Possible landing spots for three fired SEC coaches in 2026

With the firing of Brian Kelly, yet another SEC program finds itself scrambling for its next leader.

In just a few short weeks, multiple SEC schools have cut ties with their head coaches, signaling growing impatience in the world of college athletics. What’s driving this wave of firings across the country? Let’s take a closer look at the factors fueling the coaching carousel.  

Brian Kelly

As a head coach, finishing the season with a winning record is not enough if it doesn't result in big wins and deep playoff runs. LSU fired Kelly after an embarrassing 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. Brian Kelly was 34-14 overall and 19-10 in the SEC in four seasons at LSU, but he could not win enough games to make the CFP.

The Tigers finished with 10 wins twice in his tenure. He coached Heisman quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2023, but the team only finished the season 8-4. That year, they also failed to win big games, suffering double-digit losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, and Florida. LSU’s season will not get any easier as they will head to Tuscaloosa on November 8 to face No. 4 Alabama. 

At Notre Dame, Kelly achieved an astonishing record of 113-40. He coached the Irish from 2010-2021 while making a BCS National Championship game appearance in 2012. Notre Dame also reached the CFP in 2018 and 2020. Kelly coached Notre Dame to seven double-digit win seasons, which is the most by any coach in program history. Kelly can win, but sometimes a change of scenery is necessary.  

Next possible move: Wisconsin or Stanford 

Sam Pittman

Arkansas was just 2-3 when they decided to part ways with Sam Pittman. Although Pittman had an impressive 3-0 bowl record and helped the team’s 20-game SEC losing streak in 2020, his overall record was 32-34. Arkansas never had a double-digit win season, with its best record being 9-4 in 2021 under Pittman. When Pittman answered the call to be the head man in Arkansas, he came into a messy situation, but still, the goal was to win, and he did that to an extent. 

 In the SEC, his record was 14-29, but Arkansas was still considered a competitive program. He spent six seasons with the Razorbacks from 2020-2025. Before Arkansas, Pittman was the associate head coach and offensive line coach at the University of Georgia from 2016 to 2019. 

Next possible move: Auburn assistant or TBD

Billy Napier 

The firing of Billy Napier was long-awaited by Florida fans. He was statistically the worst Florida head coach since World War II. He had a 12-16 SEC record and 22-23 overall. The Gators had a losing record against all rivals: Georgia, Miami, LSU, and Florida State. When playing ranked opponents, the Gators were 5-17. This season, Florida was 3-4 before firing Napier, and the offense was abominable. Napier finished with one winning season in 2024, going 8-5 and winning the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.  

Before taking the job in Florida, Napier was the head coach at Louisiana. He achieved a 40-12 record in four seasons and led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a Sun Belt title in 2021. They went on to beat Marshall 36-21 in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. They capped off a program record 13-win season in Napier’s last season as head coach.  

Next possible move: UAB or offensive coordinator at UCLA

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke on the wave of SEC firings. “It’s the world we live in,” Smart said. "At this time in the middle of the season, I think there's so much built around the playoffs. It's like everything is boom or bust, and you can't have a normal season." 

Expectations are higher than ever, and a clear message is being sent throughout the conference: Win now or you’re out. All firings happened within a month of each other. There is no question that these schools needed coaching changes, but should it have been done in the middle of the season? The SEC is a tough conference, and schools need a strong leader to be successful. Arkansas, Florida, and LSU still have ranked opponents on their schedules, and success will just be harder to come by.  

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• Indiana coach Curt Cignetti's salary bump of 2,729% in four years is insane
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