The 2024 college football season was one of stability among SEC Football head coaches. Contrary to preseason, and even September predictions, every head coach survived the 2024 season. Axes were poised above the heads of Billy Napier and Sam Pittman, but both men produced enough for returns.
Perhaps the 2025 season will bring similar stability, but a better guess is that more than a few heads will roll in 2025. A plausible prediction is that close to half of the SEC head coaches will be on hot seats during the 2025 season.
Primary SEC Football Head Coach Hot Seats
Counter to claims, some SEC football coaches have hotter seats than Kalen DeBoer. It can be argued that while DeBoer will be under considerable pressure in the 2025 season, the Tide's win total will have to drop to eight or seven wins for a DeBoer exit before the 2026 season.
If there were space for a more patient perspective, it would be that talking about a 9-win coach being on a hot seat is reckless. That is the case with many college football programs, even championship-aspiring SEC programs. But, the Alabama Football program is unique. Failure for many Alabama Crimson Tide fans is any season that does not produce a championship. SEC football championships are only a weak substitute for the Crimson Tide not winning a national championship.
The byproduct of such expectations is a highly regarded coach wins nine games after succeeding Nick Saban and is rewarded with hot seat status. Maybe that situation is not unfair, but it is borderline insane.
If not hotter, at least equal to DeBoer's situation are four other SEC head coaches. Hugh Freeze, Mark Stoops and Brent Venables will have to show significant progress in 2025. Sam Pittman has a bit more wiggle room, but is far from secure.
At Auburn, Freeze is 11-14 in two seasons. Auburn fans loved the hire, but have soured on Freeze considerably. His 56.2% winning record in seven SEC seasons is barely acceptable in a conference that eats up mediocrity. In 12 Kentucky seasons, Stoops is 77-73. Considering Kentucky plays in the SEC but is not a football school, Stoops has done rather well. But the Wildcats have gone 18-20 in their last three seasons, and even in Lexington, that is unacceptable. Brent Venables is still trying to prove himself as a head coach. The 2023 10-win season by Oklahoma does not wipe out bookend 6-7 seasons. Venables might survive with seven wins in 2025. More likely he will need eight.
Two more SEC coaches are 'shaky' secure but for different reasons. Billy Napier survived 2024 because Florida finished winning four straight to reach 8-4. The reprieve Napier gained will not stand any regression. He'll need at least eight wins again in 2025. Brian Kelly has won 29 games in three seasons at LSU. Still, Bengal Tiger fans are restless. If Kelly fails again to reach the Playoffs, his 72.8% winning record over 21, FBS seasons might not save him in Baton Rouge.
Including Kalen DeBoer, this list has seven SEC coaches on shaky ground. Are the other nine SEC coaches secure no matter what happens in 2025? A reasonable guess is yes, but some Texas A&M fans are disgruntled with Mike Elko after the Aggies dropped four of their last five games in the 2024 season. Jeff Lebby should get one more honeymoon season in Starkville, but the Bulldogs 2-10 record likely dampened the patience of Mississippi State fans. Anything less than five wins in 2025 could be trouble for Lebby. Before the 2023 season ended, Zach Arnett was fired with a 4-6 record.
Note: Coach and team records provided by Sports Reference