What has been the tenure of SEC Football coaches during the expansion era?

[jbcarol]

Will Muschamp be a sought-after defensive coordinator http://es.pn/11gGt2K

South Carolina?

A look back and looking forward he landed the South Carolina job a year later; the head coaching job.

Chris Low: If Muschamp wants to stay in the SEC, he'll almost certainly have that chance. More than a few schools in this conference have had trouble stopping anybody on defense this season, and Muschamp's defensive acumen speaks for itself.

As a head coach, he just wasn't a fit this time around at Florida. He was never able to get it right offensively, he had one too many recruiting misses and he made a few hires on his staff that came back to get him.

But as a football coach -- and a man -- Muschamp is the kind of guy anybody would want on his staff.

[jbcarol]

South Carolina

Sparky Woods had been 25-9-1 in Southern Conference games coaching App State when he took the head coaching job for then independent South Carolina beginning with the 1989 season. Woods coaches five seasons in Columbia and was 5-11 in South Carolina's first two SEC seasons when he was let go. He was an assistant for Sherrill and Shula in the SEC before taking over at VMI ('08-14) as head coach. Last an assistant at Richmond.

Brad Scott was the OC for Bobby Bowden when he took over the SC job beginning with the 1994 season. SC was 4-4 in the SEC in '96 but lost their last ten games in 1998 finishing 1-10. Brad Scott was 12-27-1 in SEC games at SC. Scott had been a long-time assistant at Clemson moving into athletic administration in 2011.

Lou Holtz had retired and left a lifetime contract at Notre Dame and Knute Rocke's all-time win record intact. After two years in broadcasting, Holtz became South Carolina's coach beginning in 1999. Holtz earned National Coach of the Year awards in 2000. He led SC to back-to-back Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State.

Lou Holtz retired from South Carolina following the 2004 season. His SEC record was 19-29 including a winless first season. There was a big fight in his last game with Clemson and SC chose to forego a bowl game due to the fracas. Holtz noted that he and former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes both ended their careers after "getting into a fight at the Clemson game". It was not known whether Holtz landed a punch. SC lost some scholarships due to five major infractions and a lack of institutional control.

In Steve Spurrier's last three games with the Redskins his team had been outscored 85-31. Following a pattern of once hugely successful college coaches who were disgruntled in the NFL, the Head Ball Coach took the SC job starting with the 2005 season. He reportedly picked the Gamecocks over the Gators who had fired Ron Zook.

Spurrier has been 29-27 in SEC regular season games and got to face Auburn in the 2010 SEC championship game. South Carolina ran the table in the SEC-East in 2011 but finished second to UGa who did not draw Bama, LSU, nor Arkansas on their schedule. SC whooped Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl played Jan. 2, 2012.

In 2013 season, Spurrier's SC attained a third straight 11-2 record. Only Bama and Oregon had won 11 or more games in the 2011–13 period. Gamecocks defeated three teams that finished final AP Top 10 (Mizzou, UCF, and, of course, Clemson). The Gamecocks were the only team to do this. They also became the first team to defeat two teams that won BCS bowl games. Following their 34-24 win over Wisconsin in the Cap One Bowl, the Gamecocks were ranked 4th in the final AP Poll setting a record for the program.

Spurrier resigned as Head Ball Coach on October 12, 2015. His SEC regular season record at South Carolina was 44-40. He won his last four bowl games including two Cap One Bowls, an Outback Bowl and the Independence Bowl in 2014.

Will Muschamp, 44, had spent one season as defensive coordinator at Auburn following a four season stint as Florida's head coach where he compiled a 17-14 SEC regular season record. Gamecocks signed him to a five-year deal at $3 million per year. Muschamp is the 34th head football coach in South Carolina football history.

[jbcarol]

Steve Spurrier, like Mark Richt before him, admitted that he brought up the possibility of playing tight end to Cam Newton after one of South Carolina's football camps attended by Newton

"And I was smart enough to say, 'If you can't make it at quarterback, you could be a heck of a tight end,'" Spurrier told GridironNow.com's Buddy Martin.

Spurrier obviously doesn't have any doubts any more about Newton's ability at quarterback.

[jbcarol]

 Coach Gary Pinkel ‏@GaryPinkel 11h11 hours ago

Had a great time at @MoSportsHall tonight! Thanks to all who came out! GP #MIZ



Thanks @Coach_Odom for coming to the @MoSportsHall Enshrinement this evening! GP #MIZ



Austin Kim ‏@AustinKKim 8h8 hours ago

#Mizzou legend Gary Pinkel honored by Missouri Sports Hall of Fame with induction. http://www.abc17news.com/pinkel-inducted-into-missouri-sports-hall-of-fame/37745332 ...

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops 3h3 hours ago

Steve Spurrier ready for life's next chapter - via @Gator_sports http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20160202/ARTICLES/160209925/1136/FRONTPAGE?p=1&tc=pg ...

When Steve Spurrier announced he was stepping down as South Carolina's football coach last October, he made it clear his decision was a resignation and not a retirement.

"I don't miss it, I don't miss it at all," Spurrier said when asked about not being a part of today's National Signing Day. "I've had my day in the sun. It's time for me to move on to the next chapter in life."

When asked if that meant he was retired, Spurrier replied, "Yeah, yeah. I'm done. I'm not going to coach anywhere again. I'm not going to be a head coach in college, that's for dang sure."

He expounded by adding, "I'm certainly not going recruiting and working the way these guys work now. It's a year-round process moreso now, and I don't have it in me."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/694971940772188165

[jbcarol]

Les Miles explains what introduced him to eating grass (video available via link)

"You would figure that a guy that spent as much time on actual natural turf would understand a quality blade of grass and how it changes the taste in one's mouth," Miles said to Quinn referencing his time on that long, lush Notre Dame grass.

"Maybe so coach," laughed Quinn. "I'll leave that one to you. I haven't tasted any so I wouldn't know."

"You must have never played right field," said Miles. "That was the dubious distinction I had. Nobody hit the ball out there, and you needed something to do."

[jbcarol]

Mizzou

Gary Pinkel won almost 66% of his total games and 69% of his conference games in 10 seasons at Toledo.  After going 10-1 in 2000 he was hired at Mizzou to replace Larry Smith who had finished 3-8 with a 2-6 Big 12 record.

Pinkel led Mizzou's 2007 team to his first winning Big 12 conference record. 7-1 was good enough to tie for first in the Big 12 North.  In his first SEC season, Mizzou was 2-6.  They came back to win the SEC-E in '13 and '14 losing to the SEC-W champ in Atlanta each season.  Mizzou was 1-5 in the SEC with losses to Vandy and Kentucky when Pinkel announced his retirement at the end of the 2015 season citing health concerns. Earlier in the week his team had announced they would no longer practice nor play in support of a campus boycott.  Pinkel publicly stood behind his team. After the resignations of Tim Wolfe and R. Bowen Loftin, the team returned to practice and defeated BYU in Kansas City.  Pinkel's four SEC seasons were 2-6, 7-1, 7-1, and 1-7 to finish 17-15.

Defensive Coordinator Barry Odom, 39 was promoted to head coach with a five year contract. After starring at linebacker for Mizzou in the late-90s, Odom coached in high school at Ada and Rock Bridge. Odom was on the Mizzou staff from 2003 to 2011 including a stint as recruiting coordinator. He was defensive coordinator for Justin Fuentes from 2012 - 2014 before returning to Mizzou.

[jbcarol]

SEC Network ‏@SECNetwork 14h14 hours ago

The HBC on his departure from Gamecock Football. http://bit.ly/1moc1OP 



Paul Finebaum ‏@finebaum 10h10 hours ago

ICYMI - Steve Spurrier told me he should have retired after the Independence Bowl win vs. Miami in 2014

[jbcarol]

David Cutcliffe Verified account
‏@DavidCutcliffe

Real Swag is NO Swag!! The great talk less and DO more!!! Be humble in speech and great in action!!


Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 3h3 hours ago

Chris Low Retweeted David Cutcliffe

Coming from a guy who coached a certain two-time Super Bowl champ who just added another ring.

[jbcarol]

 Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 19m19 minutes ago

Alabama coach Nick Saban deserves to be college football's first member of the $10 Million Club http://sec.news/1RQW4Od

According to the Morris News Service, Florida State's Bobby Bowden, Notre Dame's Lou Holtz and Florida's Steve Spurrier each earned base salaries of $975,000 in 1996; and there's a presumption that Spurrier, factoring in the Gators' 1996 national championship, became the first to join the Million-Dollar Club (thanks to a bonus clause).

...Who will be the college football's first head coach to command a salary north of $10 million?

The easy first guess entails Alabama's Nick Saban, who has claimed five national titles since 2003 (one with LSU, four with the Crimson Tide); and if memory serves, Saban has a clause in his 'Bama contract (similar to the LSU days), mandating him to be the highest-paid coach by at least one dollar.

It's actually surprising Saban (100-18 record at Alabama, four SEC titles) hasn't already joined the Ten-Mil Club. Remember when some deep-pocketed boosters at Texas — just a few months into head coach Charlie Strong's topsy-turvy tenure — made waves in college football circles, speculating they'd gladly double Saban's salary (approximately $6 million at the time) to lure the results-oriented coach to Austin?

Yes, Saban (via superagent Jimmy Sexton) used that one-way dalliance with UT, along with national title in 2012, as a means of securing another pay raise from Alabama (fall/winter 2013). However, if you read the Forbes piece from writer Monte Burke — who also penned a Saban unauthorized biography in 2015 — school officials willingly acknowledged how Saban, as college football's highest-paid coach, was still earning below-market wages...

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC  9h9 hours ago
Retired Spurrier doesn't sugarcoat abrupt exit from South Carolina: 'It was time for me to go' http://sec.news/1SXHGoK

When the Gamecocks fans last saw Spurrier roaming the sidelines in early October, South Carolina was getting drubbed "at home" against LSU (45-24) — a game that had to be relocated from Columbia, S.C. to Baton Rouge, La., due to massive flooding along the East Coast.

And when Spurrier last saw his team (after the LSU defeat), he believed that bowing out early would put interim coach Shawn Elliott in a better position to succeed, infusing energy into a program, a game, a job, a livelihood that demands nothing but total effort and commitment from the top.

"It was time for me to go," says Spurrier, matter-of-factly, when discussing his mid-October exit from the program.

The wins just didn't come," says Spurrier, taking blame for Elliott's brief tenure. After the season, South Carolina eventually tapped Will Muschamp (formerly the head coach at Florida, defensive coordinator at Auburn) as the new leader for 2016.

Within days/weeks of leaving the Gamecocks program, Spurrier joined the ESPN College Gameday crew for stops at the University of Michigan and University of Nebraska —

Counting his time at Duke (1987-89) and Florida (1990-2001), Spurrier collected seven conference titles (one ACC, six SEC) and one national championship (1996 with the Gators). But it's fair to wonder: Would that great success have occurred, if Spurrier hadn't earned his first head-coaching opportunity with the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits (above)?

"I think every (coach aspires) to be a head coach someday. ... (In the early 1980s), I wanted to be the head coach at a small college, make $150,000 and say, 'I can live on that, I'd be OK," recalls Spurrier, who spent only five years as an assistant before overseeing the Bandits. "I've gotten some unbelievably good breaks ... I've had a wonderful career. Very thankful and very blessed."

Which brings us back to the famous Arby's photo from last summer: While donning a pair of cool shades, Spurrier (228 college coaching victories) bore the look of a man who knew his days as a head coach were blissfully coming to an end.

Fast forward to the present: The coaching icon/media marvel — who once coined memorable zingers like "Free Shoes University" (when playfully condemning Florida State) or "You can't spell Citrus without U-T" (when lampooning Tennessee's annual bowl destination) — now bears the look of a man who's tan, rested and excited about ...

[jbcarol]

Wes Rucker ‏@wesrucker247 22h22 hours ago

We seriously need to sit down and talk about Butch Jones' blood pressure, IMO...



Butch Jones: Vols football players unfairly 'stereotyped' amid allegations: http://bit.ly/1SR6caI 

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 1m1 minute ago

ESPN: Alabama coaching job the most desirable in Power 5 http://sec.news/1TdYCrf

Interestingly, two schools from Alabama bookend the list.

Alabama, unsurprisingly, earned the No. 1 spot because of its recruiting success, extravagant facilities and the strong foundation built by coach Nick Saban. The one significant challenge in succeeding Saban would be the immense pressure to win...

Auburn came in 15th, in large part because of school politics and "competing voices" from big-money donors...

Georgia came in the middle due to a mix of strong recruiting potential and frustrating pushback from the administration during Mark Richt's tenure.

Individual ESPN reporters cited issues with administrative leadership at LSU and A&M.

[jbcarol]

Josh Kendall ‏@JoshatTheState Feb 27

Vernon Hargreaves on Will Muschamp: "That's my guy right there. Nothing bad to say about him at all. All he ever did was look out for us."

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman@BrentZwerneman

Kevin Sumlin's father William has passed away & Kevin is back in Indianapolis w/ his family. Mr. Sumlin was always very kind & helpful to me

[jbcarol]

ATHENS – Vince Dooley hired Mark Richt all those years ago, and whether or not he agrees with Richt's removal – he won't go there –

"I thought to myself that if I had been put in that same situation, what would I have done," said Dooley, who was Georgia's athletics director until 2005. "I really believe that's who I would have gone after, that's who I would have hired, is Kirby (Smart)."

Those aren't just empty words, judging from the past: Dooley basically made the same hire in 2000: Richt, like Smart, was a coordinator for a national power but had never been a head coach.

"Mark, during the decade of the '90s, was an integral part of what was without a doubt the best program in the country, under Bobby Bowden at Florida State," Dooley said. "And Kirby has been part of the best program of this decade, and an important part of it."

The main difference is Smart's connections to Georgia as a former player and assistant coach. But his paths never crossed much with Dooley.

Dooley only knew about Smart as a player, and knew about his father Sonny, the longtime high school coach. Dooley's son Derek was on the same staff with Smart at LSU, leading Vince Dooley to keep up with his career.

But as far as in person, Dooley was more acquainted with Smart's now-wife, Mary Beth...

[jbcarol]

Jimmy Hyams ‏@JimmyHyams Mar 18

In last 30 years, 13 of 15 SEC coaches to win a FB title did so in their first 3 years. How? Why? Read my column: http://gridironnow.com

http://gridironnow.com/sec-coaches-either-win-league-title-quick-or-they-dont-win-it/

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC ‏@ESPN_SEC 2h2 hours ago

Welcome to the quiet, controversy-free spring of ... Lane Kiffin? http://es.pn/1pHXyzy

Since becoming Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2014, he has spoken to the media only twice outside of bowl settings. Under Nick Saban, media access is tight, coordinators are rarely available and that's just the way it is.

The lack of fresh Kiffin quotes these days underscores a broader point about the 40-year-old coach: We're slowly moving past his colorful past. Past Al Davis' unusual news conference in which he used an overhead projector to explain firing Kiffin after one unsuccessful season with the Oakland Raiders. Past Kiffin hurling unfounded accusations at other SEC programs while at Tennessee. Past his abrupt and less-than-ideal departure for USC, his mediocre tenure there and his firing on an airplane tarmac hours after a 21-point loss to Arizona State less than halfway through the season.

Those infamous mile markers of Kiffin's career haven't disappeared from the public record, but they're receding from memory. The caricature of Kiffin is gradually fading and what's left is Lane Kiffin, offensive coordinator and championship-winner. The most colorful thing he does now is predict touchdowns, throwing up his arms to indicate a score on the sideline while the ball is still in the air. It's hilarious because so often he's right.

As he says less, we're beginning to know Kiffin more for his coaching ability.

[jbcarol]

 Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 34m34 minutes ago

Nick Saban named one of 'World's Greatest Leaders' by Fortune http://sec.news/21IRqmb

Seven spots behind Pope Francis and four in front of Steph Curry, you'll find Nick Saban on this week's list of "The World's 50 Greatest Leaders."

Fortune decided Saban, Alabama's four-time national championship coach (plus another title at LSU), deserved credit for his work on and off the field. Citing graduation rates and the defeat of dynasty doubters, the magazine sang Saban's praises...

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 14h14 hours ago

SEC West experiencing golden era of not losing head coaches to other conferences http://sec.news/22yCNri

SEC West is redoubtably the biggest, baddest division in college football, boasting seven tradition-rich programs that should contend for conference or national titles every four of five years.

As such, the SEC West plays a strong role in landing the best prep recruits, setting the highest stadium-attendance figures and attracting the most TV eyeballs on football Saturdays.

But here's the thing: If this division is such a brutal, suffocating, dog-eat-dog experience for all parties involved ... how is it possible that, citing the last 60 years, only three SEC West head coaches have directly jumped to college programs outside the SEC? Note: Arkansas joined the SEC in 1991.

1) After the 2002 season, Alabama's Dennis Franchione left for a program that now resides in the SEC West (Texas A&M).

2) Ole Miss couldn't hold on to Steve Sloan in 1983, losing the coach to Duke.

3) Darrell Royal moved from Mississippi State (1954-55) to the University of Washington in 1956.

SEC West head coaches (Tommy Tuberville, Houston Nutt) seamlessly jumped to other programs within the conference (Auburn in 1999, Ole Miss in 2008). Bill Curry went from Alabama to Kentucky before the 1990 season, predating the SEC splitting into two divisions.

[jbcarol]

Mark Long Verified account
‏@APMarkLong

Gators announce $750,000 raise for coach Jim McElwain, bumping him from $3.5M to $4.25M annually

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 16m16 minutes ago

Chris Low Retweeted Mark Long

With McElwain's raise, that means nine of the 14 SEC head coaches make $4 million or more per year.

SEC's $4 million club for head football coaches now includes: Bielema, Freeze, Jones, Malzahn, McElwain, Miles, Mullen, Saban and Sumlin.

[jbcarol]

 Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 23h23 hours ago

One thing to consider re McElwain's raise is that he paid $2 million of the $7 million buyout at Colorado State himself to come to Florida.

[jbcarol]

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp addressed one of his major shortcomings during a four-year tenure at Florida, and it's something he vows he won't do again with the Gamecocks.

In an interview with Gridiron Now's Tony Barnhart, Muschamp admitted that one of his biggest regrets during his time in Gainesville, Fla., was altering the offensive scheme previously used under Urban Meyer.

Gators never finished better than 96th nationally in total offense (in 2014) during Muschamp's tenure — South Carolina offensive coordinator Kurt Roper held that same title under Muschamp that season — and they finished as low as 115th in 2013.

[jbcarol]

Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 17h17 hours ago

Mailbag: Why #PennState fans shouldn't panic about James Franklin; #UF in 2016 & #Louisville a Playoff contender? http://foxs.pt/1pICtV9

Any pressure on James Franklin and Penn St to crack top 3 in B10 East?

I think there's a bit but that's primarily because Penn State fans don't see their program as a second-division kind of program. Then again, this is a division — the Big Ten East — that has arguably three of the top five or six coaches in all of college football. This is only Year Three for Franklin, and this is still a program emerging from hefty NCAA sanctions and scholarship hits. This wasn't the usual first two years of taking over a new head coaching job or even close to it. Realistically, I think we're a few years away from getting a true sense of what James Franklin can do at Penn State.

The biggest plus in Franklin's favor is the extremely impressive work he did at his previous head coaching stop, Vandy...

What is your ceiling for University of Louisville this year? Expected leap for Lamar Jackson? NY6 possibilities?

I'm buying Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals. Big. Jackson looked terrific against a very athletic Texas A&M defense in the Music City Bowl, rushing for 226 yards and passing for 227. The 6-3 sophomore definitely needs more polish as a passer and a firmer grasp of defenses, but he's in good hands with Bobby Petrino.

[jbcarol]

FOIA:

Ross Dellenger ‏@RossDellenger 3h3 hours ago

Records: #LSU removing Les Miles clause in restructured, new assistant contracts; Buyout details of new contracts - http://bit.ly/1RLbJKi

Les Miles clause is slowly disappearing.

The clause is not included in the contracts of new assistant coaches Jabbar Juluke and Dameyune Craig and has been removed from the newly structured contracts for recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron and offensive line coach Jeff Grimes.

That's according to copies of the contracts The Advocate obtained through a public records request.

The school began to include the Miles clause into assistant coaches' contracts over the last several years, and, by last year, it was in each of their contracts. The clause allows LSU to terminate a contract six months after Miles' employment with the school ends.

The clause caused a stir about a year ago when it appeared in a lawsuit between former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis and the school. LSU is suing Chavis for a $400,000 buyout it says he owes after his departure to Texas A&M in January of 2015. In the lawsuit, the coach contends he left LSU because he refused to sign a new contract that included the Miles clause.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/mattyports/status/715635088378216448

CORAL GABLES — Given the fact it returns a talented starting quarterback and a considerable amount of its personnel on offense and in its defensive front seven, Miami was widely pegged as an early preseason top 25 candidate and an ACC Coastal Division contender.

Those tasked with making that a reality would likely say that's premature.

Some of the team's most veteran coaches have been plain-spoken in saying they believe the Hurricanes are far from a satisfactory standard, much less a championship-caliber operation.

Coach Mark Richt, who expected growing pains after the coaching change, has said he "loves" his players, but he isn't taking it easy on them.

Team speed. Richt said last week he doesn't think his receiver unit is fast enough – "I don't think we have enough to really strike the fear in anyone" – and noted Thursday he has yet to see a running back that stands out among Edwards, 1,000-yard rusher Joe Yearby, Mark Walton and Trayone Gray.

Facilities. After Tuesday's practice, Richt renewed his call for an indoor practice space, commenting that it was 'sad' that Miami's outgoing prospects had to perform for NFL scouts in a driving rainstorm. That made what one player called "the most important job interview of my life" a lot tougher.

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 16h16 hours ago

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp on facing UGA, Kirby Smart: 'I'm looking forward to whippin' his ass' http://sec.news/2279KFQ

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp and UGA coach Kirby Smart will face off in their first SEC East rivalry game against each other on Oct. 8. The two both played for the Bulldogs and coached on the same staff twice, but Muschamp is not letting that relationship take any pleasure out of a potential win over UGA.

"Honestly, I don't really like the competition with friends and people that you've been with," Muschamp told ESPN.com's Greg Ostendorf. "You spend a lot of time with these men coaching with them and you become close.

"But there's no doubt on that day, I'm looking forward to whippin' his ass, and he'd probably say the same thing about me."

Muschamp helped get Smart his first coaching job at Valdosta State...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ericcrawford/status/718260669259362304

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) - The practice fields at Kentucky State University are not that far from Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, but in the realm of college football, they are a world away.

Former U of L head coach John L Smith traversed that course from Louisville to the brighter lights of Michigan State and SEC football in Arkansas and eventually back in Kentucky, as head coach of the NCAA Division II Kentucky State Thoroughbreds.

"(I) don't need a job necessarily," Smith said. "You need a job if you can make a difference. If you can make a difference to the school, make a difference to the kids, and make a difference to the state of Kentucky."

Smith was named head coach at Kentucky State in December. He found a different dynamic than he found at some of his previous stops.

Smith has about 50 kids out for his second spring practice. His staff hopes to eventually have more than 100 on the roster.

There was no true off-season conditioning regimen in place. Not even a season-ticket program.

Smith is trying to change all that on the inside and develop Kentucky State's reputation on the outside.

"It's going to take a lot of work. It's going to take work from our guys who are here, It's going to take work out of the staff (to recruit more players), it's going to take work out of the administration, out of the city of Frankfort, out of the state of Kentucky to get on board and help this program," Smith said.

While Smith is trying to win the hearts and minds of people on the outside of the locker room, he won over an important player inside the locker room.

Junior quarterback Bo Johnson was looking to transfer after the season, until the school announced Smith would be the new head coach.

"As soon as I heard that, I cut all ties (with other schools)," said Johnson. "It's great feeling to feel like we're building a program around here."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/719938689015484416

[jbcarol]

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 4h4 hours ago

The most consecutive active 10-win season streaks in FBS: Alabama (, Clemson (5), Florida State (4) and Ohio State (4).

[jbcarol]

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 21h21 hours ago

With Petrino's new raise, Louisville will pay its coach ($4.375 million) more than any coach in the SEC East.

[jbcarol]

Dan Mullen™ ‏@CoachDanMullen 2h2 hours ago

On the way to Boston.




Dan Mullen is scheduled to run in the Boston Marathon.

[jbcarol]

Pinkel retired in November and is in the midst of a battle with follicular lymphoma.

After being hired as the Tigers' head coach prior to the 2001 season, Pinkel became the winningest coach in program history. He led Mizzou to division championships five times, and he finished his coaching career with an overall record of 118-73 with the Tigers.

The 2015 season was particularly difficult for Pinkel, however. In addition to fighting cancer, Pinkel had to deal with what amounted to an eight-game suspension of quarterback Maty Mauk. Mauk was later dismissed from the program.

There was also a high-profile boycott of the football program as part of a student-led effort to force the resignation of then-president Tim Wolfe for his handling of a series of racial incidents on campus. Pinkel supported his players in the boycott.

Pinkel's lymphoma is treatable, but he opted to retire from coaching to enjoy time with his family — something that isn't easy to manage with a coach's schedule.

"Before you back away from it, you don't realize how consuming it really is," Pinkel told Palmer. "You're up every day at 5:30 working out, getting coffee at 7 and being in the office by 7:30 for meetings all day long. Then, you do it again. I look back at it and go, 'My goodness,' but I didn't think anything of it at the time. I loved what I did and I was blessed."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/722252503941783552

[jbcarol]

 Chris Low Retweeted
Bo Mattingly ‏@SportsTalkwBo 16h16 hours ago

Interesting that Bret Bielema leads all coaches w/10 years or less experience as a HC w/ 34 draft picks. Is 14th among all active coaches.

[jbcarol]

Les Miles Verified account
‏@LSUCoachMiles

Found old pic for #TBT..current and former LSU coaches running a marathon Don't know if I can run that fast now !!LM




Scott Rabalais ‏@RabalaisAdv 54m54 minutes ago

Scott Rabalais Retweeted Les Miles

Les Miles (left) and Gerry DiNardo (right). They coached together at Colorado. #LSU

[jbcarol]

Mark Richt Verified account
‏@MarkRicht

In Athens for my wife's graduation from nursing school. Able to reflect. Thanks DawgNation for the love through the years. My best to Kirby!


Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN May 1 Tennessee, USA

Chris Low Retweeted Mark Richt

Hard to define class. Sometimes you just have to see it for yourself. Mark Richt has never been anything but class.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 10h10 hours ago

Could Nick Saban's run at #Alabama be more impressive than Bear Bryant's? http://ow.ly/4nnzKe

"That's a pretty good question," Bowden told WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Alabama. "I'd say probably what Nick Saban is doing (is more impressive) because football is more balanced now. I think when coach Bryant came to Alabama in 1958, I think it was unlimited recruiting. You could sign all the kids you wanted, and he's gonna get most of them.

"There was an old saying back in those days, 'He's gonna get his and he's gonna get yours.'"

The numbers for both coaches are staggering.

Bryant won at least a portion of 13 SEC championships, three national Coach of the Year awards and a record six national titles. He has 323 victories, 232 of them at Alabama.

Meanwhile, Saban, who has been at Alabama since 2007, has a higher winning percentage than Bryant (.854 to .824).

Saban has won five national titles, which includes one at a second school.

There is also the debate over whether the competition and hurdles to get to the postseason are tougher now for Saban - and college football - than for Bryant.

Per SI.com:

Two of Bryant's championships (1965, '78) were shared, compared to one for Saban. And two of Bryant's titles ('64, '73) were marred by bowl losses, which would exclude a team from national honors under the current syste

[jbcarol]

Josh Kendall ‏@JoshatTheState May 4

Jerri Spurrier on Steve's retirement: "I'm not mad at him because he's home all the time. I'm mad at me because I'm home all the time."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ByBerkowitz/status/732303120613675008

Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason was paid about $700,000 more in his first season than predecessor James Franklin in his first Commodores campaign, per tax records.

In the 2014 calendar year, which included his debut season, Mason was credited with $2,556,877 in total pay — including $2,381,056 base salary, $130,344 retirement and other deferred compensation, $26,957 nontaxable benefits and $18,520 in other compensation.

There were no bonuses in year one, as Mason posted a 3-9 overall record and 0-8 SEC record.

Mason's 2015 pay is not available. Vanderbilt is a private institution, and therefore is not required to disclose public records like coaches' salaries upon request. However, a Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, or 990 Form, must be filed for tax purposes, though about 16 months after the reported calendar year.

Franklin earned $4.4 million in 2015 at Penn State.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/733285481111150596

Ole Miss

New faces: N/A

The Skinny: The word "stability" doesn't come to mind when you talk about the Rebs these days, but the staff has remained completely intact, giving Hugh Freeze a consistency few head coaches ever enjoy.

Tennessee

New faces: Bob Shoop (defensive coordinator), Larry Scott (tight ends)

The Skinny: Butch Jones wasn't compelled to make a move on defense, but he didn't feel like he could pass on bringing in Shoop, who has a solid reputation as a defensive tactician.

Arkansas

New faces: Kurt Anderson (offensive line), Reggie Mitchell (running backs), Paul Rhoads (secondary)

The Skinny: Bret Bielema built his program on winning the line of scrimmage and running the football, and now he'll have two new assistants leading those areas of the team.

A&M

New faces: Noel Mazzone (offensive coordinator), Jim Turner (offensive line), David Turner (defensive tackles)

The Skinny: The writing was on the wall that Jake Spavital was on his way out, and Kevin Sumlin found a fine replacement in Mazzone...

State

New faces: Peter Sirmon (defensive coordinator), Brian Baker (defensive line), Terrell Buckley (secondary/recruiting coordinator), Maurice Linguist (safeties)

The Skinny: From the assistant coaches all the way down to the graduate assistants, Dan Mullen's defense got a complete overhaul.

Auburn

New faces: Kevin Steele (defensive coordinator), Kody Burns (wide receivers), Wesley McGriff (secondary), Herb Hand (offensive line), Travis Williams (linebackers)

The Skinny: Ellis Johnson was maybe too reserved and Will Muschamp maybe too bombastic.

Georgia

New faces: Kirby Smart (head coach), Mel Tucker (defensive coordinator), Jim Chaney (offensive coordinator), Sam Pittman (offensive line), James Coley (wide receivers), Dell McGee (running backs), Shane Beamer (tight ends/special teams), Greg Schumann (inside linebackers)

The Skinny: Smart did well to retained (sic) defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and outside linebacker coach Kevin Sherrer...

Missouri

New faces: Barry Odom (head coach), DeMontie Cross (defensive coordinator), Josh Heupel (offensive coordinator), Jackie Shipp (defensive line), Joe Jon Finley (tight ends), Glen Elarbee (offensive line), Greg Brown (secondary), Ryan Walters (safeties),

The Skinny: The transition for Odom seemed to go smoothly

South Carolina

New faces: Will Muschamp (head coach), Travaris Robinson (defensive coordinator), Kurt Roper (offensive coordinator), Lance Thompson (defensive line), Bobby Bentley (running backs), Pat Washington (tight ends), Mike Peterson (outside linebackers), Bryan McClendon (wide receivers), Coleman Hutzler (linebackers/special teams)

The Skinny: Muschamp assembled a strong group of recruiters, but what remains to be seen is how his staff develops a depleted roster at South Carolina.

[jbcarol]

Debating best SEC coaches of past decade

Aschoff's top five was: 1. Nick Saban, 2. Urban Meyer, 3. Les Miles, 4. Steve Spurrier, 5. Phillip Fulmer.

[jbcarol]

 Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN May 24

Former coach Mike Price among 7 inductees into Washington State University's Hall of Fame, Class of 2016

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/738860768054128640

FOI: Kirby Smart will make $3.75 million annually through the 2021 season.

According to the report, the annual contract breaks down to include $2.27 million for media compensation based on radio and television appearances, $1.08 million for equipment endorsements and a meager $400,000 base salary.

... Georgia paying for a country club membership, a clause allowing for Smart's family to travel to all road and neutral-site games as a part of the school's official travel party, as well as the usage of a 25-seat box during home games.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/740209791470080000

Coaches who are running their first FBS team in 2016: Barry Odom (Missouri); Kirby Smart (Georgia)

T-12. Mark Stoops (Kentucky)
Zero 10-win seasons in three attempts

T-12. Derek Mason (Vanderbilt)
Zero 10-win seasons in two attempts

T-10. Dan Mullen (Mississippi State)
One 10-win season in seven attempts

T-10. Gus Malzahn (Auburn)
One 10-win season in four attempts

T-10. Will Muschamp (South Carolina)
One 10-win season in four attempts

T-7. Butch Jones (Tennessee)
Two 10-win seasons in 10 attempts (one at Eastern Michigan in 2009 and one at Cincinnati in 2011)

T-7. Hugh Freeze (Ole Miss)
Two 10-win seasons in five attempts

T-7. Jim McElwain (Florida)
Two 10-win seasons in four attempts

4. Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M)
Three 10-win seasons in eight attempts

3. Bret Bielema (Arkansas)
Four 10-win seasons in 10 attempts

2. Les Miles (LSU)
Seven 10-win seasons in 15 attempts

1. Nick Saban (Alabama)
Ten 10-win seasons in 20 attempts

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/740245726148562948

Auburn recently gave head football coach Gus Malzahn what seems like a totally unnecessary one-year contract extension through the 2020 season.

A show of stability for the benefit of potential recruits seems like the only reason to do this, unless you allow for the fact that Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs simply got taken to the cleaners by a smarter negotiator on the other side of the table. Auburn certainly didn't do this because other schools are beating down the door to hire Malzahn.

Which leads to today's question: How many SEC schools would take Gus Malzahn over their current head coach if Malzahn were available today? (For purposes of this exercise, we're excluding buyouts and other potential contractual entanglements, and just allowing a 1-for-1 trade).

Vanderbilt — Derek Mason  YES

A&M — YES

Tennessee — Butch Jones  NO

South Carolina — Will Muschamp  NO

Ole Miss — Hugh Freeze and Malzahn have very similar backgrounds —  NO

Missouri — NO

State — Dan Mullen  HAIL NO

LSU — NO

Kentucky — NO

Georgia — NO

Florida — Jim McElwain  NO

Arkansas — Razorbacks hired Bret Bielema 11 days after Malzahn accepted the Auburn job in December 2012, so they theoretically could have gotten Gus — an Arkansas native who was once offensive coordinator there — had they wanted him. Bielema's program is on an upward trajectory, improving its win total each season he's been in Fayetteville. And he's run a clean program by SEC standards. Also a NO.

Bama — Do we really even need to discuss this? NO.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/740514525745664000

Bama

Shortest: Mike Price
Longest: Paul 'Bear' Bryant

Price was hired to replace Dennis Franchione in 2002, but he was fired by the school before ever coaching a game. In an infamous incident, Price was found to have run up a tab at a Florida strip club while in Florida for a pro-am golf tournament while also having $1,000 in food and drinks charged to his account by a woman staying in his hotel room.

Arkansas

Shortest: B. N. Wilson
Longest: Frank Broyles

Broyles' career spanned across three decades. He coaches (sic) the Razorbacks to 144 wins in 207 tries from 1958-1976. His .708 winning percentage is the third-highest in school history among coaches with more than seven games logged at the school.

Why draw the line at seven? Six is the number of games coached by Wilson, who led the team to a 4-1-1 record as Arkansas' second coach from 1897-1898.

Auburn

Shortest: D. M. Balliet
Longest: Ralph Jordan

Florida

Shortest: Alfred L. Buser
Longest: Steve Spurrier

A&M

Shortest: F. D. Perkins
Longest: R. C. Slocum

[jbcarol]

Florida renamed the field at The Swamp. It's now called "Steve Spurrier – Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium."

https://twitter.com/SC_HBC/status/741986174474944513

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/741734591527059457

Bret Bielema, Arkansas: While the major breakthrough season has yet to come, Bielema seems to be settling in nicely as a long-term coach in Fayetteville. At 46 years old, he's in the prime of his coaching years and also has a long enough track record between his time at Wisconsin and Arkansas to "know what you're getting." An SEC West title in the next couple of years would make Bielema a really strong candidate to win this contest.

Butch Jones...