Everybody ranks coaches differently. Some people count championships. Some look at winning percentage. Some look at recruiting rankings.

That’s not exactly how I’m doing this.

I’m looking at these guys through the eyes of a former coach. If I were building a football program today, who would I want running it? I’m looking at recruiting, development, X’s and O’s, how they build a staff, how their teams play, how they adjust during games and, maybe most importantly these days, how well they’ve adapted to the portal/NIL era of college football.

So this isn’t necessarily a ranking of résumés.

It’s JB’s ranking of SEC football coaches.

1. Kirby Smart — Georgia

This one isn’t difficult. Kirby is the standard in college football right now. He recruits, develops, hires good people and has built a culture where winning championships is the expectation rather than the dream.

If I’m starting a program tomorrow and can hire anybody in the SEC, Kirby Smart gets the first phone call.

2. Lane Kiffin — LSU

I’ve always liked Lane Kiffin as a coach, and I probably like him more than some people do. He’s one of the best offensive minds in football, understands quarterbacks and has adapted to every major change college football has thrown at coaches.

Now give that guy the resources and recruiting territory available at LSU? I think we’re about to find out just how good Kiffin can be.

3. Steve Sarkisian — Texas

Sarkisian has turned Texas back into a national championship-caliber program. He’s an outstanding offensive coach, an excellent recruiter and one of the better quarterback developers in the country.

He’s also learned from some earlier bumps in his coaching career, and I think he’s a much better head coach today because of them.

4. Kalen DeBoer — Alabama

Sometimes I think DeBoer gets judged unfairly because he followed Nick Saban, which may be the most impossible job in college football.

But the guy can coach. He’s won everywhere he’s been, understands offense and quarterbacks, and he’s shown throughout his career that he can take good football teams and make them better.

5. Mike Elko — Texas A&M

Mike Elko is the most underrated coach in the SEC.

I’ve liked what he’s done everywhere he’s been. His teams are physical, disciplined and fundamentally sound, and there’s a toughness to them that I appreciate. He develops football players, and I don’t think Texas A&M could have made a much better hire.

Don’t be surprised if we’re talking about Elko as one of the top three or four coaches in this conference before long.

6. Jon Sumrall — Florida

I’m probably higher on Sumrall than some people, and I’m perfectly comfortable with that.

His teams play hard, they’re physical, they’re disciplined and they reflect their head coach. He’s a program builder, and I think Florida may have finally found the kind of coach that fits what Florida football needs to become again.

7. Josh Heupel — Tennessee

Heupel is one of the best offensive coaches in college football, and what he’s done rebuilding Tennessee deserves a lot of credit.

I have him below Sumrall because I’m looking at the complete package when evaluating a head coach. Heupel is damn good, but I think Sumrall has a chance to become one of the elite program builders in the conference.

8. Clark Lea — Vanderbilt

What Clark Lea has accomplished at Vanderbilt might be one of the best coaching jobs in the SEC.

You have to evaluate coaches within the circumstances of their programs. Winning at Georgia and winning at Vanderbilt aren’t the same thing. Lea has changed expectations, developed players and made Vanderbilt a football program nobody can take lightly anymore.

9. Eli Drinkwitz — Missouri

Drinkwitz is another guy who probably doesn’t get enough credit nationally. Missouri has become a legitimate SEC football program under him, and that’s not something that happens accidentally.

He’s recruited well, developed talent and created an identity. I may not always agree with everything he does, but there’s no question the guy can coach.

10. Shane Beamer — South Carolina

Beamer is one of the more interesting coaches on this list because I think we’re approaching the point where we find out exactly what his ceiling is.

He’s recruited well, his players believe in him and he’s built a good culture at South Carolina. Now it’s about turning that talent and culture into consistent eight-, nine- and ten-win seasons. This could be a very important year for him.

11. Brent Venables — Oklahoma

There isn’t much question about Venables as a defensive football coach. He’s one of the best defensive minds in the game.

The question has always been whether he can put the entire thing together as a head coach. Oklahoma gives you everything necessary to win big, and eventually you’ve got to do it consistently.

12. Alex Golesh — Auburn

Golesh is an intriguing hire because he’s another offensive coach who has shown he can build something.

Auburn is a completely different animal, though. There may not be many jobs in America with higher expectations and less patience. If he can survive the Auburn pressure cooker, I think he’s got a chance to be pretty damn good.

13. Ryan Silverfield — Arkansas

Silverfield gets his opportunity to show what he can do on the SEC stage, and Arkansas isn’t an easy place to win consistently.

I like coaches who develop players and establish an identity, and that’s what he’ll need to do there. Arkansas doesn’t need somebody trying to imitate Alabama or Georgia. They need somebody who understands how to build Arkansas.

14. Pete Golding — Ole Miss

Golding is a guy I’ve respected as a defensive coach for a long time, but being the head coach is an entirely different job.

He’s taking over a program with expectations now, largely because of what Kiffin built there. Maintaining that level while putting his own stamp on Ole Miss will tell us a lot about him.

15. Jeff Lebby — Mississippi State

Lebby knows offense, and I think there are pieces of what he’s building at Mississippi State that are interesting.

But this is the SEC, and eventually interesting has to turn into wins. Mississippi State is a difficult job, so I’m willing to give him some room, but he’s still got plenty to prove.

16. Will Stein — Kentucky

Somebody has to be No. 16, and for me it’s Stein simply because there’s more unknown here than with most of the coaches ahead of him.

That doesn’t mean I think he can’t coach. Quite the opposite—there are things about him I like. But until I see him build and manage an SEC program, I can’t justify putting him ahead of guys who have already done it.

Final Thoughts

What jumps out at me about this list is just how deep the SEC coaching pool has become.

And remember, I’m not ranking trophies sitting in somebody’s office. I’m ranking coaches.

Kirby Smart is clearly No. 1 for me. Lane Kiffin is No. 2 because if I’m giving somebody the keys to an elite program in today’s college football environment, there aren’t many guys I’d rather have.

But keep your eye on Mike Elko and Jon Sumrall.

Elko is my most underrated coach in the SEC, and Sumrall is my bet on a guy whose reputation may look considerably different a couple of years from now.

That’s what makes rankings like this fun.

We’ll come back and look at it again after the season.

And I have a feeling a few of these names are going to move quite a bit.

— JB
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