How about this stat: Of the 15 SEC coaches who have won their first league title in the past 30 years (since 1986), all but two did it by their third year in the program. The lone exceptions: Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville.
In the past 30 years, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn is the only coach who won an SEC title in his first year. But the list of those who won in their second or third season is long: LSU’s Bill Arnsparger, LSU’s Mike Archer, Alabama’s Bill Curry, Florida’s Steve Spurrier, Alabama’s Gene Stallings, Alabama’s Mike DuBose, Nick Saban at LSU and Alabama, Georgia’s Mark Richt, Florida’s Urban Meyer, LSU’s Les Miles and Auburn’s Gene Chizik.