There is a rarely a college football season that passes without the rotation of the coaching carousel.

This year is no different, as already three Southeastern Conference coaches have been removed, either by resignation or termination.

In a league usually devoid of major coaching changes, Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State all will have new coaches next season as UT’s Phil Fulmer was fired Nov. 3, MSU’s Sylvester Croom resigned on Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville announced his resignation.

With the departure of Fulmer and Tuberville, Georgia head coach Mark Richt is now dean of the SEC, as the longest-tenured coach, with eight years of continuous experience. (South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier has been in the league longer, but his time was split between two different schools.)

All of the aforementioned schools have had down years and the coaches were starting to feel a bit of heat.

Fulmer had been the head coach of his alma mater for 17 seasons. He won a national championship in 1998 and has more than 150 wins. Last season, he was in the SEC title game against LSU. However, the Volunteers could not recover from the graduation of quarterback Erik Ainge, as his expected replacement, Jonathan Crompton, struggled to complete passes. After a turnover-filled Labor Day night loss to a mediocre UCLA team, Vols fans started grumbling. As the season progressed and the Vols showed little improvement, Fulmer was unceremoniously dismissed.

Croom’s Bulldogs were coming off a surprise 8-5 season last year and looking to challenge in the SEC West. But the offense struggled to score and Croom, in the final year of his five-year contract, announced his resignation after a disastrous 45-0 loss to rival Ole Miss last Saturday.

While Croom and Fulmer had felt heat in recent years, Tuberville seemed safe. The Tigers were expected to compete in the SEC West and potentially challenge for a BCS title. In fact, they finished undefeated a few years ago, and Tuberville just signed an extension through 2014.

Tuberville’s tenure eroded quickly following the failed Tony Franklin experiment. And like Croom’s Bulldogs, the Tigers were beaten into submission by their arch-rival last week, as Alabama rolled 36-0. And on Wednesday, Auburn announced Tuberville was out on his own accord.

If Richt has anything to learn, it’s that he is never truly safe – regardless of contracts and the University’s mantra to the contrary. The sad truth about college football is that boosters run it, not the University or the Athletic Department. If the people shelling out thousands of dollars a year aren’t happy, then nobody’s happy.

I am not suggesting Richt is in danger of being dismissed, but if the Dogs have more seasons like this one, the SEC may have a new dean once again.

- Michael Fitzpatrick is the sports editor of The Red & Black.