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By Chris Marler
An unprecedented six SEC jobs have come open this offseason. Five positions have been filled in what was one of the wildest days in SEC football history on Sunday. Three SEC programs announced new head-coaching hires within 15 minutes of each other, and LSU officially won the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes later that afternoon.
Here are the rankings of new hires in the SEC in the 2025 coaching carousel.
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LSU – Lane Kiffin
Everyone wanted Kiffin. One team got him. This feels like a match made in heaven for so many reasons, and almost all of them are good.
Kiffin has led Ole Miss to four double-digit win seasons in the last five years. That includes the program’s first 11-win season in program history. His track record of developing quarterbacks and coaching elite offenses is second to none, and he’s coached under two of the greatest coaches in college football history in Nick Saban and Pete Carroll.
Despite the chaos, frustration, and outright mess of the past two weeks, especially the last 48 hours, this is easily the best hire any team has made, and it’s not close.
A Proven Winner pic.twitter.com/GraAjNIUtH
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 30, 2025
I had Sumrall at No. 2 on this list until I saw Golesh’s speech to his team. Maybe winning the press conference or initial meeting can be a little overvalued at times, but watching the stark contrast of how he carries himself and delivers a message to his team is night and day from the last two coaches.
Golesh has a proven track record of leading elite offenses, which is something Auburn struggled with this year. He has also been great at creating quick turnarounds. In the three years at South Florida prior to Golesh’s hire, they were a combined 4-29. He led them to three straight bowl games, three straight winning records and a nine win season in 2025.
Accountability Builds Discipline 🎯 @CoachGolesh | #WarEagle🦅 pic.twitter.com/hrUsGUgF4m
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) December 1, 2025
Sumrall is unfairly being compared to Billy Napier, and I get it because of the G6 coach coming from Louisiana and how badly that worked out last time for Florida. But, that’s a very lazy narrative.
Sumrall led Tulane to four straight appearances in the conference championship game. Before Kiffin became a possibility, Sumrall was the most sought after coach on the market this season. Sumrall has the most road wins of any FBS coach in the last four years, and he has the fifth best win percentage of any FBS coach in the country (.792). He’s done all this in his first four years as a head coach.
Proven winner.#GoGators pic.twitter.com/ThjrZxUC7u
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 1, 2025
I like Golding as a coordinator and recruiter, and am eager to see what he can do with his first head coaching opportunity.
Golding has been a Broyles Award nominee three times, and spent five years under Nick Saban as his defensive coordinator. He’s never been a head coach before, but the pedigree is there and most of the players around the program are very excited.
In today’s game, success starts with the Jimmies and the Joes, not the X’s and O’s. Golding has recruited at an elite level everywhere he’s been, including Ole Miss.
Prepared for the moment @CoachGolding 🦈#GOLDingEra | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/ZQsMbNER9u
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 1, 2025
I already feel bad for Silverfield. This hire was received very poorly by the fanbase, so much so that students and fans staged a protest rally just hours after the announcement was made.
Silverfield never competed for a conference title at Memphis and was just 12-20 against teams that finished about .500. If I could rank him even lower, I would, but it looks like Hunter Yurachek has swung and missed yet again.
Arkansas fans are protesting the Ryan Silverfield hire
(via @KWhippencock) pic.twitter.com/7BRYQ3bm66
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 30, 2025
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