Adams: No coaching changes is news

SEC teams have won 76.3 percent of their non-conference games since the league went to divisional play in 1992. Since then, the SEC also has had 44 head coaches, including those who served on an interim basis.

A coaching change makes news everywhere. But no coaching changes make news in the SEC.

Last year, for the first time since 1988, every head coach in the SEC held his job. "A down year for firing," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier joked.

But that might not be a one-year aberration.

With five weeks remaining in the SEC season, the conference coaches aren't likely basking in their newfound security, but none of them is packing his bags, either.

Kentucky's Rich Brooks, Arkansas' Houston Nutt and Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer appeared to be in the most trouble this season. Brooks was 9-25 after three seasons, Nutt had suffered through back-to-back losing seasons, and Fulmer had overhauled his offensive coaching staff after the school's first losing season in 17 years.

All three programs have shown improvement. The improvement has been dramatic at Arkansas and UT, whose teams are nationally ranked and competing for division championships. But Kentucky also might have shown enough improvement to avoid a coaching change.

The Wildcats are 3-4, but their remaining schedule includes winnable games against Mississippi State, Louisiana-Monroe and Vanderbilt. And the way Georgia is stumbling around, who's to say the Wildcats won't have a shot at upsetting the Bulldogs at Commonwealth Stadium in a couple of weeks?

It's also significant that Kentucky's improvement can be attributed to younger players. Nine of its starters are sophomores and one is a redshirt freshman.

UT and Arkansas were a combined 9-12 last year. Now, they're 12-2.

Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom might appear to be on shaky ground. He's 8-22 with four games remaining in his third season, but the school will give him more than three seasons to turn around a program that former coach Jackie Sherrill left on probation.

Bad Dawgs: Advice to UT: Don't waste the time or energy hoping Georgia will upset Florida. The struggling Bulldogs are getting worse, rather than better.

For example, how do you give up 234 yards passing to Mississippi State, which Georgia did in a 27-24 victory Saturday? If you can't stop Mississippi State's passing attack, what chance do you have against the Gators?

Georgia has beaten only one Division I-A team with a winning record. Three of its victories -- by a total of nine points -- have come against Colorado, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, whose combined record is 5-19.

Stubborn Strategy: Alabama's insistence on running Ken Darby against UT was a significant factor in its defeat.

Darby carried 14 times for 26 yards. Jimmy Johns, his backup, gained 37 yards on only three carries.

Alabama coaches defended their decision by saying they didn't think Johns was 100 percent healthy. He looked a lot healthier than Darby.

Say What?: Here's how Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy explained his team's 38-3 loss to Arkansas: "Even though we were the underdog, I think we underestimated them," he told the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger.

Question: How could Ole Miss underestimate anyone?

The Rebels have won five games in the last two years. They rank 112th in the country in total offense and 88th in defense.

Fresh Legs: LSU's running game is improving -- thanks, in part, to freshmen. Freshman running backs Charles Scott, Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday have combined to average 7.0 yards per rush on 76 carries.

Holliday, who is only 5-foot-5, had a 38-yard touchdown run against Fresno State on Saturday. Williams also had his best game, rushing six times for 51 yards.

Beating Bama: It's not what it used to be.

The Vols dropped from seventh to eighth in The Associated Press rankings after Saturday's 16-13 victory over Alabama.