Without having read the article, it's difficult to envision how Vandy can be anything other than 16th out of 16 programs in the SEC. I guess you could maybe argue they have more potential than Mississippi State, but that's it. No way is it a better job than UK, Arkansas or SC. To be the 10th best program they would have to be ranked above say Auburn and Missouri, and that is just ludicrous.
I suspect the Athletic is suffering from some serious recency bias - it was only two years ago that Vandy was 2-10. Once Pavia is gone and they have to play a 9 game conference schedule, a really good year for Vandy is going to be 4-8. I just can't conceive how under those circumstances Vandy can be considered a better job than Miami, FSU or Clemson. Or Texas Tech, Utah or BYU. Or UNC, NC State or Ga Tech. Or Baylor, TCU or WVU. In the new world they may be comparable to the Pitt's and UVA and Cincy and Stanford, but I'm not fully convinced. The ability to compete has to count for something
Heck I will support you there:
Are these jobs better than jobs are Vandy?
FSU- This job is better than Penn State! Maybe better even better than Michigan
Clemson- another easy yes
Miami- not as good you would think it is, still better than Vandy
Texas Tech- Cody Campbell is a new Phil Knight but in much better recruiting home turf, easy yes
BYU- Mormons have money and their NIL is monstrous, so yes though their Honor Code is hinderance.
Ga Tech- Vandy, but in Atlanta. Plus they are much more attractive team to the B1G and SEC. So yeah bordering on heck yeah.
Baylor, TCU, SMU, Houston- The first three are basically the same, Texas private schools with rich football crazed alums. Houston has a Cody Campbell prototype in Tillman Fertita. Yes, yes, yes
The only ones you could make an argument for is UNC, NC State, Utah, and WVU, but I am just less knowledgeable on these schools. I definitely guessing WVU is easily better than Vandy though.