Ranking the most entertaining head coaches in the SEC
It's the middle of May and the biggest topic in sports right now is a feud between two SEC head coaches. Alabama's Nick Saban and Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher were already two of the most entertaining coaches in the nation. But they took it up a notch this week with their war of words that […]
It's the middle of May and the biggest topic in sports right now is a feud between two SEC head coaches.
Alabama's Nick Saban and Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher were already two of the most entertaining coaches in the nation. But they took it up a notch this week with their war of words that escalated on Thursday to the point where Fisher suggested that someone should slap Saban.
Are you not entertained?!?!
The back and forth between Saban and Fisher got me thinking about which coaches in the SEC are the most entertaining.
So I had no choice but to rank them. Now, fair warning: the names near the bottom of this list could've gone in nearly any order.
14. Clark Lea — Vanderbilt
There's not much to say about Clark Lea — he's just kind of…there. The former Notre Dame defensive coordinator has only been at Vanderbilt for one season. But that one season was a disaster. And nothing even mildly entertaining happened. I'm guessing that Lea won't be at Vandy for long and years from now we'll struggle to remember who coached the Commodores during this time period.
13. Billy Napier — Florida
Billy Napier is new to the SEC (at least as a head coach), so we haven't really got to see much from him yet. He has a pretty dry, no-nonsense personality based on what we've seen so far. He reminds me a bit of former Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt (which probably isn't a good thing).
12. Bryan Harsin — Auburn
Harsin has been somewhat entertaining during his time at Auburn, but it's been for all the wrong reasons. Harsin immediately felt like a bad fit at Auburn and that was seemingly confirmed this offseason when he was almost fired because of some wild internet rumors. Auburn actually investigated Harsin and then let him keep his job. It's only a matter of time before Harsin and Auburn go their separate ways.
11. Mark Stoops — Kentucky
Mark Stoops is one of the most underrated coaches in all of college football. But he's at Kentucky, so he doesn't get a lot of national attention. Stoops, however, usually gives good answers at press conferences and he's engaging. He's not going to generate a ton of headlines, but he has a decent entertainment factor — especially when he gets mad.
10. Josh Heupel — Tennessee
Josh Heupel is a fairly no-nonsense guy as well. He doesn't usually get too vocal about issues, but he'll let his voice be heard when he feels it's necessary. He'll also surprise you and drop a fun quote every now and then, like the one recently about drawing all over Florida's football helmets with a crayon.
9. Brian Kelly — LSU
I struggled with where to put Brian Kelly on this list. He's an odd guy who reminds me a lot of former Vols head coach Butch Jones (Kelly was Jones' mentor). But he's also a pretty good football coach. Kelly seems like he's usually annoyed about something. His real entertainment value comes from his various missteps, such as his fake southern accent or his attempt at dancing with recruits.
8. Sam Pittman — Arkansas
I'm a big Sam Pittman fan. I think he's the best offensive line coach in the nation and I think he's done a great job as the head coach at Arkansas. He's in the same category as Stoops as one of the most underrated coaches in the nation.
He also has a big personality that's infectious.
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7. Kirby Smart — Georgia
I know Kirby Smart is a polarizing figure — you either love him or hate him it seems. But there's no denying that he's entertaining. Smart is a ball of energy that gets wound up during games and unleashes his anger on anyone within sight.
Nearly every week there's a sideline meltdown from Smart at some point. And who doesn't want to see that?!?!?
6. Eliah Drinkwitz — Missouri
When Eliah Drinkwitz first showed up in the SEC a couple of years ago, I thought he was a boring, generic coach that would quickly get fired.
He still might get fired, but he's not as boring as I initially thought. Drinkwitz is, however, a bit cringeworthy. But that's entertaining, right?
5. Shane Beamer — South Carolina
Shane Beamer had a nice first year at South Carolina, going 7-6 and giving us plenty of viral video clips.
The best moment from Beamer came after his team lost to Georgia. Beamer explained that playing Georgia is difficult because of all the talent the Bulldogs have on the roster.
I think we can all appreciate that kind of candor.
4. Nick Saban — Alabama
Nick Saban seems like he's always angry — even after his team wins. We're guaranteed to get a few viral moments every season from the legendary head coach.
Sometimes Saban is passing along great advice. Other times he's just mad. Regardless of the situation, Saban's press conferences are always must-see events.
3. Jimbo Fisher — Texas A&M
Jimbo Fisher shot up this list thanks to his rebuttal to Saban this week. I've never seen anything like what we saw from Fisher this week. He didn't hold back while calling out his former boss. I know it probably wasn't a wise move by Fisher, but it was a genuine moment that will go down as one of the most memorable college football press conferences ever.
2. Mike Leach — Mississippi State
Mike Leach could easily be No. 1 on this list. And maybe he should be, but I'll give the edge to Kiffin because of the way he interacts with other coaches.
As for Leach, you truly never know what he's going to talk about during a press conference. It could be Halloween candy or the history of pirates. Anything goes with him.
1. Lane Kiffin — Ole Miss
I went back and forth with Leach and Kiffin, but I think Kiffin is more entertaining because he comments on nearly everything that happens in college football via his Twitter account. Kiffin always has something to add — even though there are times when he should just keep quiet. Kiffin has matured a bit as he's progressed through his coaching journey, but he's still a wild card when it comes to what's going to come out of his mouth (or his Twitter account).
Featured image via Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
