Competition will once again be intense in the SEC this 2025 campaign. As teams battle it out in the loaded Southeastern Conference, head coaching jobs will be on the line. Let’s look at five SEC coaches who are on the hot seat in the upcoming football season.
Top 5 SEC Coaches on the Hot Seat in 2025
1. Billy Napier (Florida)
Heading into the 2025 season, Billy Napier is feeling the heat. The Florida head coach, who joined in 2022, doesn’t have a winning record with the Gators, posting an even 19-19 slate in his last three seasons.
Napier got off to a poor start in his coaching career at Florida, with the Gators having losing records in his first two seasons in The Swamp. Florida finished the 2022 campaign with a 6-7 slate before posting a 5-7 record in 2023. Things improved slightly in 2024 as Florida finished the season with an 8-5 slate.
It’s ride or die with Billy Napier this year.
2022: 6-7
Offensive PPG: 29.5 (58th overall)2023: 5-7
Offensive PPG: 28.4 (59th overall)2024: 8-5
Offensive PPG: 28.3 (64th overall)Napier is 19-19 at Florida and hasn’t even broken 30 PPG in a season yet. pic.twitter.com/8QNxYcwXmY
— Florida Gators 🐊🔥 (@gatorsszn) February 4, 2025
The pressure is on Napier to get Florida rolling this coming season. The Gators, who added wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant and edge rusher Kofi Asare to their roster, will open their SEC regular-season campaign with games against LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M.
2. Hugh Freeze (Auburn)
The pressure is mounting on Hugh Freeze, heading into his third season as Auburn’s head coach. The Tigers have disappointed during Freeze’s reign, posting losing records in the last two seasons. Auburn finished with a 6-7 slate in 2023 before posting a 5-7 record last year.
Freeze’s love for golf has also been under the microscope lately, with critics saying that he should focus on recruiting top talent for Auburn. The Tigers, who added wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. and offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin to their team this year, will open their SEC campaign with games against Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Georgia.
3. Brent Venables (Oklahoma)
The clock is ticking on Brent Venables‘ tenure at Oklahoma. The Sooners failed to build on their 10-3 campaign in the 2023 season, finishing last year with a disappointing 6-7 overall record. Oklahoma struggled against its SEC rivals, posting a 2-6 record in its conference games in 2024.
WATCH: After another 6-7 season, OU HC Brent Venables isn’t wavering. “I’ve been fighting for my job every year like someone is holding me under water trying to drown me.” New QB John Mateer added pressure is a privilege, and he’s excited to lead the Sooner offense. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/sNjxKz3Spi
— Justin Woodard-NewsOn6 (@JustinW_NewsOn6) March 6, 2025
Oklahoma will need to start strong this year to ease the pressure on Venables. The Sooners, who added quarterback John Mateer and running back Jaydn Ott to their roster this year, will start their 2025 SEC campaign with matchups against Auburn, Texas, and South Carolina.
4. Sam Pittman (Arkansas)
Sam Pittman will enter his sixth season at Arkansas, with his coaching job not entirely secure. He has a losing record with the Razorbacks, posting a 30-31 slate in his first five seasons.
The pressure is on Pittman to rack up victories for the Hogs this year. The Razorbacks, who added offensive tackle Corey Robinson II and wide receiver O’Mega Blake to their roster this year, will open their SEC campaign with games against Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas A&M.
5. Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State)
Jeff Lebby’s coaching stint at Mississippi State got off to a horrible start last year, with the Bulldogs finishing the 2024 season with a 2-10 record. They had the worst overall record among SEC teams, with Lebby’s squad going winless in their eight games against their conference rivals.
Lebby and Mississippi State can’t afford to have the same kind of showing in 2025. The Bulldogs, who added safety Jahron Manning and quarterback Luke Kromenhoek to their roster, will start their SEC campaign with games against Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Florida.
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