Aggieair said:
Also, looking solely at conference home games as opposed to all conference games is extremely arbitrary and disingenuous when comparing coaches. Total conference record is what matters, not home conference record, when it comes to winning the division.
Sumlin in 3 years in SEC: 13-11 (.542)
Fisher in 3 years in SEC: 17-8 (.680)
Fisher could 4-4 in conference next year (which he has done before, and Sumlin did repeatedly) and no one on here is going to say "Well, at least he won all our home conference games!"
Yes, you are right. The conference winning percentage is what matters when it comes to SEC West standings, but there's no denying how much we struggled in home SEC games under Sumlin. I have not forgotten the long drought between home wins against SEC West teams that lasted more than 3 years. Since Sumlin went 6-2 in SEC games his first season, he posted 4-4 SEC records 4 times (2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017) and one 3-5 SEC season in 2014.
When Fisher went 4-4 in SEC games in 2019, we had a tough schedule because we drew Georgia in Athens as our rotating SEC East opponent in addition to Alabama and LSU. I had expected losses to Alabama, Georgia, and LSU that year, and the only disappointing loss was a 28-20 home loss to Auburn. We have never beaten Auburn at home, but I expect that to change on 11/6. Also, I am expecting at least a 5-3 finish in SEC games. Anything below that would be disappointing. Like you, I think Fisher will turn out to be a much better coach than Sumlin, but he needs to prove that before we can even consider any contract extension.