SEC programs have plethora of resources
Turning things around can happen quickly
Less than a year ago, fans across the Southeastern Conference were mocking new Louisiana State coach Brian Kelly for trying to talk Southern. No one’s laughing now.
Josh Heupel’s revival of Tennessee from the SEC depths to one of the nation’s top teams in his second season has been impressive, but Kelly topped that by turning the Tigers from cellar dwellers into SEC West champions in his first year.
In the SEC, programs can jump from the basement to the college football penthouse in a matter of months by making the right moves.
“The resources here are better than anywhere that I’ve been in my career,” Kelly said Wednesday. “And so those resources go to work right away in helping you develop your football program.”
That’s saying something considering Kelly spent 12 years at his last job at college football’s most storied program. LSU lured Kelly away from Notre Dame to arguably the sport’s most competiive conference because the coach knew he’d be given what he needed to win.
This has happened faster than even Kelly expected. The Tigers clinched a berth in the SEC championship game with two games remaining and will face defending national champion and top-ranked Georgia in Atlanta on Dec. 3.
The tranfer portal helps coaches restock a depleted roster quickly.
Kelly had 39 scholarship players available for LSU’S bowl game a year ago. He needed to restock his coaching staff — only offensive line coach Brad Davis was retained — and the support staff for a program that won the 2019 SEC title and national championship.
If LSU athletic director Scott Woodward had told Kelly in December winning the SEC West title in his first season also was on that to-do list,
Kelly likely would’ve said nope.
“That would not have been a realistic expectation,” Kelly said.
Heupel has Tennessee fifth in The Associated Press Top 25 and the College Football Playoff rankings two seasons after the Volunteers went 3-7 in an Sec-only season that ended weeks later with the coach and nine others fired for “serious” NCAA violations.
His scholarship players available also plummeted as Vols ran to the transfer portal, heading to other teams in the SEC like linebacker Henry To’o To’o to Alabama.
Tennessee (9-1) just finished its first undefeated record at Neyland Stadium since 2007 along with six straight sellouts, and Heupel credits fan support as a huge part of the turnaround.
“Obviously, when Neyland is rocking, it is unsurpassed by anybody,” Heupel said.
Not winning quickly enough is cause for concern in this league.
That No. 1 recruiting class only ramped up the pressure to win at Texas A&M where a 3-7 record has fans wondering if Jimbo Fisher’s buyout really is too big after his pricey extension in December.
Eli Drinkwitz’s extension lowered his future buyout in case Missouri doesn’t keep going to bowls.