The 2025-26 coaching carousel brings six new head coaches to the SEC. Now that spring practice is over, here’s where these first-year coaches rank heading into the college football season.
1. Lane Kiffin | LSU Tigers
This feels like a no-brainer. Kiffin left Ole Miss after winning 51 games in five years, including an 11-1 regular season in 2025. After arriving at LSU, he signed the No. 1 transfer portal class in 2026, which includes the No. 1 quarterback, offensive tackle and edge-rusher, per 247Sports.
The strength of the team will be at wide receiver. Troy transfer WR Roman Mothershed has shown an ability to win contested catches this spring, while Trey’Dez Green is a physical mismatch who can line up at both tight end and receiver.
The question, however, is quarterback stability. With Arizona State Sam Leavitt limited this spring because of a right foot injury, LSU’s depth has been tested. Husan Longstreet and Landen Clark have flashed, but turnovers have been an issue, including multiple interceptions in their most recent scrimmage.
LSU’s ceiling is directly tied to Leavitt’s health. Without him at full strength, this feels more like a fringe playoff team than a championship contender.
2. Pete Golding | Ole Miss Rebels
Golding proved he could handle the pressure of leading Ole Miss, guiding the Rebels to two playoff wins as interim head coach in 2025. He followed that run by signing the No. 2 transfer class in the 2026 portal rankings, positioning the program as a playoff-caliber team heading into the fall.
The combination of QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy gives the Rebels one of the nation’s most explosive backfields. Lacy brings game-breaking speed, while Chambliss’s mobility helps mask an offensive line still settling its tackle positions.
Receiver remains the biggest question. Ole Miss completely rebuilt the room through the transfer portal, and while Deuce Alexander has turned heads this spring, the rest of the rotation is still up for grabs.
Unlike LSU, where the concern is tied to one player’s health, Ole Miss has a broader question at receiver that could take some time to stabilize.
3. Jon Sumrall | Florida Gators
Sumrall brings proven program-building experience to Gainesville after leading the Tulane Green Wave to a 20-8 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. Florida may not have the most complete roster, but Sumrall’s emphasis on toughness and defensive structure addresses issues that have lingered in recent seasons.
Buster Faulkner’s offense uses athletes in space, and Georgia Tech transfer QB Aaron Philo managed the offense well in the Orange and Blue spring game, throwing for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
The biggest question remains up front, where the right combination will determine how far the unit can go. Sumrall didn’t mince words after the game, saying, “Those guys have to have a freaking great summer, or we’ve got no chance. Like, no chance.”
4. Alex Golesh | Auburn Tigers
Auburn struggled offensively in the Hugh Freeze era, only averaging 18.5 points in conference play in 2025. Golesh brings a quarterback-friendly modern system that attacks defenses in space.
Freshman wide receiver DeShawn Spencer had an impressive spring game with nine receptions and 93 yards, highlighting an upgraded room from a season ago.
Byrum Brown — who transferred from South Florida, where Golesh went 9-3 last season — threw two interceptions in the spring game, highlighing a potential issue at the position.
If Auburn is stuck in neutral on offense again, nothing else will matter on the Plains.
5. Will Stein | Kentucky Wildcats
There’s a lot of excitement around Lexington to start the Stein era. He brings an offense that’s built on tempo and spacing, and Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey, a Notre Dame transfer, seems to be picking up on the system quickly.
Minchey had some nice passes in Saturday’s spring game, and even escaped some pressure and ran for a touchdown. But there were still growing pains with several offensive players out because of injury.
The ceiling here won’t be defined by star power but by operational efficiency. If Kentucky gets stable play from Minchey, this offense could outperform expectations.
6. Ryan Silverfield | Arkansas Razorbacks
Silverfield may have the toughest job on this list, inheriting a program that went 2-10 last season — the worst record in the SEC since 2022.
The immediate priority has been structural, rebuilding with an offensive line that can pull in the gap scheme and block in space on screens. The quarterbacks had an up-and-down spring with turnover issues, but Memphis transfer AJ Hill seems to be emerging.
The defense will have to be night and day from a year ago to give Arkansas any chance. Ron Roberts has taken over defensive play-calling duties, and there’s promise from freshman defensive tackles Danny Beale and Anthony Kennedy Jr.
For Silverfield, the first season is less about the team’s record and more about establishing a baseline the program can actually grow from.
Six hires. Three different timelines. LSU and Ole Miss are built to win now, Florida and Auburn are searching for consistency and Kentucky and Arkansas are laying the groundwork. By midseason, we will know who is ahead of schedule and who has a long way to go.