Jon Gruden says he'd "die to coach in the SEC." We must assume he's being hyperbolic, but the former NFL coach sounds serious about wanting to coach again - and wanting to coach in college.
He's not the only former coach with an eye toward new opportunities. Former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher says he's up for a return to the sideline, too. This projects as an active year for the hot seat, so would either Gruden or Fisher be a worthwhile consideration for an SEC athletics director?
Their verdict: Neither Gruden nor Fisher would seem particularly appealing within the SEC, although Toppmeyer offers one SEC school that might make some sense, depending on its level of desperation.
Toppmeyer: It's difficult to envision. First up, you have the problem of Gruden's NFL exit, which came after racist and homophobic emails he'd sent surfaced. The SEC generally offers a welcome mat for a disgraced coach to sportswash his image, but the juice needs to be worth the squeeze, and it's not clear Gruden would be. His career peak occurred more than two decades ago. At the end of his NFL career, he wasn't a good coach. Also, any school that hires Gruden must be comfortable with the coach becoming the story and the program taking a backseat. Not many SEC programs would be comfortable with that.
Colorado's hire of Deion Sanders provides an example of a program allowing its coach carte blanche. The Buffaloes have reaped the rewards of hiring Sanders, but comparing Coach Prime to Gruden doesn't add up, either, because Sanders was coming off a successful stint in the FCS, while Gruden hasn't coached in any capacity in college since 1991.
I could see Gruden connecting with boosters, and perhaps a school desperate to become relevant will roll of the dice on him. I just find it unlikely that opportunity would come in the SEC.
Adams: Gruden's overall NFL record is that an of an average coach. His Super Bowl triumph gave him cachet. So did his stint on Monday Night Football. I don't question his hunger, but I do question whether any SEC program would feel so desperate as to take a chance on a guy who resigned from the NFL amid controversy, is unproven in college, and attained his career pinnacle before current recruits were born.
That doesn't mean he couldn't get a college job. If, say, a Big 12 school becomes desperate enough and feels like it has nothing to lose, maybe Gruden's phone will ring.
Toppmeyer: I find it far more likely that, if Gruden lands a college job, it would be outside of the SEC. Forced to pick an SEC school where he could make sense, I'd offer Mississippi State. The Bulldogs previously hired Mike Leach, a coach with controversy in his past, and Leach remains the program's best coach since Dan Mullen. The program lost momentum after Leach's death in 2022, and if its latest hire of Jeff Lebby doesn't pan out, perhaps it would be willing to take a chance on someone outside of the box. Gruden would be the ultimate wild card.
Adams: Mississippi State could make some sense. Also, if we're viewing this through a lens of, "Which program is desperate enough to do something wild?" then Auburn comes to mind.
Toppmeyer: We don't need to see the sequel. Fisher's best success came outside of the SEC, and, if he's to return, it should be outside of the SEC. His career résumé still looks good, but Fisher received everything a coach could want at Texas A&M and couldn't make it work. Fisher is just 59 years old, and he's got a national championship in his past. I'd bet on his career not being finished, but I don't expect his return to come in the SEC.
Adams: Of the two possibilities, I think I like the idea of Fisher in the SEC even less than Gruden. Fisher's final few seasons with Texas A&M showed a coach who'd lost his touch, even with the school's NIL resources at his disposal. Gruden might be a major flop. Fisher already was at Texas A&M.