As recent firings show, SEC fans don’t like characters

On College Gameday two weeks ago, Lane Kiffin came on stage. He was the first-ever coach to be the guest-picker to be on show, and we were expecting flashy, tweet-worthy quips from the King of Quippers, and something to write home about.

He gave us nothing. Kiffin was utterly straight-laced, giving almost monosyllabic answers.

Of course, he’s funnier on Twitter. But that’s because recruits and fans like a comedian online, but don’t want dumbassery in their cameras.

His appearance on College Gameday made me realize something. Kiffin had learned from his jobs at Tennessee and USC. He’s learned to shut up, do the job, and let the work speak for itself. In short, Lane Kiffin had grown the hell up.

This week, Dan Mullen was fired from Florida, only weeks after Ed Orgeron was giving his marching orders by LSU.

For all his great, fun offenses, Dan Mullen will stick out in many people’s minds for his cockiness. There was the Gators Jordans look on a desk. He was meant to look like a CEO, but instead he looked like a tool. Then there was the whining after the Gators’ dreadful loss to Texas A&M last year, where he blamed full crowds at Kyle Field. Then there was the sideline fight at home to Missouri, and showing up in full Darth Vader gear (for the record, I found it funny, but many people didn’t). This year, Mullen was given humility-and-then-some, and everyone enjoyed it.

Coach O’s fall from grace was perhaps harder. True, he wasn’t following the lead of someone screwing a shark, but….wow. Coach Orgeron simply couldn’t get away from his own feet. If it wasn’t an alleged attempt to cover up sexual assault by former players, it was cuddling new LSU women’s head coach Kim Mulkey, who defended her former school, Baylor during the Big 12’s own sexual assault scandal. Then there was the cuddling of someone who wasn’t his wife. Regardless of whether he was already divorced from Kelly Orgeron (the rumors swirl about both sides), a photo of him with a younger model circulated. Again, it wasn’t something you see from other SEC head coaches. Then there was the threatening of a UCLA fan, and a battle with a prank caller on a LSU phone-in show.

And because of that, it made it easier for Florida AD Scott Stricklin and LSU AD Scott Woodward to fire Mssrs Mullen and Orgeron. This was despite Orgeron’s 50-20 record – and one Natty – at the helm of LSU, and Mullen’s 34-15 four year stretch at The Swamp.

When both coaches seem to make it about them than the team, then Mullen’s 1-3 record against Georgia and Orgeron’s 1-5 record against Alabama stand out a little more. And Mullen’s 2-2 record against Kentucky becomes even more unforgiveable.

Look, it’s OK making bitchy comments when your team’s good. When in charge of the Florida Gators, the quotes that came out of Steve Spurrier’s mouth were some of the most memorable in college football history.

But when your team’s in the mire, for the sake of the Good Lord shut up.

And both Orgeron and Mullen didn’t do that. And both coaches will be looking for another job come the end of the season. Albeit far richer men.