SEC Midseason Coaching Report: Who's Overachiving, Underperforming, and More

By Mike Huesmann

For each of the P4 conferences and the G5 as one I will release a midseason report. Each conference will have a coach who, through the first half of the season has: overachived, underperformed, is on the hottest seat, on the safest seat, who the jury is still out on, and an MVC (most valuable coach), for preparation and in-game coaching, not offseason stuff such a roster building in recruiting and the portal. A coach is only eligible to be picked for one category, so we won't have any repeats.

Overachiving

Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Lea has beaten Virginia Tech, Alabama, and Kentucky. He’s also lost to Georgia State, so I don’t want to ignore the bad times. The Commodores sit at 4-2 with several tough games left, if they don’t win two more and go to a bowl game people will ask how much better off they really are in the grand scheme? I think they will get to a bowl game. No one expected them to win four many games the entire season.

Underperforming

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

I love Kiffin, I’ve sang his praises, but they’re not meeting expectations this season. Through seven games they’re 5-2, that’s solid. However, they’ve only played three decent teams and are 1-2 in those; Kentucky, South Carolina, and LSU. This isn’t even the cream of the SEC crop.

With Georgia still to play and no non-conference games left the margin for error is very thin for the Rebels. This team is expected to be a playoff team this year, they haven’t looked like that against quality opponents.

Hottest Seat

Billy Napier, Florida

Could it really have been anyone else? Napier is on one of the two hottest seats in America and it seems like a matter of time before he’s let go. I do think they’ve played better than many expected but I doubt it’s enough. A win on Saturday against Tennessee would’ve helped a lot, but they couldn’t get it done. He’ll need to win three of his final six to keep his job, I don’t know if he does that.

Coldest Seat (most job security)

Kirby Smart, Georgia

This is an easy one. Few would say he isn’t the best coach in America. The Bulldogs have had some struggles and lost to Alabama but remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff bid and SEC Championship. Any team in the country would be glad to have him. Right now, it looks like he will be in Athens as long as he wants.

Jury Still Out (we need to see how the 2nd half of the season goes)

Brent Venables, Oklahoma

I’ve been lower on the Sooners than most, and unsure about Venables. Is the “real” Venables the 6-7 coach we saw in 2022 or the 10-3 coach we saw last season? I think somewhere in the middle but this Sooners team wins closer to seven than 10 this year. The schedule is tough the rest of the way, they have had problems at QB, and the WR core is a walking MASH unit. Will Sooner fans be happy with a 7-5 regular season? Especially after the unnecessary extension he was given.

MVC (Most Valuable Coach)

Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Sark has always been one of the best X’s and O’s coaches in the country and he’s shown it this year. They dealt with the injury to Quinn Ewers without a hiccup and are currently ranked #1. I don’t know if they’re the best team in the nation, but they are the team we have the fewest questions about. It will take a meltdown and three losses, or more, for them to miss the playoffs.