By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

At a time when we seem to rank everything from best to worst, we’ve forgotten about value.

You know, like the $5.95 lunch menu at your local Chinese restaurant, where the food isn’t the best, but you always leave full.

In that spirit, instead of ranking the SEC coaches, below is whether or not I think they’re worth the money they’re making; within the context that all coaches are overpaid, of course.

Nick Saban, Alabama: $9.1 million- Yes. The better question is what number would Saban’s salary have to reach before the answer is “no”?

Ed Orgeron, LSU: $8.7 million- No. I realize it’s a little strange to knock a coach coming off a national championship, but compare what Orgeron has accomplished in his career to Saban, and then convince me it justifies him making only $400k less than the Alabama coach.

Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: $7.5 million- No. They had to pay it to pry Fisher away from FSU, I just don’t think he’s worth it.

Gus Malzahn, Auburn: $6.9 million- No. Never. Nope. Not in this lifetime.

Kirby Smart, Georgia: $6.8 million/Dan Mullen, Florida: $6.1 million- Yes. Once Saban retires, one of these two will be considered the best coach in the SEC.

Mike Leach, Mississippi State: $5 million- Yes. Even though I view Leach as the John Calipari of college football, minus the smarts, he tends to win wherever he goes. At the very least, he’ll make Mississippi State fun to watch.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $5 million- I guess. He’s gotten about as much out of the Kentucky program as one can ask for, which should validate his salary.

Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri: $4 million (taking 10% reduction this year due to Covid-19)- No. I’ve always understood the hire, but not the money. Drinkwitz’s lone season at Appalachian State was extremely successful, but was that because of him or the fact the roster was pretty loaded to begin with?

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: $3.9 million – Yes. Out of all the contracts, Ole Miss may just be getting the most bang for their buck. Sure, there are a lot to question about Kiffin, and his last name opened doors for him early on in his career that hadn’t been earned, but I’ve thought he was a pretty decent coach. I suspect that number will be higher in 2-3 years, it may just not be with Ole Miss.

Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee: $3.8 million- Eh, ok. Pruitt isn’t as good a coach as some of the ones listed above, his pay is commensurate with his coaching ability. Honestly, the whole situation says more about the state of Tennessee football than anything.

Will Muschamp, South Carolina: $3.3 million- Yes. Perfect example of getting what you pay for; near the bottom in salary, near the bottom in on the field play.

Derek Mason, Vanderbilt: $3.3 million- Yes. At any other school Mason would’ve already been let go, but everyone seems happy with whatever arrangement they’ve got going on in Nashville. Who am I to argue?

Sam Pittman, Arkansas: $3 million- Sure, why not. I feel like if I’m going to complain about Drinkwitz, who at least has some head coaching success, making $4 million, I should do the same for Pittman, who has no major college head coaching experience. However, you won’t get a SEC coach for less money than that, so you might as well spend it on someone with a good reputation.