A third SEC coach left the building yesterday when Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville, who guided the Tigers to an unbeaten season in 2004, resigned. The Birmingham News was the first to break the resignation, but there were a couple radio reports earlier in the day that strongly hinted it was over. It seemed like he was forced out.

Major surprise? Depends on your point of view. Tuberville had done terrific things for the program in 10 years, but college football’s what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality pointed the finger at offensive struggles for three straight seasons. It didn’t help that their in-state rivals Alabama rose from the depths to No. 1 in the same season that the Tigers plummeted to the basement.

The real surprise is that last night at a press conference, Alabama coach Nick Saban took a few thinly-veiled shots at Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee for having such quick hooks with their coaches:

“Those guys are really good coaches, and they’ve done a good job for a long time and have a tremendous body of work,” Saban said. “I really question some of the judgment relative to how it is for our game that people with those kind of relationships and done that kind of job and affected so many people in a positive way and have had a reasonable amount of success relative to their circumstances would not be given more respect and consideration than what these guys have been given.€

Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden are a dying breed (not literally). Too much pressure, too much competition, and the day anyone is hired, somebody, somewhere is buying www.fire[enter coach here].com. The culture is increasingly negative, and everyone feels they’re entitled to a National Championship.

The move, for coaches, at least, perhaps should be, “get out while you can.” What happens if Pete Carroll has a down year? What if Rich Rod doesn’t turn it around next season in Ann Arbor? And what of Jim Tressel, who has taken the Buckeyes to a few title games, but hasn’t won one since 2002? Mark Richt in Georgia? Is anyone safe?