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Believe it or not, half of the college football regular season is already behind us. And while there is plenty left to be determined on and off the field, it’s still a good time to evaluate the jobs the SEC’s head coaches have done so far.
As we enter the second half of the season, here is where they rank based on their 2016 performances:
1. Nick Saban, Alabama
We’re running out of superlatives to describe what Saban and the Crimson Tide have done over the last decade. Bama is currently on a 19-game winning streak, which matches the longest such run during Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa.
What’s most impressive about Alabama’s 7-0 start is the fact that the Tide has scored 11 non-offensive touchdowns this season. To put that in perspective, South Carolina has produced nine offensive touchdowns in one fewer game.
2. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
What a difference an offseason has made for Sumlin and A&M. Months after watching their two starting quarterbacks from 2015 decide to transfer and after letting offensive coordinator Jake Spavital go, the Aggies are off to their first 6-0 start since 1994.
Behind Spavital’s replacement Noel Mazzone, Texas A&M is the top rushing team in the SEC, averaging 274.3 yards per game. And despite completing only 53.5 percent of his passes, Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight has done a nice job of running Mazzone’s offense.
3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Hiring Kevin Steele as his defensive coordinator is looking like Malzahn’s best move of the offseason. And even though three SEC teams are ahead of the Tigers in scoring defense, AU is 11th in the FBS in that category, allowing 16 points per game.
Malzahn’s best in-season move was deciding to go with Sean White as his quarterback. Despite throwing for only 6 touchdowns, the redshirt sophomore has the best passer rating in the SEC.
4. Jim McElwain, Florida
Despite not having starting QB Luke Del Rio for two games due to a knee injury, McElwain has his Gators in the driver’s seat in the SEC East. Under coordinator Geoff Collins, Florida leads the conference in total defense (252 yards per game) and scoring defense (12 points per game).
Even with Del Rio back under center, the Gators’ offense still has room to improve. But when you consider where Florida was at the end of Will Muschamp’s failed head-coaching stint, McElwain has impressively followed up an outstanding rookie season with a solid sophomore campaign.
5. Bret Bielema, Arkansas
With only five starters returning on offense, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Razorbacks. But Bielema has the Hogs firmly entrenched in the AP Top 25 Poll with a 5-2 record.
The biggest development of the season so far has been the play of quarterback Austin Allen. Having taken over for older brother Brandon, the junior signal-caller leads the SEC with 18 passing TDs and 1,861 yards through the air.
6. Butch Jones, Tennessee
The Volunteers got off to a shaky 5-0 start while struggling in home victories over Appalachian State and Ohio. But a plethora of injuries and two straight losses have left Tennessee in a second-place tie in the SEC East with Kentucky — that’s right, Kentucky.
What Jones has to fix in the second half is the Vols’ tendency to fall behind big time before pulling out incredible victories like they did against Florida. Holding a potential tiebreaker over the Gators for the division could be huge, especially if Tennessee wins out — which it should — and if Florida loses to Georgia a week from Saturday.
7. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Who had the Wildcats in the same position in the SEC East as Tennessee six games into the season? And for the first time in Stoops’ four seasons in Lexington, Kentucky might actually win six games and qualify for a bowl.
The Wildcats more than likely won’t beat Georgia, Tennessee or Louisville. But matchups against Mississippi State, Missouri and Austin Peay are all winnable games. We’ll see if Stoops can finally get the job done.
8. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss
The Rebels are the nation’s lone ranked team with three losses. But they surrendered three-touchdown leads in two of those defeats, which were both to ranked teams, so this season could’ve been much more promising.
Somehow, some way, Freeze must find some semblance of a running game that isn’t totally reliant on QB Chad Kelly. Otherwise, Ole Miss won’t have much of a shot in big upcoming games against LSU, Auburn and Texas A&M.
9. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt
It took him parts of three seasons to do it, but Mason finally picked up his first SEC road victory by winning at Georgia last Saturday. The Commodores’ 3-4 start isn’t bad, but it could be an ugly finish as Vandy — which hosts Tennessee State on Saturday — ends the season at Auburn and Missouri, and then at home against Ole Miss and Tennessee.
10. Kirby Smart, Georgia
After getting off to a 3-0 start, Smart has watched his Bulldogs lose three of their last four games, including last week’s home defeat to Vanderbilt, which held Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to 68 yards on 29 carries. The good news for Georgia is that three of its last five regular-season games are at home, including a home game against Auburn and a neutral site game against Florida.
11. Barry Odom, Missouri
Odom is probably still ruing the opportunity his Tigers had when they surrendered a fourth-quarter lead to Georgia in a 28-27 home loss on Sept. 17. A 2-4 start that includes an 0-3 SEC mark has been rough, but QB Drew Lock and the rest of Mizzou’s offense have really improved under new coordinator Josh Heupel.
12. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
The first year following the Dak Prescott era has been difficult for Mullen and the Bulldogs. And it’s only going to get tougher in the second half as Mississippi State caps the season with the following opponents: Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss.
13. Will Muschamp, South Carolina
The offense obviously has struggled, but the same can’t be said about the defense. Muschamp’s decision to hire Travaris Robinson as his defensive coordinator looks like a good one, as the Gamecocks are allowing 20.2 points per game, which is nearly a touchdown improvement from 2015, when it ranked dead last in the league.
Note: Ed Orgeron is not on this list because he has coached only two games for LSU.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
