While I don't believe it's ever been "easy" to win an SEC championship, you have to say the odds were better in Dye's day. For instance in 1988 we tied with LSU for the title, and in fact in '89 it was a 3-way tie with Alabama and Tennessee. So, in 1988, 2 teams out of 10 (remember Arkansas and South Carolina hadn't joined yet) won a title. In '89, 3 teams out of 10 won it. Nowadays, only 1 team out of 12 can ever win it.

Also, a point I always like to make is that if Tuberville were playing under the rules of Dye's time, he would already have two outright SEC titles. Obviously there's 2004, but in 2005, if the rules were the same as the Dye era (no overtime games), we would have finished 7-0-1, and the next best team would have been LSU at 5-0-3. That would make back-to-back outright SEC championships. I'll also point out that Dye only won 2 outright titles in his tenure as well.

With all that said, I'm not endorsing one coach over the other, I think we were privileged to have both at Auburn, but I just thought I'd point those things out for your consideration.

.....Honestly, I never thought Pat Dye was great. Good, even really good, but not great. Both Bowden and Tuberville did something Dye never did: win 'em all. With Dye, there was always a loss or two that stuck in my craw. 1983: Texas. Chuck Clanton getting burned early. 1986: Blew a 17 point 4th quarter lead in Gainesville. Prevent... 1987: FSU. "It ain't important," said Dye. "It ain't an SEC game." We go down, 34-6. And there was blowing a 20-10 4th quarter lead in Knoxville, and ending up with a tie. 1988: LSU. Dominated, but could only put up 6. Run it up the middle on every third down, and kick. 6-7 Earthquake. 1989: Can't tackle Reggie Cobb. Lord, can't even punt-snap! Lose in Knoxville.

.....I think this coming year tells the tale, on Tuberville. He's done very, very well, the past 4 years, but... There's a trend. 9-0, 7-1, 6-2, 5-3. I think the trend has to be broken, this year, to call Tuberville great. We've got championship-level talent on both lines of scrimmage. It's time to produce!

.....Best 5-year Dye record, 1986-1990: 47-10-3, or 80.8% SEC Mark: 25-6-2, or 78.8%

.....Best 5-year Tuberville, 2003-2007: 50-14, or 78.1%. SEC Mark: 32-9, or 78.0.

.....I won't be calling for Tuberville's head, though, if he doesn't pass the greatness test, this year. I too admire the character and class the program demonstrates. During the Jetgate crisis, I went on record as saying I'd be happy with 8-4 every year, as long as we produced fine young men like Karlos Dansby, etc.

But I would have to say that I agree with Acid on most points. I would, however, rank Tuberville with the current greats of the game. The SEC is not only the toughest conference year after year it is also the toughest it has ever been. I think few would argue this. The SEC west alone is stronger than the old SEC used to be. The addition of the SEC championship game is also a huge factor. Greatness in todays game is different and harder to quantify than even 20 years ago. I would not include Dye as one of the great ones either for the very reasons Acid mentioned. I think that Dye was a very good coach and a mediocre AD. He will always be loved at AU for bringing the Iron Bowl to a home and home scenario. But lets not forget he was/is also part of the regime that has held power over AU (read that as Totalitarian Dictatorship) for the last 25+ years. I also believe that a coach in the future will make people say "why on earth did we name the field after Dye". That coach may or be may not be Tuberville, but he has a good chance at being that coach right now. Shug was great because of 2 things, winning the NC and SEC championships, and keeping AU relevant in a time when Bear Bryant pulled in almost every blue chipper with no scholarship limitations. My point is in the last 30 years since Shug coached the SEC is decidedly different and the national competition is tougher to win as well. Parity has come to college football in a way never dreamed of in Shug's day. It has changed drastically since Dye's day as well. And for Tuberville to achieve the success that he has and done it the right way is outstanding.

Au1982 stole all my thunder, but it is plain to see that SEC titles are a whole lot harder to win these days than they used to be--that's what makes them so special. One of the ways you see it is the divisional titles that teams claim--the ones where they went to Atlanta (or previously Birmingham) and lost...

I think that when Tubs finally leaves, he will be considered one of the top if not the top coach ever to grace our school. He may not have gone to Auburn, but I think he is well on his way to being a true believer.  You don't put all that heart and soul into a program and simply look at it like it's only a job. Sure, he may leave one day, but we'll always think of him as a member of the family.

I like the fact that Tubs does it clean and gives the kids a good shot at getting that education.  I think he runs a very disciplined program, too, and that's why it's rare to hear of trouble coming from our players.