- John Calipari left his “dream job” at Kentucky, but Arkansas is still ranked pretty high in the SEC.
- Tennessee basketball is no longer a sleeping giant. I'm fully awake.
- Some jobs fluctuate in these rankings based on instruction under a particular coach. But Kentucky is consistently No. 1 in SEC basketball.
On a day when Kentucky basketball fans celebrated John Calipari's departure, Arkansas fans felt inspired by his hiring.
It's not often that a coach leaving for a conference rival is seen as a win for all parties, but that's the case here.
Arkansas has acquired a talented coach and a great recruiter. Kentucky will completely move on from the coach that fans have grown tired of and will now try to hire the best coach to keep the flow of talent coming to UK. And Calipari waned his enthusiasm for himself while he took another good job.
Win-win-win.
Calipari said in a video confirming his departure Tuesday that his 15-year tenure at Kentucky has been “like a dream.” He added that he is departing because Kentucky “maybe needs to hear another voice.”
Calipari would have been the perfect coach for Kentucky, but he wasn't. It's time for everyone to do something different.
It's going to be kind of fun to go from Calipari to Arkansas and send a (famous) coach from here to Kentucky.
The best thing about Calipari? Although he has taken a step down the career ladder, he will still get a really good job. If Calipari is willing to modernize, he could win big in Arkansas. (That's big, isn't it? if, I admit.)
Kentucky has a better job than most in SEC basketball. Did you have a position in Arkansas?
I started thinking about this when I started picturing Calipari calling the pigs. (That's an interesting idea.)
Here's how I ranked the top five jobs in SEC men's basketball. However, keep in mind that his No. 2 to No. 5 ranking will fluctuate based on the momentum a particular coach generates. No. 1 job is always No. 1.
1. Kentucky
Calipari rightly said that in his farewell. Kentucky is the “bluest” job in college basketball. Consider that UK is the only school in her SEC that prioritizes basketball. Big Blue Nation's demands are relentless, but so is the support of its fans and boosters. The superstar wants to wear a Kentucky uniform, and UK basketball will never be short on money or loyalty. Three of Kentucky's last four coaches won national championships. For coaches who welcome pressure, this remains an elite job.
2. Arkansas
Although Arkansas' tradition is not as rich as Kentucky's, it is not completely absent. Most SEC programs would envy the support of Arkansas fans. The Hogs' loyal fans fill his 19,368-seat arena, giving him one of the SEC's best home court advantages. Major donors will also be on board with Calipari, giving Arkansas an opportunity to secure top talent. Nolan Richardson propelled Arkansas to unparalleled heights with a national championship, but Eric Musselman proved that Arkansas is still a program suited for a deep March Madness run.
3. Tennessee
The Sleeping Giant label had been applied to Tennessee before Bruce Pearl arrived. The Vols are now fully awake. Even if the University of Tennessee doesn't make it to the Final Four, don't let it cloud the fact that this team is in good hands with a strong fan base and his NIL ability to compete for top talent. Rick Barnes has played against some of the SEC's best players at Tennessee over the past few years. Even after Burns retires, UT enjoys the facilities, financial commitment, and support of fans and boosters to increase retention.
4. Florida
Billy Donovan made this look like a great job. It remains a good job. Florida is a football state with a wealth of basketball talent, and Donovan showed that UF can attract recruits from across the country. Other than Kentucky, Florida is her only SEC school to win multiple national championships. That was Donovan's credit, but Lon Kruger also led the Gators to the Final Four. The Gators have reached the Final Four five times since his 1990s. With the right coach, the fundamentals exist for the Gators to compete with the basketball giants.
5. Alabama
Alabama didn't have a top-five spot a few years ago, but athletic director Greg Byrne hired a great coach in Nate Oats and the school invested in a winning program. While football has always been the driving force behind Alabama, fans showed their support for a successful basketball team. NIL commitments are on the rise, and Oats proves Alabama can compete in the transfer portal and recruiting routes. What used to be a half-hearted job is now a good job.
Blake Topmeyer is the SEC columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow us on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
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