Three more down!

Three head coaches down in the SEC, as I type this -

First - Philip Fulmer, at Tennesee, a proven winner in arguably the toughest conference in the country, from top to bottom, on a year by year basis, by winning at a 74.5% rate with 7 Division titles won or shared; 2 Conference titles and an undefeated National Championship (1998) over 16 1/3 seasons. 8-7 in Bowls, as well, with 14 straight Bowl appearances, including one loss for the National Title in 1997.

Second, Sylvester Croom, at Mississippi State. Granted here, one good season out of five, even winning a bowl game, does not a great coach make, where there is a 35.6% winning percentage, however.

Now Tommy Tuberville, at Auburn, also a proven winner over 14 seasons in the SCE, with 4 at Ole Miss, and 10 at Auburn, at an overall 64% rate with a 68% rate at Auburn (Ole Miss was under severe sanctions when TT arrived) with 5 Division titles won or shared in the 20 years at Auburn, a Conference title in an undefeated year (2004), and a 6-3 Bowl record, including 8 straight.

I have not heard of anything against any of them, on a personal manner, and one might note that all three were named as the head coach in a less than pristine situation.
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And while "the jury may still be out" on the head coaching abilities of Sylvester Croom, this certainly does not seem to be the case where either Philip Fulmer or Tommy Tuberville are concerned.

Anyone out there need a proven coach?? I can suggest a few names, from the last couple of years who might have an interest, in the right situation. Let's see, off the top of my head, I can think of at least four who have a pretty good winning percentage, an undefeated season, and three of which have a National title. There's Larry Coker, Lloyd Carr, Philip Fulmer, and now Tommy Tuberville, for just a start.

Ed

 

Well, I agree it is not likely that Lloyd Carr will ever coach again, or evne want to.

He is already 63 years old. Underachieved? Don't think so, except for some unreal expectations. He won better than 75% of his games over his career, putting him slightly ahead of Phil Fulmer, here (and 10 points ahead of Tommy Tuberville, as well and for comparison, Steve Spurrier has a career WP of 73% and for other comparison, is well ahead of such as Frank Beamer, and trails Urban Meyer by a point or two.). He had a national title, and an undefeated season, to boot, and was in a bowl game every year at Michigan, never having a losing season, won five conference championships, was 2nd four times and third three times in 13 years with his worst record being 7-5 in 2005 counting a bowl loss. Incidentally, his worst conference finish was a lone 5th which he followed up the next year with an undefeated season and National championship. BTW, Les Miles, the one many clamored for to replace him has about a 65% winning percentage, and Rich Rodriguez is also fast finding out that Jim Tressel and old Joe Pa can still coach the game pretty well.

Considering that Jim Tressel has won five national championships (4 in !-AA) and Joe Paterno has won a couple of titles as well, plus found himself out in the cold 4 times with undefeated tems, including two time in a row, is anyone surprised that Joe Pa can still coach, even if on an artificial hip?? Or that Rich Rodrigeuz is finding out the hard way, about real-life in the Big House??

Incidentally, for the Tuberville haters, Nick Saban's college winning % is almost exactly the same as Tommy Tuberville's was at Auburn.

I'm not surprised by any of this, frankly.

BTW, Phil Fulmer is already 58 years old, as well, Larry Coker is 60, Steve Spurrier is 63, and Frank Beamer is 64. So those four, while not yet in the class with Bobby Bowden or Joe Pa, are not exactly still wet behind the ears, I would say. Tommy Tuberville is a relative baby at 54, by contrast.

As a Kentuckian, I love it that the Orange have hired a coach that has won 25% of his games, as a head coach. Maybe we will get the losing to the Volunteers in football out of our system, next year.

Ed

 

Ed sez:

TomVols sez:

Well, UK does currently have the ignoble distinctions of having the longest losing streak against a conference opponent (Tennessee) as well as the second longest, as well, against Florida. Frankly, I still think I like UK's chances against Lane Kiffin better than I did against Phil Fulmer, or do going against Urban Meyer.

And I gotta' admit, I'd rather be in the shoes of either Billy G. or Bruce P. at home, than on the road. I'm reminded of something that the then Vols BB coach, Don DeVoe said when someone mentioned that UK's BB teams had won like maybe one time against him in Knoxville, as a put-down against the then UK Coach, whoever it was. DeVoe replied, "Well you gotta' remember, I haven't had a lot of success in Rupp, either." (He'd won 3 times there out of 16 including a couple against less than stellar UK teams, at that time.) This was merely saying how difficult it is in the SEC in BB to win on the road against a half-way good team.

I'm fully aware of the 'knocks' against Lloyd Carr. I just think they are wrong, in this, just as I think that Phil Fulmer sorta' got the shaft, as well. I recall the analysis of one who stated that Phil Fulmer was the best college coach in the country. While I might not go that far, I believe I would definitely place him in or near the Top Ten! And, as bad as I hate to say it, I would still place Lloyd Carr in at least the Top Twenty, or so, among the 125 current and former Div. I coaches, with both Carr and Fulmer, for their careers, ahead of anyone UK has had over the last 40 years, since Blanton Collier [with the remotely possible exceptions of Jerry Caliborne (for the accomplishments of his players off the field, and in the classroom, moreso than those on the field), and Rich Brooks] and who was faced with unreal expectations, himself. However, Coach Collier showed his real ability in coaching the Cleveland Browns, after that. He also showed what UK had let get away, by what followed him!

BTW, I do think their buy-out/bonuses at the end of their coaching jobs will manage to keep both of them off the soup-lines for another year or so, anyway. (Phil Fulmer, like me, could probably still survive missing a meal or two, anyway.)

Ed

 

I fully agree that Don DeVoe is a class act.

Ed

 

Not that I expect Rich Brooks to retire, but he is already 67 years old.

Should he retire, I would like to see KY go for Phil Fulmer, first.

There'd be a real 'Kick in the head' around Rocky Top (that rumbling sound your hear is Gen. Neyland turning over in his grave), when the Blue and White of KY then would beat the Big Orange of Lane Kiffin, there, I'd say. And that would give Mark Richt, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer something to look forward to, as well.

Ed