SEC Coach of the Year – Syndication Server

Kirby Smart named as SEC’s coach of the year

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been named as the SEC’s coach of the year. What other Bulldog won an individual award from the SEC?

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been named as the SEC’s coach of the year. SEC coaches named Kirby Smart as the coach of the year.

Why is Kirby Smart the conference’s coach of the year after winning a national championship? Because Georgia lost 15 players to the 2022 NFL draft and numerous other players to the transfer portal.

Despite the roster turnover, the standard remained the same for the Bulldogs. Georgia finished a second consecutive regular season undefeated and won the SEC championship against LSU. This combination of accomplishments is why SEC head coaches voted for Kirby Smart as the coach of the year over LSU’s Brian Kelly and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel.

Georgia earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and will look to repeat as national champions. The Bulldogs face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP semifinals on Dec. 31.

A big reason for Georgia’s continued success was special teams. Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny was named as the SEC’s special teams player of the year. Podlesny make 23 of 26 field goal attempts in 2022 and did not miss a single kick under 40 yards.

Georgia Bulldogs place kicker Jack Podlesny was very consistent in 2022. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Podlesny was named first team AP All-SEC. Georgia’s coaches and offense did not like having to attempt so many field goals, but they were happy to have a reliable kicker that made field goals when the offense got stopped in the red zone.

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Finalists named for Bobby Dodd coach of the year award

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is one of five finalists to win the Bobby Dodd Trophy.

The Bobby Dodd Trophy committee has named the five finalists for the coach of the year award. The Dodd Trophy does not allow first-year coaches to win the award, so TCU’s Sonny Dykes is not in the running for the award despite taking the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoffs.

Michigan‘s Jim Harbaugh, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, Tulane’s Will Fritz, Kansas State’s Chris Klieman, and Georgia’s Kirby Smart are the five finalists for the award.

Jim Harbaugh helped Michigan make the playoffs for a second consecutive year. Kyle Whittingham and Utah won the Pac-12. Tulane won the American Athletic Conference and is 12-1 under Will Fritz. Kansas State and Chris Klieman won the Big 12. Lastly, Georgia’s Kirby Smart is 13-0 and won an SEC championship.

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh won the Big Ten championship again. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodd Trophy winner will be announced at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. The award factors in community service and academics as well as on-field performance.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has already been named as the SEC’s coach of the year.

Why does Smart have a chance to win the Dodd coach of the year award after winning a national championship? Because Georgia lost 15 players to the 2022 NFL draft and numerous other players to the transfer portal.

Despite the roster turnover, the standard remained the same for the Bulldogs. Georgia finished a second consecutive regular season undefeated and won the SEC championship against LSU. These accomplishments are why Smart is in the running to win the Dodd Trophy despite having a stacked roster.

Georgia earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and will look to repeat as national champions.

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Auburn’s Bruce Pearl the clear frontrunner for SEC Coach of the Year

Perhaps some recognition coming for Bruce Pearl?

What a difference a year has made for the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team and head coach Bruce Pearl. His team posted their worst record under his leadership since the 2015-16 season when the team posted an 11-20 record.

Fast forward to the 2021-22 campaign and you have one of the best teams in the country. They swept their rivals, Alabama as well as beat Kentucky during their long winning steak. Not to mention Auburn reached No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in school history.

The players deserve a large bit of the credit but head coach Bruce Pearl has them in contention for the SEC crown and a whole lot more. Auburn is looking for a return to the Final Four, as they achieved under Pearl in 2019. He also could post his best season ever as a head coach. While with the Tennessee Vols, Pearl was 31-5 during the 2007-08 season. That year they made it to the Sweet 16.

Looking at the contenders for the SEC Coach of the Year, ESPN listed Pearl at the head of the class. Kentucky’s John Calipari is also in the running. Both have led massive turnarounds.

What ESPN Says…

Sure, Pearl’s team had potential entering the season. He had transfers Walker Kessler and Wendell Green Jr. He had Jabari Smith, a five-star recruit and an NBA prospect. The players were there for a strong season. But Pearl’s squad would have to navigate an SEC landscape that included Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky — four teams that seemed equipped to pass the Tigers in the league’s race.

Pearl has exceeded expectations. His team started the week in first place in the SEC standings. (It owns a win over second-place Kentucky in their only meeting of the regular season.) Auburn also is a top seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, after enjoying a stretch as the No. 1 team in America. And Pearl might be the front-runner for national Coach of the Year.

Last season under Pearl, the Auburn Tigers finished 13-14 and 7-11 in conference play. They were No. 10 in SEC standings when it was all said and done. Their offensive rating was No. 129 and their defensive rating was No. 253. It all changed in the 2021-22 season for Pearl and company.

After winning just 13 games a season ago, the Tigers rattled off 19-straight wins before an overtime loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Of their two losses on the year, both came in overtime. Teams need an extra session to beat Auburn this season. Even more remarkable is the change in their ratings.

This year, Auburn is No. 43 in offensive ratings and No. 26 in defensive ratings. They can thank the additions of Walker Kessler from North Carolina, Wendell Green Jr from Eastern Kentucky, KD Johnson from Georgia, and 2021 signee Jabari Smith for the change.

Pearl has put it all together this year and is in line for the SEC Coach of the Year award along with national recognition. Auburn welcomes Vanderbilt to The Jungle on Wednesday night.