The SEC's cast of 14 coaches is the most collectively intriguing bunch in several years.
The conference took on a heavier offensive tilt after three of the four coaches fired last season were defensive-minded, while three of the four newcomers hail from the offensive side. None of the new coaches is a Nick Saban protege, bringing a welcome dose of variety.
The Egg Bowl rivalry features two coaches with exciting offenses and a quip-per-day approach to interviews.
The greatest of all time shows no sign of relenting at Alabama.
Not only has Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher promised to whip Saban's ass this year, but it's also (sort of) conceivable that it could happen.
Dan Mullen and Kirby Smart elevated the Florida-Georgia rivalry to where it belongs.
Missouri coach Eliah (or Eli) Drinkwitz answers to two different first names, depending on whether he considers you a friend.
There's a South Dakota native and an Idaho native coaching in the South.
TOPPMEYER:New SEC coaches aren't Nick Saban clones. That's a welcome change.
HARSIN BALL:Why Bryan Harsin's Auburn football offense might differ from what you'd expect
NEWCOMER PROFILE:To understand Josh Heupel the Tennessee football coach, start in Aberdeen, South Dakota
Here's my ranking of SEC coaches.
1. Nick Saban
Alabama
Saban is the best to ever do it. His program remains a perennial favorite thanks to Saban's evolution to embrace an offense that features tempo and positions the quarterback to be the star. With Alabama now producing first-round NFL Draft talent at quarterback, there's no nit left to pick. Alabama will be the 2021 favorite to win the national championship – despite losing 10 players to the NFL Draft, which speaks to Saban's continued stranglehold on the sport.
2. Jimbo Fisher
Texas A&M
The Aggies were smart to spend big on Fisher, one of three active SEC coaches who has won a national title. He's proving he's worth the $75 million, 10-year contract he received to leave Florida State. He's recruiting well, too, an indicator that last year's 9-1 record need not be a flash in the pan. Texas A&M underachieved for much of this millennium. With Fisher, the Aggies should regularly challenge for the College Football Playoff.
3. Dan Mullen
Florida
The Gators' two New Year's Six bowl victories and an SEC East title through three seasons under Mullen came after he led Mississippi State to its greatest period of success. A good debate can be had about whether Mullen belongs above the next man on this list. Mullen gets the nod because I think his track record for quarterback development gives Florida the better chance to win a national championship.
4. Kirby Smart
Georgia
Smart is recruiting at a level topped only by Alabama and quickly built the program into a perennial playoff contender, highlighted by a national runner-up finish during the 2017 season. Georgia hasn't quite played to its 2017 caliber since then, and questions linger about whether Smart can develop a quarterback capable of leading Georgia to a national championship. But as long as Smart is in Athens, pencil Georgia in for top-10 national rankings.
5. Ed Orgeron
LSU
Orgeron joins Saban and Fisher as the conference's only coaches with a national championship on their coaching résumés. Last year's backslide made me question whether Orgeron has staying power after the loss of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow and wunderkind offensive assistant Joe Brady. But the way he's recruiting, it's more likely last year was a hiccup after losing 14 players in the 2020 draft rather than the beginning of a freefall.
6. Lane Kiffin
Ole Miss
Putting Kiffin this high is a bet on his future rather than a reflection on his roller-coaster past. Fans and recruits alike are attracted to Kiffin's social media presence, deadpan humor and high-scoring offense, and he should elevate recruiting to a level Ole Miss hasn't seen since Hugh Freeze. Kiffin's up-tempo scheme and skill for developing quarterbacks should position Ole Miss to punch above its weight.
7. Mark Stoops
Kentucky
Stoops' 49-50 record doesn't seem impressive until you consider he's done it at Kentucky. The Wildcats have won bowl games three straight years for just the second time. Stoops is a defensive authority. His 10-win season in 2018 remains a coaching masterpiece. I'd like to see what Stoops could achieve at a school that would yield a more talented roster, but perhaps he's wise to not mess with a good thing.
8. Mike Leach
Mississippi State
Mississippi State is one of the most challenging jobs in the SEC. Leach has proven he can thrive in those environments. He posted a winning record 14 times in 18 seasons at Texas Tech and Washington State – places that aren't exactly easy jobs. Most of conversation about Leach pertains to his Air Raid offense or his wacky interviews, but he's also shown an eye for hiring quality young defensive coordinators – first Alex Grinch at Washington State and then Zach Arnett at Mississippi State.
9. Bryan Harsin
Auburn
Can an Idaho native who's never coached east of the Mississippi River fit in at Auburn? Harsin arrives in the SEC with an impressive winning percentage. He maintained Boise State as a Group of 5 stalwart throughout his seven seasons after replacing Chris Petersen. Petersen's shift from Boise State to Washington seemed natural. Going from Boise to Auburn is more challenging, but I'm intrigued by a coach who had eight straight winning seasons between stints at Arkansas State and Boise State.
10. Eliah Drinkwitz
Missouri
In his first season at Missouri, Drinkwitz infused swagger into a program poised to re-emerge as the SEC East's dark horse. Quarterbacks tend to fare well under Drinkwitz, who is also showing his recruiting chops. At 38, his résumé is still light, and he hasn't had to cook with his ingredients at Missouri or previously during his one-year stop at Appalachian State. But the early results are promising.
11. Josh Heupel
Tennessee
Heupel knows quarterbacks. He helped develop Sam Bradford as his position coach at Oklahoma and Drew Lock as his offensive coordinator at Missouri. His up-tempo offense can mask talent deficiencies. The Vols hiring someone with head coaching experience – Heupel went 28-8 in three seasons at UCF – was wise after his predecessor, first-time coach Jeremy Pruitt, flopped spectacularly. The questions: Will Heupel's teams play good enough defense, and can he recruit at a high enough level?
12. Sam Pittman
Arkansas
Had I conducted this ranking last year, I would have positioned Pittman 14th, so he's already caught my attention by winning three conference games in his first season at Arkansas. Pittman is an effective motivator and a good recruiter. But I'm reserving further praise until I see a bigger sample size, in light of Pittman having never been an Division I head coach or coordinator before Arkansas hired him.
13. Shane Beamer
South Carolina
Speaking of a lack of head coaching or coordinator experience, we come to Beamer, South Carolina's outside-the-box hire. He has a household surname within college football and plenty of experience within the SEC as an assistant. His three-year apprenticeship under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma adds appeal. But South Carolina is a tough job for a first-time head coach.
14. Clark Lea
Vanderbilt
Lea, a Vanderbilt alumnus who spent the past three seasons as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator, was the obvious hire for the Commodores. The Irish's defense notably improved under Lea, and his experience at Notre Dame means he should be versed in recruiting to high academic standards. But it's tough to see Lea's tenure faring better than that of his predecessor, Derek Mason, another successful defensive coordinator who had no head coaching experience.
Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. If you enjoy Blake's coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
