During the college football season, 25% of SEC teams had fired their head coach.
By Sunday, one day after the season ended, all five of those vacancies had been filled—until late Sunday night, when Kentucky joined the mix. The domino effect of hirings and firings within the conference kicked off a nationwide coaching carousel.
Including Lane Kiffin’s controversial move from Ole Miss to LSU, six of the SEC’s 16 teams are making coaching changes. Here’s where things stand after Sunday’s coaching moves:
Arkansas
- Fired Sam Pittman Sept. 28
- Hired Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield
Auburn
- Fired Hugh Freeze Nov. 2
- Hired South Florida coach Alex Golesh
Florida
- Fired Billy Napier Oct. 19
- Hired Tulane coach Jon Sumrall
LSU
- Fired Brian Kelly Oct. 26
- Hired Lane Kiffin
Ole Miss
- Lane Kiffin departed
- Promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach
Kentucky
- Fired Mark Stoops after 13 seasons
Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, and Kentucky are on the hook for contract buyouts totalling roughly $83 million for firing their respective coaches. LSU recently settled a lawsuit with Kelly, agreeing to pay him his full $54 million buyout, pending offset language should he land another job.
Domino Effect
Contract details for the new hires are expected to be made public later this week. Sumrall will continue to coach Tulane as they play in the American Conference championship game, and during the College Football Playoff, should they earn a spot. North Texas coach Eric Norris, who has been hired by Oklahoma State, will also coach the Mean Green in the American title game and any CFP run.
Heading into Rivalry Weekend, 12 FBS teams had already fired their coaches since the season began. On Sunday, Michigan State fired Jonathan Smith and hired former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. Coastal Carolina fired head coach Tim Beck.
N.C. State announced it would retain head coach Dave Doeren for a 14th season, following a 7–5 record this year.
