All Things CW: What's a Win Against Nick Saban Worth? Money and Whole Lot More

A look at the SEC coaching turnover over the last 15 years, finally some good news for Tua Tagovailoa, and an Alabama announcement you may have missed this week.

There were two coaches who enjoyed wins against Alabama and Nick Saban last season. 

Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M didn't get a raise out of it, he had already landed a contract extension that would pay him nearly $95 million over the next 10 years, including $9 million in 2022. Instead, he was rewarded by landing a recruiting class that many hailed as being better than Alabama's.

Georgia did that in 2018 and 2020, forming the base of the 2021 national champions, which knocked off the Crimson Tide in the title game.

Consequently, Georgia athletic Director Josh Brooks recently revealed that head coach Kirby Smart's contract, which saw him make $7 million last season (the eighth most nationally), will be getting his first raise since 2017. 

Based on that alone, a win against the dynasty is worth a lot, and also helps explain how Brian Kelly ended up with a 10-year, $95 million contract from a school that was supposedly having financial problems. 

But let's flip it around and look at it from another angle. 

Since 2007, there have been 30 coaches who have been fired or stepped down after taking a loss to Alabama. 

These were obviously due to a wide variety of circumstances and situations, and in no way do we want to imply that someone like Joe Paterno or Hugh Freeze was forced out because of a loss to the Crimson Tide.

With that disclaimer, here's the list: 

2007: Houston Nutt (Arkansas); Ed Orgeron (Ole Miss)

2008: Tommy Bowden (Clemson); Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State); Philip Fulmer (Tennessee); Tommy Tuberville (Auburn)

2009: Rich Brooks (Kentucky)

2010: Urban Meyer (Florida)

2011: Derek Dooley (Tennessee); Houston Nutt (Ole Miss); Joe Paterno (Penn State); Bobby Petrino (Arkansas)

2012: Gene Chizik (Auburn); John L. Smith (Arkansas)

2013: None

2014: Will Muschamp (Florida)

2015: Todd Berry (ULM); Mark Richt (Georgia)

2016: Hugh Freeze (Ole Miss); Les Miles (LSU)

2017: Bret Bielema (Arkansas); Butch Jones (Tennessee); Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M)

2018: Bobby Petrino (Louisville)

2019: Matt Luke (Ole Miss); Joe Moorhead (Mississippi State); Chad Morris (Arkansas)

2020: Gus Malzahn (Auburn); Jeremy Pruitt (Tennessee)

2021: Manny Diaz (Miami); Dan Mullen (Florida); Ed Orgeron (LSU)

With some of the above, yes, losing to Saban's Crimson Tide did contribute to the coaches' dismissal. Sometimes the team never recovered from the Alabama loss and eventually the coach lost the team. 

But it's not a coincidence that the only year there wasn't a change among Alabama's opponents was during the three-loss 2013 season. 

It also needs to be noted that some coaches came out on the losing end against Alabama and still found a better, or high-paying job, the next year. Mullen was probably the best example of that because Florida hired him away from Mississippi State even though he never enjoyed a win against Saban (and still hasn't). 

2007: Houston coach Art Briles was hired by Baylor

2009: Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin left for Southern California

2012: Willie Taggart went from Western Kentucky to South Florida

2016: Jeff Brohm from Western Kentucky to Purdue

2017: Jimbo Fisher from Florida State to Texas A&M

2017: Dan Mullen was hired by Florida in 2017.

Regardless, here's the definitive number that will clearly demonstrate just how important a win is against Saban: How many times has a someone gotten a W against Alabama and not been the coach of that same program during the following season? Zero. 

SEC Coaching Turnover During Saban Era (2007-22) 

Arkansas: Houston Nutt (1998-2007), Reggie Herring (interim 2007), Bobby Petrino (2008-11), John L. Smith (2012), Bret Bielema (2013-17), Paul Rhoads (interim 2017), Chad Morris (2017-19), Sam Pittman (2020-21).

Auburn: Tommy Tuberville (1999-2008), Gene Chizik (2009-12), Gus Malzahn (2013-2020), Kevin Steele (interim 2020), Bryan Harsin (2021).

Florida: Urban Meyer (2005-10), Will Muschamp (2011-14), D.J. Durkin (interim 2014), Jim McElwain (2015-17), Randy Shannon (interim 2017), Dan Mullen 2018-21), Billy Napier (2022).

Georgia: Mark Richt (2001-15), Kirby Smart (2016-current).

Kentucky: Rich Brooks (2003-09), Joker Phillips (2010-12), Mark Stoops (2013-21).

LSU: Les Miles (2005-16), Ed Orgeron (2016-21), Brian Kelly (2022).

Ole Miss: Ed Orgeron (2005-07), Houston Nutt (2008-11), Hugh Freeze (2012-16), Matt Luke (2017-19), Lane Kiffin (2020-21).

Mississippi State: Sylvester Croom (2004-08), Dan Mullen (2009-17), Greg Knox (interim 2017), Joe Moorehead (2017-19), Mike Leach (2020-21).

b: Gary Pinkel (2001-15), Barry Odom (2016-19), Eliah Drinkwitz (2020-21).

South Carolina: Steve Spurrier (2005-15), Shawn Elliott (interim 2015), Will Muschamp (2016-2020), Mike Bobo (interim 2020), Shane Beamer (2021).

Tennessee: Phillip Fulmer (1992-2008), Lane Kiffin (2009), Derek Dooley (2010-12), Jim Chaney (interim 2012), Butch Jones (2013-17), Brady Hoke (2017), Jeremy Pruitt (2018-20), Josh Heupel (2021-).

Texas A&M: Kevin Sumlin (2012-17), Jeff Banks (interim 2017), Jimbo Fisher (2018-21).

Vanderbilt: Bobby Johnson (2002-09), Robbie Caldwell (2010), James Franklin (2011-13), Derek Mason (2014-2020), Todd Fitch (interim 2020), Clark Lea (2021).

Overheard at the NFL Combine

• John Metchie III didn't hesitate to say Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II was the best defensive back he faced in his three seasons in Tuscaloosa. "I went against him every day. Other guys, you go against them during the game and stuff like that, but even so, Pat was the best by far. That's why you go to Alabama. You compete against the best every single day."

• You wouldn't think that Alex Leatherwood would be making news at the NFL combine, but he did when Raiders new head coach Josh McDaniels said of Leatherwood’s film, "When you play in as many games as he did as a rookie. There’s good, there’s bad." The question that prompted the response was whether Las Vegas considers him a tackle or guard moving forward, a decision that could directly impact the team's draft priorities. McDaniels didn't bite, calling the 17th overall choice in 2021 a "contributor."

• Even though there probably won't be a running back go in the first round of the draft, NFL.com analysts Daniel Jeremiah is very high on the position group this year. "I love this running back group," he said. "I was talking with a personnel director the other day and said, Let's just circle the fourth round. You're going to get a great back in the fourth round, especially if you want a bigger back." That's good news for NFL teams, as they can focus on filling other needs first. It's bad for Brian Robinson Jr. and a lot of the power backs out of the SEC. 

• It looks like Tua Tagovailoa won't be looking over this shoulder any more in Miami, at least for now. Not only did Dolphins general manager Chris Grier make it clear at the combine that Miami is only looking for a backup quarterback, but ended the longstanding Deshaun Watson trade rumors by declaring “The door is shut.'' New coach Mike McDaniel went so far as to say the Dolphins are in a "great spot" with Tagovailoa. 

• Alabama fans are obviously hoping that Evan Neal is the first pick in the draft, but those alone have many of them rooting for North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu as well: Has a syrup bottle for each of his 67 pancake blocks.  

• We want to make sure you saw this:

Was having lunch yesterday and saw one of the Combine guys helping out someone on some hard times…@malikwillis being great even when nobody is watching. How can you not be a fan of this guy? pic.twitter.com/BmFzUM66NU

— Ryan Lacey 🇺🇸 (@rlacey23) March 3, 2022

Tide-Bits

• Look for Mississippi State to play the disrespect card because the Bulldogs' visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 22 will be homecoming. One only needs to glance at the schedule to recognize that Alabama didn't have much of a choice. The only other home game in October is against Texas A&M, which is already a high-profile game as many predict it will decided the SEC West. The-next options were Vanderbilt on Sept. 24, or Austin Peay on Nov. 19.  

• It went largely unnoticed, but Alabama announced last week that the football program plans to return to in-person press availabilities for head coach Nick Saban and players this spring. However, it is not opening practices to reporters yet.

• Phil Steele dropped his top-10 prediction for the preseason Associated Press Poll, which he almost always nails on an annual basis and to the surprise of no one had Alabama at No. 1 ahead of Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson and Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide will get the Aggies at home this season, along with Auburn, but Alabama's road games in the fall are at Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU and Ole Miss. Of those teams the Razorbacks and Rebels had the best records last year, while the two programs below .500 have the toughest venues, the Longhorns and Tigers. That's a tough schedule. 

• This is a great stat from last season: 

I know a team may have to wait to see him on the field because of his January ACL tear, but this Jameson Williams stat is just absurd:

The *average* length of his 15 receiving TDs last season: 47.6 yards.

There isn't a better big play threat in this draft. pic.twitter.com/8KJsCGgWC5

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 25, 2022

5 Things That Got Our Attention This Week

Big Ten coming back to SEC territory

Jake Crandall/ Advertiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Remember that whole thing about Michigan holding football camps in places like Alabama? 

The Big Ten is coming back in July with a very different purpose. The conference is bringing several student-athletes to visit civil rights sites in the state. 

The event is the first in the league’s Big Life Series, an initiative designed to provide real-life educational experiences for student-athletes. 

"We wanted to create an opportunity we call our ‘Big Life Series’ to provide individuals from the Big Ten Conference with an opportunity to really learn about history, to learn about social justice, to learn about the different situations that have occurred in our country and to tie it all in with a live and in-person field trip,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said. 

A delegation of roughly 100 student-athletes and administrators will tour places in Selma and Montgomery, including a walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of a 1965 voting rights demonstration which became known as Bloody Sunday.

Warren says the league plans to sponsor similar trips annually, each with a focus on social justice. 

Illinois athletics launches “I Matter” campaign

Illinois has launched a new campaign called "I Matter" to "target hate speech and decrease the amount of toxic discourse that exists in the social media community." 

"Social media bullying, trolling and abuse takes a very real mental toll on student-athletes and coaches," Illini athletic director Josh Whitman said in a release. "Today's student-athletes are social media natives; they have grown up using the platforms. They consume what is written and said about them, often within minutes of a competition's conclusion. 

"We have seen a dramatic uptick in the mental health needs of our student-athletes in recent years, due in large part to an increase in pointed, personal social media attacks. The purpose of this campaign is to remind fans that student-athletes are someone's son, daughter, brother, sister or friend." 

Dawn Staley wants more for women's basketball

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who has her team at No. 1 in women's college basketball, says more has to be done to promote the sport. 

“I think women’s basketball is on the brink of being really great — if you really invested," she told The Athletic. "What’s so wrong with investing in women’s basketball? Don’t you want it to grow? I really don’t understand — you would hold down a sport to keep lifting this other sport up? Even if (women’s basketball) doesn’t get to $880 million, $2 billion, wouldn’t you want it to grow? Isn’t our money green? I don’t get it. I don’t get it. Why? 

"Because there really is a conspiracy to keep women’s basketball down. And it’s hard to keep a sport down. You’ve got to really work at it. And if you work just as hard lifting it up, you don’t want to be known for that? You don’t want to be known as the people who lifted women’s basketball up? Is it that bad?” 

On equal pay for women's basketball head coaches she said: “These three words always come up: fair market value. So, where’s the market for the type of coach I am? Where is it? How can it be fair market value? I’m a black coach, I’m a woman, I’m pretty successful. … Who’s my comp? So, I’m just like, I don’t settle. I’m not going to settle. You’re not going to use those three words.” 

South Carolina begins SEC Tournament play Friday. 

Police investigating alleged fraud within Georgia athletics fundraising

Per Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia campus police are investigating an alleged act of financial fraud committed within the athletic association’s development office earlier this year.

On February 1, the department opened the investigation following a complaint by Ford Williams, the Bulldogs' Executive Assoc. AD for Major Gifts. Police suspect an unknown individual committed identity theft and fraud by using counterfeit information to solicit money from UGA donors and directing it into personal accounts. 

From the initial police report: “An unknown person unlawfully represented themselves as (Williams) by using their name and electronic signature to solicit unlawful donations via email. 

"It is believed the act was committed by someone employed in UGA’s development office." 

The amount of money alleged to have been taken has yet to be announced. 

Candice Lee utilizes her role as Vanderbilt athletic director

Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee says she feels the pressure to “bring my best every day," and with good reason. 

Lee, who has undertaken the most aggressive facility improvement in the school’s athletic history, a $300 million series of projects that will help transform football and basketball venues as well as practice areas on the Nashville campus, is one of just three black women to hold an AD job in the Power Five conferences. 

She told Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal: “[Virginia AD] Carla [Williams], [Duke AD] Nina [King] and myself talk about the need to be successful in our positions, and I have to make sure my energy is going into the things that will make a difference, and make Vanderbilt successful, so that people who look like me will get a chance to [be an AD] when they’ve earned their opportunity. That’s one of the reasons I picked Vanderbilt to begin with is that I wanted to go somewhere that would challenge me as a student and an athlete. If you don’t bring your best, you’ll be exposed. I’ve felt that discomfort as a student athlete and as a staff member in a predominantly white environment. One thing I’ve learned, though, is how to find peace in the discomfort. Do I feel more comfortable at Vandy? I’m not sure, but I do feel more at peace.”

Did You Notice?

• Targeting Not Going Away, and Neither Is the Debate and Criticism Around the Rule

• Bracket Watch: Gonzaga’s No. 1 Overall Seed Could Be in Jeopardy

• NFL Combine 2022: Top Tackles Take the Stage

• Jim 'Bones' Mackay Drops The Mic, Goes Back On The Bag  for Justin Thomas

Christopher Walsh's notes column All Things CW appears every week on BamaCentral.