The Southeastern Conference has long been recognized for outstanding football coaches. But the recognition doesn't necessarily extend to preseason football magazines.
Preseason publications rank every position in the SEC. Their all-conference preseason teams might run three-deep.
But they don't give you an all-coaches team. That's where I come in. I've compiled my All-SEC coaches team, comprised of head coaches and assistants.
Since it's pure fantasy, don't bothering asking: "How could you afford them?"
-- Urban Meyer: Head coach, special teams
Despite the depth of good coaching in the league, Florida's Meyer is an obvious choice as head coach. He even ranked No. 1 among the SEC coaches in a Birmingham News reader survey.
Meyer has won two national championships at Florida and coached Utah to an unbeaten season before heading south. Overall, he has won 83 of his 100 games as a head coach.
And he has the best stare in the business.
-- Nick Saban: Assistant head coach, secondary
Saban, who won a national championship at LSU and has Alabama on the rise, is better taking orders than giving them. So he would need a lot of leeway.
Meyer demonstrated his creativity in the way he utilized Tim Tebow as a freshman. Surely, he could find a way to capitalize on Saban's expertise.
Not only would Saban give you a great defensive coach, he's one of the best recruiters in the business.
-- Steve Spurrier: Offensive coordinator
So what if he hasn't been as successful at South Carolina as he was at Florida. That shouldn't devalue his worth as a play-caller.
With all the good coaches on my all-star staff, I wouldn't care if Spurrier ever came into the office. He could just show up on game day and call the ball plays.
-- Bobby Petrino: Quarterbacks
Petrino had a terrific track record as an offensive coach and quarterbacks coach before he took the Arkansas job last year. Then, he turned Arkansas senior Casey Dick into a respectable quarterback.
That speaks volumes.
-- Eddie Gran: Running backs
Tennessee's first-year assistant coach helped develop some of the best running backs in the league when he was at Auburn. Moreover, he's an exceptional recruiter, especially in Florida.
-- Trooper Taylor: Wide receivers
While at Tennessee, the Vols' wide receivers improved significantly under Taylor. Auburn's should do the same this season.
Taylor also would give you another exceptional recruiter.
-- Joe Pendry: Offensive line
Alabama's outstanding line play last season wasn't all about talent. Pendry has been an offensive coordinator with four different NFL teams and has coached every offensive position in either the pros or college.
-- Mike Markuson: Offensive line
Wherever Houston Nutt goes, he takes Markuson with him. Markuson has coached Nutt's offensive lines at Murray State, Boise State, Arkansas and now Ole Miss.
-- Monte Kiffin: Defensive coordinator, linebackers
The Tampa Bay Bucs won a Super Bowl with Kiffin running their defense. But the new Tennessee assistant's personality is well suited for the college game, which he coached from 1966 through 1982.
Imagine Kiffin and Saban having a month to prepare your defense for a national championship game.
-- Ed Orgeron: Recruiting coordinator, defensive line coach
ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman wrote a book about Orgeron's recruiting at Ole Miss. That, and the success of the team Orgeron left behind, tells you all you need to know about his recruiting prowess.
He also has the perfect disposition for the defensive line, which he now coaches at Tennessee and previously coached at Southern California, Miami and the New Orleans Saints.
(Contact Knoxville News-Sentinel sports editor John Adams at adamsj(at)knoxnews.com.)
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