whether it be their cocky attitudes (i.e. “You can’t spell ‘Citrus’ without ‘UT’- Spurrier), their odd mannerisms (like Les Miles eating stadium grass), or the class they displayed while coaching (Richt and Pinkel), each of the four was an icon.
Now these guys are gone. Only Nick Saban is left with that stature.
Who will be the next man up?
