re: Serious discussion about SEC Coaches strengths, weaknesses, and futures. First 5 coaches

quote:

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Georgia - Kirby Smart: Tenacious recruiter in the perfect place to get first crack at premium talent. Kirby is not a Saban clone and regularly loses games he's supposed to win. He makes boneheaded mistakes in-game and can't get the best out of his teams sometimes. But Kirby is his own man and a true leader for the young men who attend his alma mater. Don't think Kirby would have had as much success at other HC jobs - but UGA was a match made in heaven.

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I just want to comment on the bolded bit.

After year 1, Kirby has lost a grand total of 11 games in 7 seasons.

-3 of those losses were to national championship teams (Bama 2017, LSU 2019, Bama 2020). Arguing UGA "should" have won those is a bit of a stretch.

-1 loss was to a team that finished #2 (Bama 2018). Again, unless you believe UGA should have been considered favorite for a national title, that doesn't qualify as a "supposed to win" game.

-2 losses were avenged by a later UGA win against the same team (Auburn 2017, Alabama 2021). I personally find it hard to ding a team for an avenged loss as it generally means the first matchup didn't end up mattering.

That leaves the following 5 losses in those 7 seasons.

2018 - LSU (#6)
2018 - Texas (#9)
2019 - SC (unranked, 4-8)
2020 - UF (#12)
2023 - Alabama (#5)

One top 5 team. Three top 10 teams. Four top 15 teams.

SC was a "should have won" game. Pretty easy. I'd say UF was as well. But the rest? Is a loss to a top 10 opponent ever a "should have won" result? If so , doesn't Saban have a ton of "should have won" games that fit the same criteria?

I'd argue Smart has lost 2, possibly 3 games in 7 seasons that he really should have won that wouldn't be considered at worst a toss-up type game. I think that's on par with Saban as a percentage after his first season. I think expecting perfection from either of them isn't fair, and neither has been perfect. But both have won most of their "should wins" and a high percentage of "toss up" type games in their careers.

& how long before a * will be applied?

Georgia’s winning Streak was stopped at the SECCG. The Record is still held by Oklahoma at 47.
What Kirby has done is amazing, I’m not knocking him. But too many of y’all are turning this into some kind of pissing contest with Alabama.

Its SEC wins, Gump. You are jealous that Kirby broke Bamas record. Stay tuned. Kirby is only getting started

Reminds me of Pete Carroll before usc.

Josh Heuple regressed at a program Scott Frost put on the map.

How's kirby handling that test?

Let's say for shits and giggles, that Texas beat Washington in the semis. Does Alabama still try and hire kalen? Or do they go to Austin Texas and try to make sark an offer he can't refuse? This is what I would've like to know.