Ranking SEC Head Coaching Changes Ahead of Their First Season

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is arguably the best conference across all college sports, with an emphasis on college football. They have produced many of the top players in the NFL, and it is one of the leagues with the best coaching.

This offseason, there were multiple teams that made moves to welcome a new head football coach. There were six head coaching changes, which College Football HQ reporter Caleb Sisk would rank ahead of Spring camp.

Here is how his list goes.

6. Will Stein (Kentucky)

Stein is making a major move up the ranks after spending multiple seasons in the Oregon system as an offensive coordinator. This is his first head coaching gig, but he will be in a much more difficult situation than the others on the list.

This move came after what seemed to be a move that would never be made, as the Wildcats finally cut the ties with Mark Stoops. This was a move that was needed earlier in the 2020s, but after a difficult season with the Wildcats, the program felt it was time to get a new guy in town.

Stein being with the Ducks is a huge deal, and while he is the biggest question mark on this list, the talented coach has the chance to be the biggest boom. This could be a similar situation to his former head coach, Dan Lanning, who left Georgia for the Oregon job, which played out very well.

5. Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas)

This is a huge addition, and a breath of fresh air for the Arkansas Razorbacks following a suffocating sequence of disappointing seasons under the leadership of Sam Pittman. Silverfield has been one of the better Group of Five coaches, and is someone the Memphis Tigers played through in the best way.

I think that this was one of the better hires in the country when you talk about the underrated factor, but there are still some question marks. This one will be a major hit or miss for the Razorbacks, which makes it seem like they are playing with fire, but in that same breath, they have already upgraded.

This is a hire that I like a lot, and one that I believe will work in their favor.

4. Jon Sumrall (Florida)

The Florida Gators were in the Kiffin sweepstakes before taking their name out of the race, which led to them landing their guy of the future. That coach is Jon Sumrall, who is now in Gainesville, Florida, after spending some time with the Tulane Green Waves.

In two seasons with Tulane, the talented coach finished with 19 wins and only seven losses. This is great considering he was also dominant at Troy before making the move to Tulane. At Troy, he finished with a 23-4 record, bringing his total to 42-11. You can't knock the decision to go with a coach like Sumrall.

The only concern is that the Gators made a similar move with Bill Napier, which backfired; however, this time around, I would be confident in saying the addition of Sumrall is a big one for the Gators, and that this was a much-needed move for the program to succeed.

3. Alex Golesh (Auburn)

While many may have the former USF coach down the line a little bit, I am the complete opposite. Golesh is someone who has quickly made a name for himself as a head coach, as he left from being an offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Volunteers, to being a head coach for the Bulls.

As expected, the talented coach joined the Bulls with a lot to prove, and he proved that he was one of, if not the most talented, offensive minds in the Group of 5 setting. Golesh has an explosive, fast pace and a dangerous offensive scheme.

Auburn wasn't the most attractive job on the market, but they still have some key pieces to work with. Golesh will likely build through the transfers he brought in, and he is also a guy who can recruit very well. I'd like to think the talented coach is easily one of the better additions across the nation.

2. Pete Golding (Ole Miss)

Golding has already had the chance to get some reps in, as he helped coach his team all the way through to the semi-finals, which is quite impressive. Golding is a defensive-minded coach and was well represented by the group he built in the playoffs, but what was most shocking about his coaching was the success the offense had.

While a lot of thanks is to be given to Trinidad Chambliss, the talented coach still deserves a pat on the back. No one anticipated the Rebels to be as competitive as they were in the playoffs because of Lane Kiffin's departure. Ole Miss will be dangerous for many reasons, including their new head football coach, Pete Golding, playing a factor.

1. Lane Kiffin (LSU)

Lane Kiffin is simply Lane Kiffin. What that means is that at this point in his career, he could likely succeed anywhere. He is one of the better coaches when it comes to recruiting players both out of high school and in the transfer portal, which will be key for any success they look to have.

Kiffin has the roster he needs to compete for a National Championship, and that will only improve over time. Kiffin left the Rebels for the LSU Tigers, which was a difficult decision for the offensive mastermind.

Kiffin will have a huge role with the Tigers, which is exactly what is needed for that program as well, as they are fresh off a disappointing season with a really solid roster. This will be a huge reset for the Tigers, as they landed a coach who I believe has the chance to be labeled as a top-five name in college football currently.