Four new SEC coaches emerge on Sunday; still no word on Mark Stoops
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Sunday turned into one of the most dramatic days in recent SEC memory, as four programs announced new head football coaches within hours of each other. While speculation continues around Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, there is still no official word on his future with the university.
Lane Kiffin to LSU (from Ole Miss)
In the biggest headline of the day, LSU landed Lane Kiffin, prying him away from rival Ole Miss with a massive $54 million buyout. Kiffin replaces Brian Kelly, whose tenure ended after an inconsistent season and growing tensions within the program. However, Kiffin will not be coaching Ole Miss in the playoffs.
Kiffin announced his departure on X, adding “I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern. My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels. While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford.”
Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas (from Memphis)
Arkansas turned to Ryan Silverfield, who built Memphis into a consistent AAC contender. He replaces Sam Pittman, with Bobby Petrino having served briefly as the interim.
Jon Sumrall to Florida (from Tulane)
Fresh off leading Tulane to national respectability, Jon Sumrall is headed to Gainesville to take over at Florida. He replaces Billy Napier, whose rebuild never fully materialized, with Billy Gonzales finishing the season as interim coach. According to ESPN, Florida is finalizing a six-year deal to make Sumrall the head coach at an average of nearly $7.5 million per year.
Jon Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky and later returned to coach there, serving as Inside Linebackers coach and co-Defensive Coordinator.
Alex Golesh to Auburn (from South Florida)
Auburn has hired Alex Golesh, one of college football’s fastest-rising offensive minds. Golesh arrives from South Florida, where he engineered an explosive and rapidly improving offense. He replaces Hugh Freeze, whose second stint in the SEC ended earlier than expected.
