[JRL]

HOOVER, Ala. -- When the 12 alpha males who coach football in the Southeastern Conference came together at the league's annual spring meetings in Destin, Fla., Urban Meyer surveyed the room and reacted almost like a fan.

"I'm not one to be in awe," the Florida coach said, "but I was then."

Here's what Meyer saw:

• Five coaches who own national championship rings. They are Steve Spurrier of South Carolina, Phillip Fulmer of Tennessee, Nick Saban of Alabama, Les Miles of LSU and Meyer himself.


• A sixth, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, whose team went 13-0 in 2004 but did not get a chance to play for the title.


• Two more -- Mark Richt of Georgia and Bobby Petrino of Arkansas -- who have had 12-win seasons capped off by BCS bowl victories.


Then there is Houston Nutt of Mississippi, who won 10 games two years ago at Arkansas. And Rich Brooks of Kentucky, who took Oregon to its first Rose Bowl in 37 years and became the first Wildcats coach to win consecutive bowls in 56 years.

And Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom, who is merely the reigning SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to their first bowl game since 2000. And Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson, who led Furman to the Division I-AA championship game.


One-third of the coaches once won big at another SEC school (Tuberville at Ole Miss, Spurrier at Florida, Saban at LSU and Nutt at Arkansas). One-third of the coaches once ran NFL teams (Brooks, Spurrier, Saban and Petrino). All 12 come with an ego.


At this time last year, the SEC already had America's most accomplished collection of coaches. Then Miles won the national title at LSU and the league swapped out Ed Orgeron (10-25 as a college head coach) for Petrino (41-9).

That means the best just got better and the toughest just got tougher. The SEC '08 coaching colony ranks among the most accomplished of all time. "It's a Who's Who," Nutt said. "The strategy, the X's and O's, all that stuff is top of the line."


So is the compensation and adulation these men receive. There is more of everything -- money, fame, pressure -- in the SEC than anywhere else.

Combined, they are scheduled to make nearly $30 million in 2008 alone, outside income not included. Six SEC coaches are believed to rank among the 11 highest-paid members of their profession. All 12 schools have built (or are building) lavish facilities to meet every conceivable recruiting need. "Some people anted up," Meyer said.


The coaches will command the aggregate attention, admiration and, in some cases, outright fealty - of roughly 930,000 fans during home games. Millions more will watch and listen from the outside.


Now here's the hard reality: Some of these superstars are going to lose. "I just hope it's not us," said Miles, who could have been speaking for every school in the league.


Disappointment will not be handled gracefully in some quarters. Given the financial commitments made across the conference, almost everyone in the SEC is investing in winning big.