Ad Disclosure
A program is about more than its on-field record last season, even though that’s how we tend to define SEC football teams at any given moment.
Each spring, we give a “State of the Union” for all 14 SEC teams, taking into account a three-year history for factors like on-field performance, recruiting, coaching, facilities and player development.
This is a difficult exercise considering how many programs have changed coaches within the last three years (Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt).
We left the grading up to the discretion of each writer. Some took a more narrow view (like with the Gators) while others tried to blend the last three years (like with the Mizzou Tigers). So these stories are not meant to compare teams side-by-side.
You can find all 14 stories linked to the team names below, as well as the current strength and weakness for each team according to our writers.
ALABAMA
Best grade: On-field performance, recruiting, coaching (A+)
Worst grade: Player development (A-)
ARKANSAS
Best grade: On-field performance (B+)
Worst grade: Facilities (C)
AUBURN
Best grade: Facilities (A)
Worst grade: On-field performance (D)
FLORIDA
Best grade: On-field performance (A)
Worst grade: Facilities (B)
GEORGIA
Best grade: Recruiting (A)
Worst grade: Coaching (C)
KENTUCKY
Best grade: Facilities (B)
Worst grade: On-field performance (C-)
LSU
Best grade: Recruiting (A+)
Worst grade: Player development (C+)
OLE MISS
Best grade: On-field performance, recruiting, facilities, coaching (A)
Worst grade: Player development (B+)
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Best grade: Player development (B)
Worst grade: Facilities (D)
MISSOURI
Best grade: Player development (A)
Worst grade: Facilities (C-)
SOUTH CAROLINA
Best grade: Player development (B+)
Worst grade: Facilities (C)
TENNESSEE
Best grade: Facilities (A)
Worst grade: Player development (C)
TEXAS A&M
Best grade: Facilities (A)
Worst grade: Recruiting (C-)
VANDERBILT
Best grade: Recruiting, facilities (C)
Worst grade: On-field performance, coaching (C-)
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
