College football does not lack for drama, but comedy? It has that, too — in droves.

It gets most of its comedic chops from the Southeastern Conference, where you’ll find the best teams, players and coaches, many of whom have personalities that transcend the game and give us memories and quotes that’ll keep us giggling for eternity.

The league has doled out one iconic figure after another for decades, so we won’t reach too far into the past for the all-time definitive list this time. Instead, we’ll focus on the modern era, in the advent of the SEC Network, social media and more that have cast an even bigger spotlight on the epicenter of college football.

Mike Leach

Adding a personality like Leach’s to the SEC a few years ago only made a league full of intrigue that much more entertaining. After successful runs at Texas Tech and Washington State with his “Air Raid” offense, Leach took the Mississippi State gig in 2020, and his quirky personality hasn’t disappointed in subsequent seasons. Be it his affinity for pirates, his craving for a cup of coffee, his hatred of candy corn (and expertise on all things sweet) or his unusual wedding advice, Leach remains the type of left-of-center character college football needs.

Lane Kiffin

The mere mention of the Ole Miss coach’s name often puts a smile on the faces of fans who have followed his fascinating career since he helped USC win championships as offensive coordinator. As head coach of Tennessee, the Oakland Raiders, the Trojans, FAU and now the Rebels, Kiffin entertains at every stop — never more so than his stint as OC under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. His insights into Saban’s management style are always unique and hilarious, as Kiffin operates in a way we see so few head coaches, even in 2022: He’s self-aware. Frequently dubbed a troll — which, let’s be honest, is fair — Kiffin uses Twitter better than anyone in his profession whether he’s poking fun at himself (or his former boss) or making an account for his dog Juice. We don’t have to get our popcorn ready for Lane Kiffin: It’s already popped.

Ed Orgeron

The SEC feels a little less…something without Orgeron coaching LSU, with whom he won a national title in 2019 (in dominant fashion). Literally born on the bayou, the Cajun-accented Coach O was never not amusing in that role, always grinning ear-to-ear before and after games (offering a “Go Tigers!” to end every interview) and acting like a big kid, while maintaining his own brand of intensity between whistles. His recent description of how his career ended at LSU says it all: “[LSU athletics director Scott Woodward] said, ‘Coach, you’ve got 17.1 million on your contract. We’re going to give to you,’” Orgeron said, gruffly. “I said, ‘What time do you want me to leave, and what door do you want me out of, brother?’” Speaking of distinctive voices in college football…

Joe Kines

One 40-second halftime interview defined the legacy of this former Crimson Tide defensive coordinator forever, and you know what? Good. Kines’ gravelly-voiced exuberance over stopping “that inside trap” has brought the world joy ever since ESPN aired the 2006 Independence Bowl while he served as interim head coach after Mike Shula was fired. “He has a magnificent personality,” the giggling commentator said after Kines reassured sideline reporter Todd Harris, “We’re just gon’ play! We just gotta keep playin’!”

Scott Cochran

Cover your ears! When the strength and conditioning coach is a football program’s second biggest brand and personality, you know somebody hits a little different. Energy doesn’t begin to describe what former Alabama and current Georgia assistant coach Scott Cochran brings to whichever team he motivates. His famous guttural yelling could be heard across the Southeast when Bryant-Denny Stadium would blare it through the speakers to raise the venue’s decibel levels. It doesn’t matter if players are stretching at practice or finishing off opponents in the national title game (as Cochran holds up four fingers on each hand for the duration of the period), the man’s ferocity never wavers.

Tony Brown

Never mind his amazing post-game interviews (”Hunter Renfrow…he lied!”), the former Crimson Tide defensive back’s quirky personality certainly translated into his playing style (an absolute demon on special teams; now for the Indianapolis Colts), fans became fixated on traits when he wasn’t competing. Like his better-than-expected performance during the Tide’s visit to the White House following the 2017 national title win, wearing a fur hat and shades (”This drip you couldn’t even imagine”) while standing at the presidential podium and prompting fans to tweet in unison, “Tony 4 President.” Or what about when a shirtless Brown walked through LSU players’ pregame stretching routine, seemingly stalking his prey ahead of kickoff or simply letting them know, this is what’s coming in a few minutes. Tony Brown was a joy to watch.

Finebaum callers

SEC fans already know what to expect between 2-6 p.m. central every weekday year-round, let alone during college football season. Paul Finebaum became a fixture decades ago, as did his regular callers, the folks who dedicate their afternoons to rant and rave for our entertainment. Unlike most other sports talk shows, the longtime host places a premium on his callers for whom fans tune in just as much as they would Finebaum himself. Iconic voices like Legend, I-Man, Shane and Jim from Tuscaloosa’s still permeate the airwaves with glorious trash talk that keeps our finger on the pulse of the SEC fan landscape. Not to mention late great callers like Tammy and Shane, plus others from whom we don’t hear much anymore (Phyllis from Mulga, Charles from Reeltown…), Finebaum’s crowd never fails to deliver whether their teams are up or down.

Stingray

Steven “Stingray” Ray (above) quickly became one of the most identifiable and beloved college football fans in the country in the mid-2010s when he began sending hilarious video rants to “The Paul Finebaum Show,” declaring his love for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and assuring the world “Hail State!” would become a global rallying cry for all. Blessed with boundless energy and enthusiasm, Stingray introduced a new element to fandom and showed we could let go of our inhibitions in the name of our favorite teams, so long as we do it joyfully. The aspiring broadcaster (in sports media and meteorology) quickly became a fixture in the SEC, appearing on various television and radio shows and spreading college football cheer for all to hear. He now hosts his own show, “The Stingray Show” you can watch online.

Tyrann Mathieu, “The Honey Badger”

Now a Super Bowl champion (currently with the New Orleans Saints), the former consensus All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year LSU defensive back played with rare flair, as his Tigers nearly ran the table in an historic run, when he finished as a Heisman finalist. His stature didn’t at the highest level of football, perhaps when the SEC really began to peak competitively on the national stage, as he talked trash and backed it up with dynamic playmaking and a clear joy for the game.

John L. Smith

“Smile!” The former assistant to Bobby Petrino would replace him as head coach in 2012 but only last one very memorable season, if only for a single press conference that permanently puts him on this list. During his Monday morning presser after Alabama handed his Razorbacks a 52-0 loss, Smith tried to, uh, look on the bright side when he looked at the media members sitting in front of him. “You guys act like it’s…Pick it up a little bit, OK? Get your chin up. Smile! Smile! OK?” Smith said, sort of grinning as he peered deeper into his audience. “Dang, you guys, all right? If not, I’m not talking!” Arkansas finished the 2012 season 4-8 and did not retain Smith as head coach. But we’ll always remember to smile.

Landon Dickerson

The former Crimson Tide center and current Philadelphia Eagles guard made a big impression almost as soon as he arrived at the Capstone after transferring from Florida State. Massive in stature at 6-foot-6 and 300-plus pounds, Dickerson’s personality is probably even bigger. When he wasn’t putting a makeshift bumper fashioned from a wooden railroad tie on his pickup truck or doing cartwheels behind his friend and quarterback Mac Jones during an ESPN interview on Alabama’s pro day, Dickerson was pancaking defenders and having a good time doing it. If a D-lineman jumped offsides, he would let the world know about it by pointing and laughing for all to see. Or if he got under the skin of an opponent that led to some extracurricular activity after the whistle, he might embellish it a bit by flopping to the turf for effect. But fans went nuts after Dickerson tore his ACL in the 2020 conference title game, only to rehab as much as possible to not only dress out for the College Football Playoff final but deliver the final snaps in victory formation, as he carried Nick Saban on to the field like a child watching the Christmas parade.

Adorned with a “Bama” license plate, the bumper captured Dickerson’s rugged and quirky personality.

Cam Newton

The Auburn quarterback had one of, if not the, greatest single season of any college football player in the history of the sport, winning the Heisman Trophy and improbably leading the Tigers to a national championship. The biggest hero for one franchise, the biggest villain for another, Newton was a generationally great player who did it all with a big smile on his face. It would translate to the NFL, as he won league MVP and led his team to a 15-1 regular season and Super Bowl appearance, all while making one fashion statement after another — many praising his choices, others comparing him to Batman villains. Newton was nothing if not unique — oh, and one of the greatest football players we’ve ever seen.

Jimbo Fisher

Jimbo was already a big personality in the sports world, but things escalated in 2022. In May, the Texas A&M head coach lit the college football world on fire when he unloaded on his former boss and current SEC West rival, even calling the Alabama coach a “narcissist” for what Saban said about Texas A&M’s recruiting practices. “It’s despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn’t get his way or things don’t go his way,” Fisher said. When asked if he had talked to Saban prior to the presser, Fisher said no and that he wasn’t planning to take any calls. “We’re done,” Fisher said. Since then, Fisher has insisted he and Saban are “great” and just two competitive guys speaking their minds. Fisher became the first-ever former Saban assistant to defeat his former boss head-to-head when the Aggies upset Alabama in 2021, but the Tide would get him back this year, with Bama escaping with a 24-20 win in Tuscaloosa. Fisher is always honest, often speaking a mile a minute during interviews. And he will be well-compensated, no matter what happens in College Station: Fisher signed a 10-year, fully guaranteed contract extension in 2021, that will pay him $95 million through 2031.

Steve Spurrier

The “Head Ball Coach” himself. Winner of one national championship and seven SEC titles at Florida, Spurrier had a dominant run that defined that program as a force in the ‘90s and the conference as one of the best in the country. After a brief stint in the NFL, he took his talents to Columbia where he even made a previously mediocre South Carolina program competitive almost annually, even winning the eastern division against all odds. But Spurrier’s swagger and brutal honestly, not to mention his penchant for running up the score with the game in hand, definitely created a love-him-or-hate-him attitude for fans outside of Gainesville. And Spurrier never shied away from delivering a razor-sharp quote to send a message.

Honorable mentions: Shane Beamer, Lou Holtz, Butch Jones, Les Miles, Dan Mullen.