Three college football coaches may not survive today. Two of them are SEC football coaches: Billy Napier and Hugh Freeze. Across the SEC's terrain, other fanbases are also angry at their head coach. The grumbling for LSU fans has been growing for weeks, and the Bengal Tigers' defeat by Vanderbilt has convinced many LSU fans that Brian Kelly is a failure. Texas beat Kentucky (barely), but fans of the Longhorns are reacting to the win as though it were a loss.
Auburn and Florida fans have moved beyond firing demands to debates of which next coach is the best choice. Al.com's Michael Casagrande came close to summarizing the situation for Auburn, tweeting, "It's time, Auburn." More correctly, for Auburn, it is past time.
There is an old and apt quote from former Florida Athletic Director, Jeremy Foley, "what must be done eventually, should be done immediately." Only massive coach buyouts diminish the truth in Foley's admonition.
Auburn fans want Lane Kiffin or James Franklin to replace Hugh Freeze. Ole Miss has proactively blocked the possibility of a Kiffin exit with a new deal. Franklin would love a return to the SEC, but is likely too smart to choose Auburn. Florida or Arkansas make more sense for Franklin.
Auburn insiders claim the leading candidates not only being considered, but engaged in conversations with Auburn are Georgia Tech's Brent Key and Tulane's Jon Sumrall. Key is a member of Nick Saban's coaching tree and has produced impressive results with the Yellow Jackets.
Sumrall is a hot young-ish coach with a 38-10 head coaching record. Doing well at Troy and Tulane might not transfer to similar success at Auburn.
SEC Football and Auburn's Best Choice
The best coach for Auburn is not being mentioned in media coverage. The reason is that the Tigers would have zero chance of luring him away from his current gig. The coach is Vanderbilt's Clark Lea. Barring an unforeseen near-total collapse, Lea should be honored as the SEC Coach of the Year. Theoretically, every coach has a price at which a job cannot be turned down. Even if Auburn could afford that price, Lea is from Nashville, played football at Vandy, and gained his first head coaching job at his alma mater. Never say never, but Lea choosing to leave the Commodores seems almost impossible.
Lea meets Auburn's key job requirement. He won over an Alabama football team last season, along with a win over Auburn. After Vandy's Saturday defeat of LSU, more than one head would roll in Nashville's West End if another school stole Lea from the Commodores.