The SEC is where legends are made, and that doesn’t exclude coaches. Behind every powerhouse team is a coach with a story. These tales bring some young guns with fresh concepts and some grizzled old salts with years under their belt.
As the 2025 college football season gets closer and closer, let’s pit the ages and quirks of each SEC head coach against each other. Who is the youngest? Who’s the veteran?
Who Are the Youngest and Oldest Active SEC Football Coaches?
Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State Bulldogs (41)
At 41, Jeff Lebby is one of the SEC’s youngest head coaches, currently leading Mississippi State. As a creator of offenses, Lebby began in Oklahoma prior to stints at Ole Miss and UCF, in which he established himself as one of the premier developers of high-flying offenses.
Leading the Bulldogs in 2025, he’s tasked with revitalizing a program desperate for national respect. Though young as a head coach, Lebby’s explosive quarterback creation and play-calling bent towards attacking play make him a future SEC star to watch. Look for his impact—the Bulldogs may be about to surprise some people.
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri Tigers (42)
Eli Drinkwitz is 42 and young at heart. He is in his fifth season as the Missouri head coach. Drinkwitz made waves at Appalachian State with a top-ranked offense before stepping into the SEC spotlight. At Missouri, he’s worked to revive a program that struggled for consistency, slowly crafting a gritty team culture.
His tactical approach mixes offensive firepower with coherent defensive plans, which makes the Tigers more formidable year by year. Fans have seen glimpses of greatness in his time, which indicates that Missouri is becoming a team that nobody can ignore.
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt Commodores (43)
Clark Lea, who is 43 years old, is the head coach at Vanderbilt and an actual alum with a defensive strategy. Returning to his old school in 2021 after five years of success as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, Lea faces the daunting challenge of restoring a program long outmuscled in the SEC.
However, his emphasis on discipline, toughness, and player development has created new hope among Commodore fans. While wins have proved elusive, Lea’s end objective is unmistakable: nurture ability, develop character, and wear down the SEC bluebloods game by game.
Billy Napier, Florida Gators (45)
45-year-old Billy Napier took over the Florida Gators in 2022 and injected immediate vitality into the struggling program. Prior to Florida, he astonished the Ragin’ Cajuns’ faithful at Louisiana with a remarkable 40–12 record, transforming the Sun Belt program into a powerhouse.
Napier is well known for his creative offense and player-friendly coaching style, blending innovative schemes with old-school discipline. Under him, the Gators have been competitive again, bringing back hope to re-establish SEC supremacy.
With great recruiting and smart game-day decisions, Napier is just as quietly leading Florida back into the national conversation.
Mike Elko, Texas A&M Aggies (47)
47-year-old Mike Elko is a fresh face at Texas A&M. He is starting his second year as a head coach after years of success as a defensive coordinator.
Tasked with stabilizing a program with high expectations, Elko brings a defense-first mentality to College Station. His coach-like personality is calm and calculated, looking ahead to assembling a hard-nosed, disciplined team capable of competing against SEC giants. The Aggies’ future is promising with Elko at the controls.
Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers (47)
Josh Heupel, the Tennessee Volunteers head coach since 2021, is a former Heisman finalist quarterback with an offense-minded approach to match.
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After his brilliant playing career at Oklahoma, he transitioned into coaching and led UCF to a perfect season and Peach Bowl win. His big-play philosophy and quarterback production have helped Tennessee become one of the SEC’s most exciting teams to watch. With recruits and wins on the uptick, Heupel’s Volunteers are ready to make a run in 2025.
Shane Beamer, South Carolina Gamecocks (48)
48-year-old Shane Beamer, son of legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, is carving his name almost as fast as his father. Taking over in 2021, Beamer revived a struggling Gamecocks program with tireless energy and enthusiasm.
In the span of four seasons, he’s led South Carolina to three bowl games and was SEC Coach of the Year in 2024. His teams are tough and play with wild-card flair, offering physical defense and explosive offense.
With a contract extension through 2030, Beamer’s Gamecocks look like they’re going to play with the SEC’s best for years to come.
Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs (49)
At 49, Kirby Smart is the SEC’s current coaching titan, guiding Georgia since 2016. A one-time defensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Alabama, Smart led the Bulldogs to championships in 2021 and 2022.
A defensive wizard and recruiting miracle worker, Smart’s Georgia teams are a perfectly balanced combination of attack-tackling defense and explosive offense. He cemented his place among the SEC all-time greats with two national titles and shows no signs of easing up as he plots even greater heights in Athens.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide (50)
The 50-year-old Kalen DeBoer took over Alabama in 2024 from legend Nick Saban. Before traveling to Tuscaloosa, DeBoer built Washington into a national title contender with a jaw-dropping career mark of 113–16 at the top coaching spot.
Having a reputation for offensive creativity and meticulous preparation, DeBoer has the tall order of carrying on Alabama’s dynasty. Fans and pundits anxiously await to see if he can carry on the Tide tradition with his penetrating, adaptable style as a coach.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels (50)
50-year-old Lane Kiffin is among the most flamboyant and polarizing figures in college football.
That time Lane Kiffin said he found hia punter at a frat house 😂 pic.twitter.com/bNeaYbImbX
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) May 26, 2025
Under the command of Ole Miss since 2020, Kiffin combines dazzling offense with a boisterous personality that gets players and fans fired up. His coaching career has taken him through Tennessee, USC, and Florida Atlantic, where he’s renowned for bold play-calling and molding NFL heroes.
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Ole Miss has become a threat in the SEC West with Kiffin, who mixes style and substance with an offense capable of lighting up the board in a matter of seconds.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns (51)
Steve Sarkisian, 51, is the Texas head coach and a quarterback whisperer. Before joining the Longhorns, he was in the headlines at Washington and USC and was the Alabama offensive coordinator.
Sarkisian’s strength is in developing QBs and constructing well-rounded offenses, something the Longhorns cried out for. His tenure at Texas has been one of rebuilding and methodical growth, trying to restore the program’s historic dominance of the Big 12 and now the SEC.
Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners (54)
Oklahoma head coach since 2022, 54-year-old Brent Venables is one of college football’s greatest defensive minds. Venables’ task at Oklahoma is to rebuild a once-dominant program. His aggressive, no-nonsense defense and savvy game planning are making the Sooners a legitimate SEC contender once again.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn Tigers (55)
Hugh Freeze, Auburn’s head coach since 2023, is a comeback coach. After two big-bowl appearances at Ole Miss and battling personal and health issues, Freeze now brings his offensive genius and motivational skills to the Tigers.
His comeback path is as captivating as his playbook, which rests on grit and attacking football. Auburn fans are convinced that Freeze can restore the program’s golden days with his high-energy approach and street-smart coaching.
Mark Stoops, Kentucky Wildcats (57)
Mark Stoops is 57 years old and has served as the head coach at Kentucky since 2013. Stoops transformed an underdog at Kentucky into a perennial bowl team with physical defense and disciplined football.
His longevity in the quick-trigger SEC coaching world is testimony to his consistent leadership and his ability to grow talent in a competitive environment. Under his watch, Kentucky football has a bright and stable future.
Sam Pittman, Arkansas Razorbacks (63)
At 63, Sam Pittman is the SEC’s oldest leading man, having coached at Arkansas since 2020. With his larger-than-life personality and blue-collar coaching style, Pittman has made toughness and building a dominant OL a priority.
Arkansas hasn’t yet reached elite ranks, but Pittman’s skills have given the Razorbacks a shot of energy.
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