Nearly a month earlier than school soccer returns, the strain is beginning to flip up on coaches across the SEC. That is no shock, although, provided that the usual for nearly each workforce within the convention is to not less than be competing for the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
These excessive expectations are likely to result in lots of teaching turnover. Final yr, that noticed six groups rent new coaches. 5 of these got here after a coach was fired. One got here after a coach, Lane Kiffin, was employed away by a convention rival.
So, count on there to be loads of shake-up throughout the SEC once more in 2026. Listed below are two coaches who’re already on the new seat, and two who could go trying to leap to a brand new job.
No candidate appears extra clearly on the new seat within the SEC than Shane Beamer at South Carolina. Going into his sixth season with the Gamecocks, he is had dropping information in two of his final three, together with a profession worst 4-8 in 2025.
Making issues worse, that 2025 workforce had Faculty Soccer Playoff aspirations. With NFL expertise at quarterback, vast receiver and edge-rusher, it was a significant disappointment. Beamer ended up making an offensive coordinator change, but when that does not work, the buck stops with him.
It is no secret that Eli Drinkwitz threw his hat within the combine for different jobs in 2025. Specifically, the Florida job. Rumors swirled, specifically, after it turned clear Florida was falling behind within the race to land Lane Kiffin. Nonetheless, it issues that Florida took the time to vet him earlier than Drinkwitz signed his extension with Missouri.
Drinkwitz is now 46-29 at Missouri, and he has a number of double-digit win seasons in 2023 and 2024. If he feels he is maxed out what he is in a position to do with Missouri’s assets, it would make sense for him to discover a program that gives extra, significantly within the NIL and switch period.
Perhaps Kalen DeBoer ought to merely be thought of a candidate to go away. In spite of everything, he was rumored for the Michigan job a season in the past, and followers round Tuscaloosa are annoyed with the workforce. So, he could even wish to get out earlier than Alabama has the possibility to fireside him.
DeBoer took Washington to play for a nationwide championship in 2023, leaving to exchange Nick Saban. Since then, he is gone 20-8 at Alabama with a CFP look. It has been good, however possibly not ok. Now, in a really tightly contested SEC, Alabama is the preseason No. 6 within the convention, not the nation. That kind of end is perhaps sufficient to finish his tenure amid very excessive expectations.
Let’s get one factor clear: It is virtually not possible for a university workforce to rent Steve Sarkisian away from Texas. It is not not possible, however extremely unlikely. What’s much less unlikely is that an NFL workforce comes calling, and he jumps to the NFL.
There have been rumors that Sarkisian could have NFL curiosity going again to final season. On the time, he was fast to lash out towards them. Nevertheless, that wasn’t sufficient to utterly quash them.
