Alabama Football: SEC football head coaching hot seats and not
By Ronald Evans
The next three guys should have no trouble surviving the 2020 season. One of them, except for his propensity for trouble should be in a first-season honeymoon period. We’ll start with him at No. 8 on our list.
No. 8 – Ole Miss Rebels-Black Bears – Lane Kiffin
‘Cool Breeze’ should slide through season one at Ole Miss without a ripple. Then again, Lane may never actually mature and the temptations will be great in Oxford.
He will make football fun. He will surprise a team or two. Really, after Matt Luke, most anyone would look good. It helps he is a very good, offensive football coach. He proved that with an Alabama football offense led by a former, running back at quarterback.
No. 7 – Kentuck Wildcats – Mark Stoops
Mark Stoops has done a tremendous job in Lexington. He has done so well, Kentucky would be foolish to ever fire him. His record as a head coach, all in Lexington, is 44-44 over seven seasons. His most recent four seasons have been about as good as can be done, where basketball is King. That four-year win pattern has been seven wins each in 2016 and 2017; followed by 10 wins in 2018 and eight wins last season.
He will field an experienced team in 2020 and seven wins is again possible, maybe a couple of more.
No. 6 – Tennessee Vols – Jeremy Pruitt
The Vols fanbase loves Pruitt. After a rocky start, he has turned things around in Knoxville. Early recruiting success in the 2021 class has Tennessee fans talking future championships.
Still, there is the Phil Fulmer factor. As long as Fulmer is on the Tennessee payroll (and maybe if he is not) Pruitt’s status can quickly become tenuous. The sooner Jeremy slays that dragon, the better for his head coaching career.