If you were the Coaching Candidate

[Ericvol2096]

and you had a 3.5 M - 6 year offer from Tennessee, Auburn and Arkansas which one would you choose? You know this is your best chance to land a SEC job and you are ready to make the move.

Interested to read the responses.

[Fear#5]

Depends on my coaching style. If i was a spread/read option type, Auburn. If i was a spread/throw the ball around the field, Arkansas. If i was a pro style, Tennessee.

If i was more of a defensive minded coach i would lean towards Auburn over Tennessee. More talent on the defense at Auburn, although it's underdeveloped. I think it would be a bit easier to recruit to Auburn too.

[Cock Kool-Aid]

UT. I like the area much more than the other two and it has all of the tools to succeed in place (not personnel, but facilities, funding, prestige, etc)

[nodnahs]

Hands down, UT..

[I Bleed Garnet]

Tenn, Auburn then Arkansas in that order.

[Rh Gamecock]

1Tenn 2 Auburn 3 Arkansas
Like the tenn area plus more tradition than Arkansas and idk auburn just seems like they are going to take more work to get going.

Only problem with Tenn is its harder to recruit the state of SC now and auburn has more recruiting areas.

[cockinraleigh]

Tennessee. It's a national brand.

[U-Dub Gamecock]

In order:

UT-Knoxville.... Great facilities, great fan base... fantastic tradition..

Arkansas.. Same as above, and when ya got the Wal-Mart and Tyson family as 2 big donors... cant hurt!

Auburn.. Has the history like UT-K, but as long as Pat Dye is running the place... Im gonna take UT and Arky over them all day long...

[GH]

Originally Posted by Ericvol2096

and you had a 3.5 M - 6 year offer from Tennessee, Auburn and Arkansas which one would you choose? You know this is your best chance to land a SEC job and you are ready to make the move.

Interested to read the responses.

Tennessee for these reasons:

1) I would try to get the best offensive and defensive coordinators available and let them call the plays.

2) Tennessee has the national brand name so you can go into any house in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and the Carolinas and recruit the some of the best kids from those areas.

3) Not that far away at all from Atl, Charlotte, Memphis and Columbia.

4) Tennessee aint playing LSU and Alabama every year.

5) I wouldn't be the first Coach to jump ship as soon as a USC offered ;)

[I Bleed Garnet]

Tenn is playing Bama every year.

[Erik]

Originally Posted by GH

Tennessee for these reasons:

1) I would try to get the best offensive and defensive coordinators available and let them call the plays.

2) Tennessee has the national brand name so you can go into any house in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and the Carolinas and recruit the some of the best kids from those areas.

3) Not that far away at all from Atl, Charlotte, Memphis and Columbia.

4) Tennessee aint playing LSU and Alabama every year.

5) I wouldn't be the first Coach to jump ship as soon as a USC offered ;)

You do know they play Alabama every year, right?

[GH]

Originally Posted by Erik

You do know they play Alabama every year, right?

I am saying LSU AND BAMA every year like the other two do.

I made the assumption that since Arkansas and Auburn play in the west, they play LSU and Alabama every year (as in both).

[Ericvol2096]

Originally Posted by Erik

You do know they play Alabama every year, right?

How do you view it Erik? I know it is hard to look at things at your own program from a non-biased point of view.

IMO I am surprised more people don't lean towards Auburn.

They have a bigger in state talent pool, similar tradition, fanbases and facilities (not quite as good at each but damn close) and have had more recent success.

I do know you share the state with Alabama and are in the West where it looks like now A&M is going to step up and make that division even harder...but Auburn is a top program.

On the other hand, Tennessee really has no in state competition (save the past year with Franklin taking advantage of a Dooley led TN), insane recruiting budget, Top 5 if not #1 facilities, huge fan base, great tradition.

Both programs have passionate fan bases with unreal expectations so that is a wash.

They are pretty equal jobs. Both top 15-20.

[Ericvol2096]

This is an interesting conversation because there is a good chance Strong/Patterson/Petrino ect are going to have each of these schools calling on them.

[keegthecock]

For Recruiting purposes & chances to have quicker success

1. Auburn
2. Arkie
3. Tenn

Tennessee is in no mans land, gonna take one hell of a great coach to get them back to the level they once were in the east with South Carolina, Georgia & Florida all rising.

[Ericvol2096]

Originally Posted by keegthecock

For Recruiting purposes & chances to have quicker success

1. Auburn
2. Arkie
3. Tenn

Tennessee is in no mans land, gonna take one hell of a great coach to get them back to the level they once were in the east with South Carolina, Georgia & Florida all rising.

Not arguing, but how does Arkansas have a recruiting advantage over TN?

Proximity to Texas? That is about the only thing I can think of.

[SirBigSpur]

Auburn hands down. I would want to be a part of the Auburn family. Both of my parents graduated from there and I grew up going to Auburn games. There's a special moment between a father and his 7 year old son at the time when he gives you a roll of toilet paper and says "Throw it as hard as you can son."

Auburn still has the national brand and the fans are amazing in Alabama. Auburn is also a 6 star program on NCAA football

[keegthecock]

Originally Posted by Ericvol2096

Not arguing, but how does Arkansas have a recruiting advantage over TN?

Proximity to Texas? That is about the only thing I can think of.

Arkie reaches into Texas & Missouri as well as the state of Alabama & Louisiana. Even if they get table scraps from Auburn, Alabama & LSU they still wind up with great talent.

[Coulwoodwarlord]

Originally Posted by I Bleed Garnet

Tenn, Auburn then Arkansas in that order.

I agree.............With the Vols being far and away my first pick !

[Ericvol2096]

Originally Posted by keegthecock

Arkie reaches into Texas & Missouri as well as the state of Alabama & Louisiana. Even if they get table scraps from Auburn, Alabama & LSU they still wind up with great talent.

So TN doesn't have close proximity to Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, ect?

Confused by this. Totally agree with Auburn have a distinct recruiting talent base advantage...can't get on board with the Arkansas theory though.