Annual awards are not given on the basis of less than half a season's worth of work.
I AGREE that if the SECCG were today based on what he's done so far, McElwain should win this one running away.
But let's not endow the award with a LOT of significance. Will Muschamp was co-winner in 2012 and tossed on the fire last year. Gus Malzahn won it in 2013 and hardly looks like the next offensive genius now. Yes, Coach Saban won it in 2003, 2008 and 2009 (and SHOULD have won it in 2001 over........Houston Nutt?).
Then again DuBose won it in 1999.
I've become wary of half-season awards ever since Heisman Trophy winner Dennard Robinson (2010) vanished and Cam Newton won it - because NOBODY was talking about Cam Newton as a Hesiman winner on October 5, 2010.
Articles from:
October 9, 2010
October 5, 2010
In fact, according to the above article, the top three candidates five years ago today were:
1) Robinson
2) LaMichael James (Oregon)
3) Kellen Moore (Boise St)
By October 24,
Newton was the front-runner.