The NCAA Tournament’s over, and suddenly, it’s offseason mode. That means it’s time to take a hard look at the SEC’s head coaches for football and men’s basketball.
With the 2025-26 season in the rearview, Saturday Down South rolled out a ranking of the bottom-8 SEC programs based on their football and men’s basketball coach pairings. Let’s dig into the criteria they used and see what’s actually going on with each of these coaching duos.
Understanding the Ranking Criteria
Several factors shaped these rankings:
- Accolades at previous schools
- Performance at prior coaching stops
- Overall records and achievements
Football and basketball got equal weight. If there was a tie, the program with the better football coach came out ahead—no real shock in a league that lives and breathes football.
Auburn: Alex Golesh and Steven Pearl
Auburn ends up at the bottom, which is a bit of a surprise. Alex Golesh has a 14-10 conference record at South Florida, so there’s promise, but his resume isn’t exactly packed with experience.
Steven Pearl, after being promoted, missed the NCAA Tournament and had the worst defensive efficiency in SEC play. Honestly, the early returns aren’t great, so Auburn’s got a lot to prove.
South Carolina: Shane Beamer and Lamont Paris
Shane Beamer’s time at South Carolina hasn’t exactly wowed anyone—just one winning season in conference play over five years. His 16-24 SEC record and a rough 2025 campaign have folks wondering how long he’ll last.
Lamont Paris, on the basketball side, has only managed one strong season out of four. The Gamecocks scraped together just 10 SEC wins over the other three years. Both coaches are feeling the heat heading into next year.
Kentucky: Will Stein and Mark Pope
Will Stein brings optimism, but he’s never been a head coach before, which landed him 16th among SEC football coaches. Mark Pope’s basketball run has been pretty average—20-16 in SEC games, not much to brag about in the NCAA Tournament.
Pope’s recruiting and transfer classes haven’t turned heads, either. Kentucky’s got some work to do if they want to climb out of this spot.
Mississippi State: Jeff Lebby and Chris Jans
Jeff Lebby’s first season was rough—he’s 1-15 in SEC play. That’s about as tough as it gets.
Chris Jans, though, has a better track record. He’s made the NCAA Tournament three times at New Mexico State and Mississippi State. Even after missing the tournament this year, his past success keeps them hanging on.
Ole Miss: Pete Golding and Chris Beard
Pete Golding’s about to start his first full season as Ole Miss’ head coach. He handled a wild stretch with three College Football Playoff games, so there’s something there.
Chris Beard, after nearly winning it all with Texas Tech, hasn’t hit those highs again. His 21-33 conference record over three years isn’t great. Both coaches could break out, but they need to show it soon.
Oklahoma: Brent Venables and Porter Moser
Brent Venables bounced back in 2025, leading Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff. His defenses have been consistently strong, which helped his ranking.
Porter Moser, on the other hand, just can’t catch a break. Only one NCAA Tournament in five years, but he’s been close more than once. Feels like bad luck more than anything else.
Arkansas: Ryan Silverfield and John Calipari
Ryan Silverfield did alright at Memphis, but Arkansas is a different animal. They’re sitting at the bottom of the SEC, so he’s got a real challenge ahead.
John Calipari’s reputation is huge, but lately, he’s struggled. No Elite Eight since 2019, and the last couple of Sweet 16s haven’t erased that. Fourth-best among SEC basketball coaches isn’t what Arkansas fans are used to.
Vanderbilt: Clark Lea and Mark Byington
Clark Lea got Vanderbilt to 10 wins, which is something, but outside of that, he’s just 5-27 in SEC games. Makes you wonder if that success will stick.
Mark Byington’s been a bright spot. He was even linked to the North Carolina job and has done well with what he’s got. In just two years, he’s already in the top half of SEC basketball coaches—impressive, honestly.
Conclusion
We’re still waiting on those top-8 rankings, but one thing’s obvious: the SEC coaching scene is a real mix. Some coaches are seasoned pros, others are still finding their footing.
Every program’s got its own set of headaches, and honestly, the next couple seasons might make or break a few of these guys. If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty rankings or just want a deeper dive, you can check out the full article over at Saturday Down South.
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