Pete Fiutak of College Football News recently released a list ranking the SEC head coaches heading into the 2020 season.
Checking in at No. 3 on the list is Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who trails only Nick Saban (1) and Ed Orgeron (2).
At No. 4 is Dan Mullen and at No. 5 is Gus Malzahn.
As much as I’d love for Smart to be in that No. 2 spot, I do not disagree with Fiutak here.
Smart’s time will come, and within the next five years he may very well occupy that No. 1 spot.
For now, he’s sitting at No. 3 on Fiutak’s list, likely right on the verge of taking over that No. 2 ranking. As long as he keeps winning the SEC East, beating rivals and putting his team in striking distance for the College Football Playoff…he’ll be considered a top-five coach in America.
Orgeron or Smart at No. 2 was likely a somewhat difficult decision. Fiutak went with Coach O since he accomplished something Kirby hasn’t yet, a national championship.
I’ve heard it all – “Anyone could win with that roster.”
Sure, Smart probably would have won it with that roster LSU had last year. But, at the end of the day, he didn’t have that roster. No other way around it.
Also, how can you not love Coach O?
As for Saban, there’s no arguing that one.