We (LSU) have the best talent around. We have top of the line workout facilities. We have a great football environment, but I wonder if we have one of the best coaches in the SEC. Think about all the coaches in the SEC... Now how does coach Les compare to the other coaches in yalls opinion. I like Les Miles the man, but I just dont know if he is one of the best coaches in the SEC. I dont know all the coaches but I do know Fla - Urban Meyer USC - Steve Spurier (however you spell it) ALA - $ellout $aban (Hate to say it, but he can coach his ass off) Aub - Tommy Tubberville UGA - Mark Richt ( I think) Ark - Housyon Nutt (Some people dont like him but I think he's a good coach) All these are good coaches, and I'm sure they have some other good coaches in the SEC. How do yall think Les Miles compares?
How do you define good coach? Wins? X&O's? Dealing with media? Running a program? Our coach wins and can obviously run a program/delegate well....that's what I call a good coach. If I wanted a coach who could out-scheme another I'd go for Spurrier, Meyer, then Saban in that order...but we're winning and the program is as solid and full of talent as ever, that's good enough for me.
Lets see: Les is tied with Urban Meyer in the SEC at 85%, the highest SEC winning percentage. Higher than Spurrier, Richt, Saban, Tube, and Nutt. Les has finished in the top-5 in the last two years. No other SEC coach has done that. Despite having 3 games moved because of the hurricanes, Les took his team to the SECCG in his rookie SEC season, the only time that has ever been done. LSU blew out highly ranked teams in bowl games, including a BCS bowl, in both Les' years at LSU. Les has LSU again ranked in the preseason top-5 for 2007. I think Les is easily among the top-tier coaches in the SEC. I think you listed the rest of them except for Fulmer.
Fla - Meyer - NC USC - Spurrier - NC UT- Fulmer - NC ALA - Saban - NC Aub - Tommy Tubberville - Undefeated season UGA - Mark Richt Ark - Nutt LSU - Miles It doesn't matter who you are if you can look at that list and say this isn't the toughest conference with the best coaching in the nation, you are flat out lying. Now officiating .. that's a different story.
On first thought, the only way to objectively answer this question would be to observe several parallel universes, each coach having the same team playing the same opponents. But each coach has his own style, hires assistants that meld with his objectives, recruits different types of players, works to raise funds that give him a competitive advantage..... So that old saw about him beating you with his, then turning around and beating his with yours probably only exist where the other party is seriously outclassed. I would love to be able to say; Ceteris Paribus, so and so is the best, but things are never equal. In closing; Bugatti, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, just enjoy the ride.
Houston Nutt does not belong in the same conversation as Spurrier, Richt, etc. He's a mediocre coach who will have a good year every once in a while.
I'd put Meyer, Spurrier, Richt, and Tuberville above him, and I'd say he's about tied with Phat Phil at this point. You can't go on his 22-4 record because he hasn't had a chance to get his players through the program.
