Good thread:
I place him in the Top 10 right now (as does the AP and USA Today and possibly the bookies in Vegas) and agree with DAWGtm that he would have MANY, MANY offers if we let him go. Texas and USC come to mind. Speaking of which, Kiffin will soon be available.
Better coaches? Peterson might be, but I might be too if I only scheduled one top opponent each year to start the year. You know I heard a radio program Saturday night (my wife ran into a CVS pharmacy so I was scanning the stations trying to find the game - NOTHING). The premise of the show was that "back in the day" the top teams would only schedule one or two meaningful games per year, and that's how they became "top teams". Interesting show.
Anyway, I put Richt in the top 10. However, ahead of him I say:
Saban
Snyder at Kansas State (possibly the best on this list)
Peterson (maybe)
Miles is close
Meyer, but only if he gets his "dream" QB
Stoops - but again, only if he gets a great QB
As for Spurrious - what has he done in the last 15 years? I just can't pick him.
Among all of the other coaches I could pick, I MIGHT pick Kirby Smart. But I also have to ADMIT it - I would have picked Will Muschimp once upon a time. And I also once said I would drive all the way to Mississippi and personally move Mullen to Athens if he'd take me up on it. Now - not so much.
Given a choice of the kind of "mediocrity" Richt has brought the program versus the kind of "excellence" they now have at Tennessee after they got rid of Fulmer, that explains my "complacency" and acceptance of "mediocrity". Same for Mississippi State.
Edit: Okay, that's enough for now. Back to the closet for me.
And do you realize that Ole Miss/Texas looks like a good matchup this year?!