Coaching in the SEC Conference is, shall we say, stressful. Between the rabid fan bases and ridiculous expectations that nearly every program comes with, these coaches would be well advised to have regular blood pressure readings.
Still, every coach dreams of competing at the highest level possible, and in college football, the SEC is just that, year in and year out.
We took a look at several coaches who have endured the SEC pressure cooker before, and one who will do so for the first time as a head coach, in search of the top story-lines entering the 2015 season.
Brett Bielema, Arkansas: Some say that by year three, you’ll know what you really have with a coach. While he has won just two conference games in two seasons at Arkansas, Bielema did improve the Razorbacks dramatically from his first season, increasing their total wins by four games and winning the Texas Bowl over, Texas. This is year three, and Bielema might want to increase that SEC win total to keep momentum going.
Jim McElwain, Florida: McElwain went 22-16 in three seasons with Colorado State, including a 10-2 record last season. When the Gators hired the former Alabama coordinator, many wondered if he has what it takes to lead UF back to national dominance, or even relevance. His first year at CSU was a difficult one, but he would be well served not to repeat that in Gainesville, where the spotlight is firmly on results, unlike in Fort Collins.
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: The Aggies briefly appeared to have rebounded quite well from losing Johnny Manziel to the NFL, but things went off the tracks as the year went on. Sumlin has some stability at the QB position with Kyle Allen returning, so it’s hard to think that they’ll have a repeat of last season’s inconsistencies. Improving the defense would certainly help their cause.
Gary Pinkel, Missouri: Pinkel wins, plain and simple. Mizzou may not be a household name as a program, but their recent success puts them right near the top of the SEC as of late. The question is, can Mauk at QB get them over the hump and help them win an SEC title?
