Tennessee has one of the best young coaches in college football and a legend destined for remembered as one of the best coaches in college basketball history.
That stacks right up with the best coaching combinations in the SEC.
When comparing the top two coaches amongst SEC schools, the Vols add up quite well. Football coach Josh Heupel needs a College Football Playoff berth on his resume and basketball coach Rick Barnes could use a national championship to cement his standing – or at least one more Final Four.
Until one or more of those things happen, here are the top three combinations of football and men’s basketball coaches in the SEC.
No.1 – Alabama
Despite what you may think about Kalen DeBoer, Nick Saban’s replacement has a College Football Playoff berth on his resume. Basketball coach Nate Oats was just eliminated from the Final Four. Assuming DeBoer isn’t just a flash in the pan, Bama seems to be in good shape in both revenue sports.
No. 2 – Auburn
The Tigers have a Final Four coach in basketball coach Bruce Pearl. However, they also have a reclamation project in football coach Hugh Freeze, who has had some personal missteps in his career. If Freeze has cooled off, this is a great combination.
No. 3 – Tennessee
The Vols still struggle with “Regular Season Rick,” but he’s a solid coach with an impeccable reputation. Heupel is the coach everyone is most excited about given where he has led the Vols in four short years.
