The SEC's coaching carousel hit full chaos mode last year. Five programs made new hires — Tennessee even had to make two hires.
Expecting a milder winter after one of the wildest ever? We're not. And neither is a sportsbook that just made Ed Orgeron the favorite to be the first SEC head coach to be fired.
The prop bet is phrased as, "1st Head Coach to Leave Post." So it could be a resignation, as well.
Odds on first SEC coach to be fired in 2018
Last winter, Florida, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Tennessee all got new coaches. The Vols actually got two — Greg Schiano had the job lined up, but fan backlash forced the athletic department to reconsider.
This year, the race is Orgeron's to lose. He signed a five-year deal in 2016 after leading LSU as interim coach following Les Miles' dismissal. Coach O does have an $8.5 million buyout in 2018. But with another down year expected (especially relative to the way the Tigers recruit), don't be surprised to see Orgeron gone.
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Mark Stoops seemed like a good value play at this time a year ago, but he inked a contract extension through 2022. Missouri's Barry Odom is also signed through 2022, and Ole Miss's Matt Luke just lost his interim tag.
Florida's Jim McElwain cashed this bet last year at 40-1 after off-the-field issues caught up to the program in October. The only two coaches with longer odds were Alabama's Nick Saban and Georgia's Kirby Smart.
No one expected that in July, so a longshot could certainly cash.
