When ranking SEC schools by football, men's basketball coaches, is Georgia or Alabama No. 1?
Can we agree that Kirby Smart should be the No. 1-ranked SEC football coach, especially after Nick Saban’s retirement?
A better debate: How to rank SEC schools when evaluating their football coach plus their men’s basketball coach. Would Georgia remain No. 1 in such a ranking, fueled by Smart? What about Alabama? Where does Tennessee factor into the mix?
On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams rank their top eight SEC schools in terms of football plus men’s basketball coaches.
In some instances, the school's football and basketball coach each rank near the top of the SEC. In other cases, one coach does the heavy lifting.
Here are the schools featured in their top eight. Remember, these rankings are based on the combination of football coach and men’s basketball coach.
Alabama
Coaches: Kalen DeBoer (football); Nate Oats (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 1
Adams’ ranking: No. 2
Analysis: Alabama's run to the Final Four gives Oats a case for being the SEC’s best men’s basketball coach. Alabama is not a traditional basketball power, but Oats has taken the Tide to the Sweet 16 or beyond in three of the past four seasons. DeBoer’s an SEC rookie, but his reputation sparkles. He’s fresh off a national runner-up finish.
Georgia
Coaches: Kirby Smart (football); Mike White (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 3
Adams’ ranking: No. 1
Analysis: Smart obviously does the heavy lifting here, as the nation’s premier coach in the SEC’s marquee sport. He’s positioned Georgia to be a perennial national championship contender. White is not elite, but solid. He’s got Georgia hoops trending up.
Tennessee
Coaches: Josh Heupel (football); Rick Barnes (men’s basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 2
Adams’ ranking: No. 3
Analysis: Neither coach serves up bad seasons. Heupel’s done a fine job re-establishing a program that was in the dumps. Barnes is an NCAA Tournament regular and fresh off an Elite Eight finish. Neither coach may lift Tennessee to a national championship, but the Vols will never be irrelevant with these coaches, either.
Ole Miss
Coaches: Lane Kiffin (football); Chris Beard (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 4
Adams’ ranking: No. 4
Analysis: We’re still learning if Beard will succeed in the SEC, but he won at a high level elsewhere, and the Rebels showed some growth in his Year 1. Kiffin is Ole Miss’ best football coach since Johnny Vaught. He lifted the Rebels from also-ran status to CFP contender. Impressive job.
Kentucky
Coaches: Mark Stoops (football); John Calipari (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 5
Adams’ ranking: No. 5
Analysis: Calipari doesn’t look so great in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately department, but we can’t totally ignore his body of work. He remains a top-end SEC basketball coach. Stoops is a consistent performer. He keeps Kentucky punching above its weight, although he seems to have plateaued.
Auburn
Coaches: Hugh Freeze (football); Bruce Pearl (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 6
Adams’ ranking: No. 6
Analysis: Both coaches are established winners who have proven themselves at multiple stops. Pearl’s performance at Auburn is especially impressive, given the program’s history. He’s responsible for Auburn’s only Final Four.
Texas A&M
Coaches: Mike Elko (football); Buzz Williams (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 8
Adams’ ranking: No. 7
Analysis: Elko’s performance at Duke and previously as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator offers reason for optimism about his tenure. Williams regularly qualifies his teams for March Madness, even if his deepest runs are behind him.
Texas
Coaches: Steve Sarkisian (football); Rodney Terry (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: No. 7
Adams’ ranking: Not ranked in my top eight. Not sold on Terry.
Analysis: In just a few years, Sarkisian turned Texas from a punchline to a playoff qualifier. He’s a good recruiter, a good play-caller and an overall good coach. His program is ascending. The bigger question is basketball's direction under Terry. He did an admirable job in 2023, taking Texas to the Elite Eight after Beard’s in-season firing. The program regressed this season.
LSU
Coaches: Brian Kelly (football); Matt McMahon (basketball)
Toppmeyer’s ranking: Not ranked in my top eight. Kelly is solid, but jury out on McMahon. Check back next season.
Adams’ ranking: No. 8
Analysis: Kelly wins everywhere and at a high, high level. His 20 wins in two seasons at LSU suggests that the Tigers’ big spending to pluck him from Notre Dame might pay off soon in the form of national championship contention. As for McMahon, he thrived at Murray State. To be determined if he can get it done at LSU, but Year 2 was better than Year 1.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. You can subscribe to their podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.