re: Which SEC programs are destination programs and which are stepping stone programs?

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Everything else Georgia trumps you in.

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Name one.

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Why Georgia?

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No UGA HC has ever left for another CFB job.

School (Academics)
City
State
Talent Pool

SC is a retirement home it seems.


Carlen had success elsewhere, Spurrier, Holtz.


but yeah probably a stepping stone. that said I don't see Beamer leaving for a bigger job. If he does I get it, but if he gets it rolling at SC I see him staying there

100% certain you don't know what stepping stone means.

Auburn has always been and continues to be a destination program, imo. Just in a craptastic phase right now.

Clear destination jobs: Bama, LSU, UGA, Florida, Auburn, and I think Tennessee as well. (Big Six)

Like a Vol fan said earlier, sometimes there is a particular coach who has a particular affinity for that one dream school, like Lane and U$C. Or, like LSU fearing at one time that DiNardo would bolt for ND if they came calling. Doesn't mean they aren't destination jobs.

Clear stepping stone programs: UK, Ole Miss, MSU, Vandy, Missouri.

Iffy in between: USCe, Arkansas, A&M.

The Cocks are in a state with talent, lower expectations, great fans, lots of things going for it that would make it hard for a coach to get pulled away to another team (unless, again, it is his dream job in waiting).

A&M only achieves even iffy status because of their obscene tendency to throw money at everything.

Arkansas has a lot going for it like USCe, plus more tradition.

That said, A&M, USCe, and Arky could not stop one of the Big Six from stealing their coach if a serious push was made.

I think a "destination program" by definition has the following things:

1. Dedication to spend whatever amount of money is required to compete at the highest levels

2. Membership in either the B1G or the SEC (or, maybe, the ACC)

3. Is not considered a "little brother" to any other program

4. Is not a "basketball first" school

5. Has facilities comparable to the best programs in the sport

6. Is willing to bend the rules to get academically marginal players into school

7. Has a history of winning

In the world of NIL, add a new one: 8. Has the visibility and program cachet to attract big NIL dollars


For the SEC, that leaves Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and LSU. Texas and Oklahoma will join this group when they arrive. Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Missouri are DQed for #7. Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and A&M are DQed for #3. Kentucky is DQed for #4 and #7. Vandy is DQed for basically all of them except #2.

Outside the SEC, Notre Dame is in danger of being DQed for #5 and #6. I think that's why Kelly left. ND is swiftly reaching the point where they are going to have to decide, do we want to continue to pretend like college football is still played by athletes drawn from the student body at large like it was when Rockne and Parseghian were around, or do we want to face reality and become a quasi-minor league program like basically everyone else who competes at the highest level?

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Everything else Georgia trumps you in.

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Name one.

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In-state talent pool.

AU is a destination program. The previous 4 coaches all went undefeated (Bowden, Tuberville, Chizik) or played in the MNC (Malzahn) and never had that level of success before or after leaving AU. AU is a dumpster fire TODAY but history shows that most coaches have their greatest career success while at AU.

If you say that everybody outside Georgia, Alabama and LSU are stepping stone programs then that means every other team in all of college football is a stepping stone program for just those three schools. If that's indeed true, then I couldn't care less, and I'm just fine with my team being in that huge group. But the fact of the matter is it all depends on the coach. Who he is, what he wants, his age, etc.