The 2012 Class of SEC Head Coaches are All Struggling

Bret Bielema, Gus Malzahn, Mark Stoops, and Butch Jones. All aboard the struggle bus! Steve Spurrier is driving!

This isn’t a conversation about hot seats, and this isn’t an article where I complain about the struggles of the Arkansas Razorbacks and their disappointing start to the 2015 campaign. This is merely an observation meant to illicit rational thinking by all 4 fanbases that hired a new coach in 2012: Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The Arkansas Razorbacks limped into a BYE week after their loss to Alabama. When you account for injuries, graduation, and the NFL draft, the 2-4 (1-2) Hogs have lost 12 of the 22 starters from last year’s 7-6 team. Not counting injuries, that number is still at 8. That’s a huge loss for a team that had an incredibly shallow depth chart to begin with. If the 2014 Hogs had suffered the injuries that the 2015 team has, then I’m skeptical the team would have finished so strong.

That’s not to make an excuse as much as an explanation. There’s no excusing away the Toledo loss, and Texas Tech out-schemed the Hogs. The Razorbacks shot themselves in the foot with penalties against Texas A&M (as well as Toledo and TTU, for that matter) and have struggled all season long to deliver on any of the hype that was built up about the run game and the defense in the offseason. And that falls on Bret Bielema.

The head Hog not only let the hype build up, he was responsible for a lot of it himself. When you put the offensive line on the cover of the media guide, I think it should be safe to assume you should be able to rush for more than 103 yards against Toledo in Little Rock. CALL ME CRAZY! The Arkansas coaching staff watched Brooks Ellis and Denver Kirkland play out of position all offseason and never made a switch. The turnaround for the Hogs defense happened when true freshman Dre Greenlaw moved to WLB and Ellis moved back to MLB. How was it that hard to notice? It’s too late to move Kirkland, but he should never have been at tackle. Surely Johnny Gibson or Brian Wallace could have benefited from A) playing in that role all offseason and B) getting all this game experience. It’s just head scratch worthy to me. And for the second season in a row, the Hogs have got to close out the season with big time wins over SEC teams in order to make a bowl game.

Here’s the MOST frustrating part, though. I think the Hogs will do it. The way the defense looked against Alabama, Tennessee, and TAMU makes me think the Razorbacks are close to turning a corner, just like in 2014. The reason for the frustration is that we had to wait until after a BYE week to turn the corner again. If the Arkansas that played against A&M had played against UTEP, and then gotten better every week, then the Hogs would be 4-2 or 5-1 right now. THAT is what is frustrating to me.

Oct 15, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn reacts during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Auburn defeated Kentucky 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Razorbacks aren’t the only team that is struggling, though. It’s hard times all around the conference. The Hogs host an Auburn Tigers team that was picked by the media to win the SEC this year, and they certainly haven’t delivered on that promise to their fans, either. In Malzahn’s first season as the Auburn head coach, he took the Tigers all the way to the BCS National Championship game, which they lost to Florida State. In 2014, the Tigers started strong before dropping 4 of their last 5 games (including their bowl game) to finish with an 8-5 final record. This season, Auburn is 4-2 (2-1), but hasn’t looked great in any of their wins. Single score victories over Louisville, Jacksonville State, and Kentucky has the Tiger faithful wondering what’s going to happen now that the tough part of their schedule begins.

Auburn, much like Arkansas, fell victim to hype from the media and the coaches, as well has poor judgement by the coaching staff in key positions. Most notably at quarterback. The preseason hype around Jeremy Johnson was huge. He was called “the next Cam Newton” on more than one occasion by multiple media outlets. By week 6, Johnson had been benched for Sean White, and Auburn had lost their #1 receiver, Duke Williams, to off the field issues. How did Malzahn watch this offense and not make the change sooner? It’s the same questions I have for Bielema. You WATCHED this team EVERY DAY! Why did you let the media hype your QB up so much? That just led to insane expectations from the fans and for the team. You can actually listen to me talk about this with the Jason Caldwell of AUTigers.com on this Vsporto exclusive.

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It’s not hard to pinpoint the problems at Arkansas. A decimated depth chart, injuries, and some questionable coaching calls. It IS, in my opinion, hard to pinpoint the problems at Auburn. Say what you will about Gene Chizik, but he recruited like a beast while at the school. It showed in the team that Malzahn inherited in 2013. Yes, Gus recruited most of the offensive players, but it was still Gene’s team. I’m only 40% serious when I wonder if Malzahn can get it done with his own players. Not to be a jerk, but he really hasn’t ever stayed in one place long enough for us to find out. He’s never been at any job more than 2 season until now, and he’s struggling. Eh, I’m sure he’ll be fine. Neither him nor Bielema are on the hot seat this year, no matter how bad the second half of the season goes for them.

Sep 5, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Alex Collins (3) runs for a first down against the UTEP Miners during the game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorbacks defeat the Miners 48-13. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The same can’t be said for Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones. Vol fans are very frustrated with Butch this season, and understandably so. Just like Arkansas and Auburn, Tennessee came into the season with high expectations from the media and the fans. Potential winners of the SEC East, and all that jazz. It’s been a rough season for Tennessee so far. The Vols sit at 3-3 (1-2) overall, and in all three of their losses they led by 14 points or more. How does that happen?

Much like Arkansas last year, Tennessee finished strong, winning 4 of their last 5 games in 2014, including a bowl victory over Iowa. Butch Jones has signed top 10 classes 2 years in a row at Knoxville, and had a top 5 class last year. Fans in Tennessee are beginning to wonder is Butch can win on the field like he does in recruiting. The Vols were able to squeak out a home win against a Nick Chubb-less Georgia team, and have to face Alabama this Saturday.

The Vols have some hope for the season, though. The toughest part of their schedule is behind them after Alabama. Home games against South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt are the benefit of playing in the SEC East, and should give the Vols a shot at post-season play.

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is probably the least likely to be declared on the “hot seat”, at least for the moment. Stoops has Kentucky 2 wins away from being bowl eligible, and still has Vandy, Charlotte, Mississippi State, and Louisville left on the schedule. Stoops has recruited fairly well at Kentucky, but that doesn’t change the fact that he went 5-7 last season, and lost at home to a not-so-great Auburn team last week. However, since Kentucky is all about that round ball, if Stoops gets to a bowl game this year, I think fans will be overall happy with his progress.

So let’s sum up: Arkansas is 2-4 (1-2). Auburn is 4-2 (1-2). Tennessee is 3-3 (1-2). And Kentucky is 4-2 (2-2).

In year 3 of all these head coach’s tenures at these schools, it is hard times. Is it because these coaches are all terrible and they should be fired along with the athletic directors that hired them? That is the opinion of a (very) vocal minority online, for sure. Or is the answer more obvious and less dramatic than that? Maybe….just maybe…rebuilding a program in the SEC is hard?

The synchronicity of these 4 programs this season has been interesting to watch. Arkansas and Tennessee both finished 7-6 last year with lots of big wins late in the season. Both coaches rode a wave of hype into the season, and then wiped out hard by week 2. Bret Bielema got his first conference road win against Butch Jones this year. (It was the first time Bret has played an unranked road game.) Then Arkansas had to play Alabama on the road, and had their momentum squashed. Tennessee gets a big win over Georgia, then has to turn around and play Alabama on the road and (most likely) get their momentum squashed.

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Gus Malzahn has his only SEC victory so far this year over Kentucky. Again, the 2012 coaches can’t get out of each other’s paths. Auburn may have 4 wins, but they also have the toughest schedule remaining of these 4 teams by far. The Tigers still have to play Ole Miss, A&M, Georgia, and Alabama. AND they open as 3.5 point underdogs to the Razorbacks, a 2 win team. Auburn is going to have to upset a team to make a bowl game this year. Their best shot is against Arkansas.

Meanwhile, in Fayetteville, Arkansas has a fairly favorable schedule down the stretch, with home games against Auburn, UT Martin, Mississippi State, and Missouri. All 4 games against beatable teams, and the Hogs need 4 wins to go bowling. Which means that for Bret and Gus, they each need to win against another 2012 classmate to give themselves a good shot at a bowl game.

Finally, let’s say that both Auburn and Arkansas make a bowl game this year, (which is totally possible, obviously) then that means they both got there by beating a 2012 classmate from the East. Just odd and interesting coincidences all around for the SEC this year, particularly involving the 2012 class of coaches.

So what is the solution, then? Is there even a problem? Every coach seems to be in the same situation. Arkansas and Auburn both gave their respective coaches gigantic buyouts. They aren’t going anywhere. Tennessee gave Jones a respectable extension after last season, but I believe they’re still paying their last coach off his buyout as well, so I’m not sure if any type of firing is an option for the Vols, either.

Oct 10, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (10) passing during pre game warm ups before the start of their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Honestly, I can’t speak for the Auburn, Tennessee, or Kentucky fans when it comes to their coach’s buyouts and such. But I can speak for Arkansas. When Jeff Long extended Bret Bielema’s contract, it wasn’t just because the team had improved so much. It wasn’t just because of the MASSIVE decrease in off the field issues and arrests. It wasn’t just because the teams GPA had risen from below a 2.0 to an even 3.0 by the end of summer courses. No, it was much more than that.

When Arkansas hired Bret Bielema late in 2012, he became the 4th head Hog in 6 years for Arkansas. The Houston Nutt recruiting classes weren’t great, and the last Petrino class wasn’t great, then we had an interim coach and lol recruiting for that year. Bielema offered so much, both tangibly and intangibly, to the university. But the main thing he offered? Stability. That’s something that Gus, Butch, and Mark all offer to their schools as well. I think all 4 coaches will have success in their current positions with their programs. Will the success be enough to satiate their fans and donors? That is unknowable. What I can say with great confidence, however, is that firing ANY of these coaches after only 3 years in a program would be a huge mistake. What kind of message would that send to the coaches you try to bring in to replace the guy you just fired? No one is going to want that job. 3 years is not a long time, especially in the SEC. The most difficult thing you can ask of a passionate fanbase is to have patience, but that’s exactly what Arkansas fans need right now.

That, and a win over Auburn.

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