Let's do it again - Ranking the SEC head coaches

Ranking according to who I would most want to give a new 5 year contract to.

Last year's rankings

1. Bert (unchanged) - He's proven yet still relatively young. Builds a program the right way - from the inside out. Continues to show he can make great hires (Enos). Has shown he can field a great running and passing game, creating balance that is hard for any defense not named Bama to stop. Defense fell off this year but it was an aberration and will return to form after he gets his linemen and linebackers on the field with experience.


2. Saban (unchanged) - Best coach of all time, but he has to be wearing down and on about hole 17 right now.


3. Freeze (up 9) - Great recruiter, fields a strong, physical defense. His offense hit new heights with Chad Kelly at QB. However, his offense had a tendency to sputter before Kelly took the reigns. Kelly is a unique talent, and before I put Freeze into the upper echelon I want to see where his offense goes post-Kelly or if Freeze can win a conference championship with Kelly.


4. Mullen (up 1) - He's not elite, but he's just a solid coach and still has room to grow. He can develop QB's and run an effective offense.


5. Gus (down 2) - I'm not throwing in the towel on Gus yet. He had a down year largely due to his QB not playing up to the level he requires to field a successful team. Sean White looks like he has the tools to be a great college QB. When his offense has the right pieces and is clicking, it's one of the toughest to stop in all of CFB.


6. McElwain (up 1) - Shows the aptitude to be a successful coach at a school with high expectations. Steady demeanor on the sidelines and is confident in how he goes about his business.


7. Jones (up 1) - Recruiting well and his team has shown flashes of SEC championship quality play. To move up into the upper tier he needs to win the weak SEC East. He hasn't beaten a team from the West since becoming Tennessee's head coach.


8. Smart (NR) - Saban's proteges haven't had the best track records. He should be able to win at least 9/10 a year at Georgia in the weak East, just like Richt, but the verdict is obviously out on him since he has no HC experience. I don't think Chaney is the guy who will be able to create a championship quality offense at Georgia and I really don't know how Smart could think Chaney was the right hire after seeing him get tossed out of Arkansas and Arkansas' offense really take off the season after he leaves.


9. Mason (up 5) - Vandy showed some improvement from year 1 to year 2. They put up more of a fight and you can see the defense coming along. Getting Vandy to compete in the SEC is a tall order for anyone. You can't question the man's character for taking on such a challenge.


10. Miles (up 1) - Great coach, but like Saban is on the back 9 of his career.


11. Odom (NR) - Jury's out. Complete unknown.


12. Muschamp (NR) - Hot head who doesn't know offense and couldn't get it done at Florida. Seems like a terrible recipe in today's CFB.


13. Stoops (down 4) - Winning 5 games in your third year in the weak East is just not good. For the East and Kentucky's sake, I hope he just needs more time and will turn it around.


14. Sumlin (down 4) - Flag football offense. Offense is his specialty but he's losing QB's and had to get rid of his OC. Red flags everywhere.