SEC coaches know what a national championship team is supposed to look like
Here is another reason why SEC football is going to be a lot of fun to watch in 2020:
Now we all know that not every school can win a national championship. But regardless of your status in the college football food chain, you do want a head coach who at least knows what a national championship team/contender LOOKS like. You want to feel like your coach has at least hung around championship teams to learn their good habits.
Well, of the 14 current head coaches in the SEC, 12 of them have either been a coach for a national championship team or coached in a national championship game. That ain’t bad.
So just for fun, here is a breakdown of the SEC West and the SEC East coaches and that have been on a national championship team or have come very close to winning one.
SEC WEST
Nick Saban, Alabama: Has won six national championships (1 at LSU, 5 at Alabama) and has played for two more, losing in the 2016 and 2018 national championship games.
Sam Pittman, Arkansas: Was a coach on Georgia’s 2017 team that lost in overtime (to Alabama) for the national championship.
Gus Malzahn, Auburn: Was the offensive coordinator on Auburn’s 2010 national championship team. In his first year as Auburn’s head coach in 2013, Auburn lost to Florida State in the final minute for the national title.
Ed Orgeron, LSU: Coach “O” now has five national championship rings: Two at USC (2003, 2004), two at Miami (1989, 1991) and one as a head coach at LSU (2019).
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: Was assistant on the 2003 (AP) and 2004 (BCS) national championship teams at USC. Was offensive coordinator on 2015 national championship team at Alabama.
Mike Leach, Mississippi State: No national championship connection but his quarterback, Anthony Gordon at Washington State was No. 2 in passing behind Joe Burrow this season with 5,579 yards. He has a string of highly-productive quarterbacks including Tim Couch, Graham Harrell, B.J. Symons, Sonny Cumbie, Kliff Kingsbury, Luke Falk, and Gardner Minshew just to name a few. That's about as valuable as a national championship ring.
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: Won the national championship in 2013 as the head coach at Florida State. Was the offensive coordinator on Nick Saban’s national championship team at LSU in 2003.
SEC EAST
Dan Mullen, Florida: Was OC on Urban Meyer’s 2006 and 2008 national championship teams at Florida. In 2014 to led Mississippi State to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in school history.
Kirby Smart, Georgia: Was on Nick Saban’s staff for four national championships at Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015). As a head coach at Georgia lost in the national championship game to Alabama in 2017.
Mark Stoops, Kentucky: Was a defensive backs coach on Miami’s 2001 national championship team, considered to be one of the best teams of all time. He was the defensive coordinator at Florida State in 2012. The next season Stoops became head coach at Kentucky and Florida State won the national championship. So Stoops had his fingerprints on the 2013 national championship team.
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri: Drinkwitz is only 36 years old but he was a quality control assistant on Auburn’s 2010 national championship team.
Will Muschamp, South Carolina: He was the defensive coordinator on LSU’s 2003 national championship team. He was the defensive coordinator on the 2009 Texas team that played (and lost to) Alabama for the national championship.
Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee: Was on the defensive staff at Alabama for the 2009, 2011, and 2012 national championship teams. When Mark Stoops left Florida State for Kentucky in 2013, Pruitt became the defensive coordinator of the Seminoles, who went on the win the national championship. Then he went back to Alabama and picked up another national championship ring in 2017. That’s five rings total. He became Tennessee’s head coach in 2018.
Derek Mason, Vanderbilt: Mason never got to a national championship game but in the four years he was at Stanford (2010-2013) under Jim Harbaugh The Cardinal went 46-8 with four Top 10 finishes.