SEC coaches are under fire as losses add up

It's virtually assured that two SEC jobs will become available at the end of this season. One is at Arkansas, where John L. Smith, the Razorbacks' interim replacement for Bobby Petrino, will coach out the string before being supplanted by a permanent solution for the 2013 season.

A second is at Kentucky. The Wildcats are led by former Kentucky wide receiver and offensive coordinator Joker Phillips, who took over for Rich Brooks in 2010. Now in his third season, Phillips is less than a half away from dropping to 1-6.

If Kentucky was on the fence about Phillips' ability to lead this specific team out of its early lull, the first 35 minutes of tonight's game might serve as the final straw.

It's Arkansas 49, Kentucky 0 – yes, it's 49-0, and there's 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

Tyler Wilson and this Arkansas offense have broken out against one of the nation's worst defenses. Wilson is 23 of 31 for 371 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. The Razorbacks have 524 yards of total offense to Kentucky's 87 yards and 27 first downs to Kentucky's five.

It's not a pretty picture for Kentucky or Phillips, who won six games in 2010, five last fall and may win only two in 2012. The good news? Lightning has suspended play in Fayetteville. Whatever higher power controls the weather must feel that after 49 points, enough is enough.

Another two SEC head coaches are under fire as the season moves past the midway point. One is Tennessee's Derek Dooley, whose team would drop to 0-3 in league play with a loss tonight to Mississippi State. (The Bulldogs currently lead 27-14 late in the second quarter.)

That Gene Chizik is only two years removed from a national championship will buy him more time at Auburn – that and the significant buyout added to the contract extension he received shortly after the conclusion of the 2010 season.

But Auburn is now 1-5 after a distressing 41-20 loss to Mississippi in Oxford, and with Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama still to come, is a long shot to reach bowl eligibility.

Of the four, Arkansas is guaranteed to enter the coaching pool in December. Barring a miraculous turnaround, Kentucky will be in the same boat. (Willie Taggart, anyone?)

Tennessee will wait to see if Dooley can win seven games during the regular season. Auburn is not going to fire Chizik, though he'll enter next season on the hot seat.