So here is my definitive ranking of all Rebel football head coaches since 1933, which is when the SEC was formed. I could have gone back all time... but nah.
16. Red Drew (1946) 2-7. The guy before we got the legend.
15. Joe Lee Dunn (1994) 4-7 2-6 (SEC). Lost to State. Otherwise, I got nuthin'.
14. Steve Sloan (1978-1982)
The wunderkid who wasn't. Recruited a top QB (Forcade) and not much else in his five seasons. His OM teams often could score, but were soft and couldn't stop a cold on defense. Never even reached .500. Forcade deserved better. His 3-2 record against some good MSU teams is really his only redeeming quality.
13. Matt Luke (2017-2019) A nice guy and a okay coach who was handed a probation mess and did... not terrible. Probably in over his head but the man tried his best. Went 6-6 in 2017 and beat a ranked MSU team. Nothing much after that. Not great as a recruiter but didn't suck either all things considered.
12. Ed Orgeron (2005-2007)
CEO ranks this high for one reason: recruiting. Ed went after everyone no matter how many stars they had. He didn't get all that many but by gawd, he got a couple and say what you will, he wasn't scared. His recruits won those two Cotton Bowls Nutt likes to brag about. As a coach, Orgeron was a disaster however.
11. Ken Cooper (1974-1977)
One winning season (1975) where he went 6-5 but 5-1 in the SEC. OM usually had a stout defense while Cooper was HC, but the offense was always lacking. Biggest win by far was beating Note Dame in Jackson.
10. Billy Kinard (1971-1972, part of 1973)
Kinard gets here for one reason, his 1971 season when he went 10-2 (Against a kinda weak schedule) and won the Peach Bowl. Beat a strong LSU team (Best win by far) and destroyed a bad MSU team 48-0. The rest of his short time as OM HC was meh.
9. Ed Walker (1933-1937)
Our 1st HC coming into the SEC. Got us to our first bowl game (Orange) with a 9-2 record 1935, not counting the bowl loss. Mostly mediocre-average other than that. 3-2 again the bullies.
8. Houston Nutt (2008-2011)
Walked into a load of talent, but credit where due, eventually got it pointed in the right direction. That 2008 team was playing like a top 3 team by the end of 2008. 2009 was a mixed bag but we did win another Cotton Bowl. Nutt didn't/couldn't recruit so when CEO's talent graduated, HN was dead meat.
7. David Cutcliff (1999-2004)
Not a fan. Cut's main talent was recruiting a Manning to OM to play QB. Otherwise, Cut really underachieved (IMO) with one year (2003) as the exception. Lousy recruiter as well.
6. Harry Mehre (1938-1945)
Way before my time but the record shows the man won a lot early (31-8-1) but faded badly after that (8-18). No bowls, but hey, back then that was how it was. 3-4 against Moo U.
5. Brewer (1983-1993)
Hard nosed guy who wasn't above cheating (Like most HC in the SEC), but he got caught. Had some nice seasons after the malaise that was Sloan, Cooper, etc, and got OM bowling again. Leaned hard into JUCO recruiting, which generally lead to one good year and then a couple of stinkers. Beat State consistently like a drum until Sherrill arrived.
4. Freeze (2012-2016)
Speaking of smarmy humans... Hugh has a lot of faults (Mostly ego driven) and some run over into his coaching. That said, he won immediately and recruited very well, especially early on. Could and did win some huge games. And yes, lost some total head scratchers. No one knows what he might have done in 2014 with a healthy Treadwell, but I sure would've liked to have seen it.
3. Tuberville (1995-1998)
Great coach and top level recruiter, saddled with us just coming off probation, but won anyway for the most part. Kind of a smarmy snake as a human being, but if Tubs had stayed, OM would have won a lot of games... with or without Eli.
Gold Standard
While Kiffin did something Vaught never did (Win 11 games) JHV is still the undisputed king... for now. Six SEC titles, five seasons of one (or fewer) loses, and a NC (Should be two). Yeah, he still has the crown. But Kiffin just might be gaining fast.
2. Kiffin (2020-ongoing)
1. Vaught (1948-1970, 1973)
16. Red Drew (1946) 2-7. The guy before we got the legend.
15. Joe Lee Dunn (1994) 4-7 2-6 (SEC). Lost to State. Otherwise, I got nuthin'.
14. Steve Sloan (1978-1982)
The wunderkid who wasn't. Recruited a top QB (Forcade) and not much else in his five seasons. His OM teams often could score, but were soft and couldn't stop a cold on defense. Never even reached .500. Forcade deserved better. His 3-2 record against some good MSU teams is really his only redeeming quality.
13. Matt Luke (2017-2019) A nice guy and a okay coach who was handed a probation mess and did... not terrible. Probably in over his head but the man tried his best. Went 6-6 in 2017 and beat a ranked MSU team. Nothing much after that. Not great as a recruiter but didn't suck either all things considered.
12. Ed Orgeron (2005-2007)
CEO ranks this high for one reason: recruiting. Ed went after everyone no matter how many stars they had. He didn't get all that many but by gawd, he got a couple and say what you will, he wasn't scared. His recruits won those two Cotton Bowls Nutt likes to brag about. As a coach, Orgeron was a disaster however.
11. Ken Cooper (1974-1977)
One winning season (1975) where he went 6-5 but 5-1 in the SEC. OM usually had a stout defense while Cooper was HC, but the offense was always lacking. Biggest win by far was beating Note Dame in Jackson.
10. Billy Kinard (1971-1972, part of 1973)
Kinard gets here for one reason, his 1971 season when he went 10-2 (Against a kinda weak schedule) and won the Peach Bowl. Beat a strong LSU team (Best win by far) and destroyed a bad MSU team 48-0. The rest of his short time as OM HC was meh.
9. Ed Walker (1933-1937)
Our 1st HC coming into the SEC. Got us to our first bowl game (Orange) with a 9-2 record 1935, not counting the bowl loss. Mostly mediocre-average other than that. 3-2 again the bullies.
8. Houston Nutt (2008-2011)
Walked into a load of talent, but credit where due, eventually got it pointed in the right direction. That 2008 team was playing like a top 3 team by the end of 2008. 2009 was a mixed bag but we did win another Cotton Bowl. Nutt didn't/couldn't recruit so when CEO's talent graduated, HN was dead meat.
7. David Cutcliff (1999-2004)
Not a fan. Cut's main talent was recruiting a Manning to OM to play QB. Otherwise, Cut really underachieved (IMO) with one year (2003) as the exception. Lousy recruiter as well.
6. Harry Mehre (1938-1945)
Way before my time but the record shows the man won a lot early (31-8-1) but faded badly after that (8-18). No bowls, but hey, back then that was how it was. 3-4 against Moo U.
5. Brewer (1983-1993)
Hard nosed guy who wasn't above cheating (Like most HC in the SEC), but he got caught. Had some nice seasons after the malaise that was Sloan, Cooper, etc, and got OM bowling again. Leaned hard into JUCO recruiting, which generally lead to one good year and then a couple of stinkers. Beat State consistently like a drum until Sherrill arrived.
4. Freeze (2012-2016)
Speaking of smarmy humans... Hugh has a lot of faults (Mostly ego driven) and some run over into his coaching. That said, he won immediately and recruited very well, especially early on. Could and did win some huge games. And yes, lost some total head scratchers. No one knows what he might have done in 2014 with a healthy Treadwell, but I sure would've liked to have seen it.
3. Tuberville (1995-1998)
Great coach and top level recruiter, saddled with us just coming off probation, but won anyway for the most part. Kind of a smarmy snake as a human being, but if Tubs had stayed, OM would have won a lot of games... with or without Eli.
Gold Standard
While Kiffin did something Vaught never did (Win 11 games) JHV is still the undisputed king... for now. Six SEC titles, five seasons of one (or fewer) loses, and a NC (Should be two). Yeah, he still has the crown. But Kiffin just might be gaining fast.
2. Kiffin (2020-ongoing)
1. Vaught (1948-1970, 1973)
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