This fall will be Nick Saban's 16th directing the Crimson Tide. He's the dean of SEC football coaches. Who's second on the list? That would be Mark Stoops, who arrived at Kentucky in 2013 and is preparing to enter his 10th year at the helm.
Will 2022 be "the" year? You know, the year where the Wildcats take that elusive next step? The goal involves "the ATL" as UK's players have referred to it during spring practice. That's the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. To do that, of course, Kentucky would have to win the SEC East.
That's a tough nut to crack. This is the SEC we're talking about, where football just means more. Since the conference first expanded in 1992, Kentucky is one of four schools that has yet to play for the conference championship.
We're not saying BBN should book its trip this year, but we will say this: If you look at the current state of the programs in the division, Kentucky's consistency and continuity stands out.
Take Florida, for example. For the fourth time since Urban Meyer departed in 2010, the Gators are starting over with a new coach. Dan Mullen reached Atlanta in 2020, then crashed and burned in 2021. Ex-Louisiana coach Billy Napier is now in charge. The guess here is Napier do well. In time.
Tennessee hasn't been to Atlanta since 2007. The Vols haven't won the league title since 1998. Josh Heupel is UT's fifth head coach since Phil Fulmer was pushed out the door in 2008. Heupel appears to be headed in the right direction, but we thought the same of Lane Kiffin, Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt.
Under Gary Pinkel, Missouri earned the title game in both 2013 and 2014. The Tigers haven't posted a winning SEC record since. Current coach Eli Drinkwitz was a promising 5-5 in his 2020 debut but slipped back to 6-7 overall last season.
Shane Beamer lifted South Carolina's 2021 spirits by going 7-6 in his first year. South Carolina has made just one SEC title game appearance, however. That was 2010 under Steve Spurrier. The Gamecocks are 24-42 their last eight years against conference foes.
James Franklin made Vanderbilt a threat. Alas, Franklin left for Penn State after the 2013 campaign. Derek Mason went 8-57 over seven SEC campaigns. New coach Clark Lea went 0-8 in the league and 2-10 overall last season. Since '92 expansion, the 'Dores have recorded one winning SEC season.
Don't worry. We're not forgetting Georgia. The Bulldogs are the reigning national champions, after all. Kirby Smart has recruited and coached at a ridiculously high level. Last year, UGA reaped the fruits of Smart's labors. The Bulldogs finally topped Alabama in the national title game after Bama had surprised Georgia in Atlanta.
To no one's surprise, the Bulldogs will be favored to win their fourth SEC East title in five years come fall. Only three starters return from the defense that allowed a meager 10.2 points per game last season, but Smart has plenty of five-star prospects eager for starting roles. The 2022 Georgia might not be as good as the 2021 Georgia, but the Bulldogs are still the team to beat.
Don't be surprised if Kentucky is Georgia's biggest threat, however. At least in the East. The Cats are coming off their second 10-win season in four years. They've won four consecutive bowl games. Stoops has built a winning culture through savvy recruiting and player development.
There are holes to fill, to be sure. Talking to coaches and players this spring, the offensive line and defensive secondary are positions of emphasis. New offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello is building on what Liam Coen did a year ago, however. And persuading defensive coordinator Brad White to turn down Brian Kelly and LSU was a Stoops show of strength.
Here's the thing: Kentucky has never had the same head football coach for 10 seasons. Never. That doesn't guarantee anything, though. Continuity does, however, help put a program in position to take that veritable next step. No matter how difficult the step might be.
