SEC Coaching Boards - Week 5

For the first time this season, UF's Urban Meyer is no longer the top coach of the SEC. Oh, and something I just noticed, four SEC coaches were once the head man at a different SEC school - Nick Saban (LSU); Tommy Tuberville (Ole Miss); Houston Nutt (Arkansas); Steve Spurrier (Florida) - and one was a coordinator at another - Bobby Petrino (Arkansas), which makes for some interesting, new rivalries; also makes it a little tough on me when typing in the school names.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama
The game in Athens was about as dominating as you get. Even though Richt wanted to say how the Dawgs won the second half, it was Alabama that truly impressed, even in the 2nd half. With UGA cutting the lead to 31-14, Bama turned back up the heat, and made the score 41-17 with four mins remaining.

2. Les Miles, LSU
Miles team took a week off but still easily beat up on Mississippi State. The Tigers get a week off before the big showdown against the Gators.

3. Urban Meyer, Florida
Meyer falls from the No. 1 ranking with the loss to Ole Miss in the Swamp. While it was only Meyer's second loss in the Swamp, there does seem to be a change going on in the SEC. No one fears Tim Tebow at quarterback, and the great Meyer-spread scheme isn't striking much fear either.

4. Mark Richt, Georgia
Richt is still ranked as the fourth best coach in the SEC, but while getting beat like a drum by the Tide in Athens, he sure didn't look like it.

5. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
The spread is dead in Auburn, at least according to ESPN, which appears to misquote Tuberville a little. The Tiger defense might be the best they've had in 20 years, but the offense is about as inept as any team in the country.

6. Houston Nutt, Ole Miss
Nutt jumps up following his first signature win at Ole Miss. Nutt is about two plays away from having the Rebels unbeaten and in the top 10. With his ability to recruit Texas, and closer proximity to Louisiana, the Rebels have a chance to become a player in the SEC East - perhaps finally make a SEC Championship game... well, no, probably not.

7. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
Spurrier slips not because of anything he's done, but because of the rise of Houston.

8. Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt
Unbeaten. Highly ranked. National Television. Gameday. Everything is on the line this weekend, as all eyes are on the Commodores. A win over Auburn, which hasn't happened since 1955, would put Vandy at 5-0 and on the brink of their first bowl game in 25 years. However, with the worst offense and defense in the SEC, the Commodores are going to have to rely on their amazing turnover ratio to beat the Tigers.

9. Rich Brooks, Kentucky
Brooks' team is unbeaten this season, but no one has heard much about the Wildcats. That'll change this weekend, regardless of the outcome, as UK travels to Tuscaloosa. A win over the newly anointed No. 1 would put a lot of pressure to move Brooks up.

10. Phil Fulmer, Tennessee
Fulmer's days in Knoxville look shorter as each week goes by. While Auburn's offense might be inept, the UT offense looks almost non-existent.

Don't worry Razorbacks; the way things are going
you guys won't have Bobby for long.

11. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas
Another week, another Petrino beat-down. With this rebuilding job looking to be pretty extensive, how long until Petrino bolts for greener pastures?

12. Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State
That 2007 Coach of the Year award seems like a distant memory.