Kirby Smart leads SEC football coaches but it gets tough after that

Only one man could stop Kirby Smart the past three seasons. The GOAT, they called him. Now that Nick Saban works for ESPN, who’s going to stand in Smart's way?

Maybe no one.

After Saban’s retirement, Smart became the SEC’s only active coach to have won a national championship. He’s the SEC’s unquestioned overlord, while a power struggle unfolds down ballot. The SEC brims with talented coaches, buoyed by the addition of Texas’ Steve Sarkisian.

Here’s how I rank the SEC's football coaches entering the 2024 season.

1. Kirby Smart (Georgia)

Last year: No. 1

Smart went 1-5 against Saban. That’s the lone knock on his performance. If not for Saban and Alabama, Smart might have become the only modern-era coach to produce a three-peat. With Saban out of the way, Smart grips the baton as college football's most dominant force. He’s a recruiting monster who’s equally good at developing the talent he assembles.

2. Brian Kelly (LSU)

Last year: No. 3

Kelly's 20 victories in two LSU seasons aren't his ceiling. He’s recruiting as well as ever. He's made LSU a destination for offense. Defensive liabilities separate LSU from national championship contention, but Kelly smartly rebuilt his coaching staff. His third season will redefine perception of the direction of his tenure. So far, the trajectory looks promising.

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3. Steve Sarkisian (Texas)

Last year: Not ranked. Not in the SEC.

Texas being “back” no longer is a punch line. It’s reality, thanks to Sarkisian. He instilled toughness that Texas had sorely lacked. Sarkisian remains one of the sport’s brightest offensive minds. He’s a capable recruiter, too. Texas was one completed pass away from reaching the national championship last season. That’s no fluke. Sarkisian built a program with staying power.

4. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)

Last year: Not ranked. Not in the SEC.

DeBoer possesses the right demeanor for this task of replacing the irreplaceable. He projects confidence, humility and composure. He’s never coached in the SEC, but that doesn’t mean he won’t thrive. He’s won everywhere he’s been, and he elevated Washington to greatness at turbo speed. DeBoer’s hot recruiting start at Alabama builds optimism, and his deft hand with quarterbacks should translate well to the SEC.  

5. Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)

Last year: No. 4

No one navigates the transfer terrain better than Kiffin. He assembled his best roster yet in no small part because of portal plunders. He builds his roster like an NFL general manager, carefully evaluating every NIL dollar spent as if he’s working within a salary cap. He transformed Ole Miss into a playoff contender. All that’s left is proving he can hang with the top dogs.

6. Josh Heupel (Tennessee)

Last year: No. 6

Heupel boasts an impressive quarterback development track record. His up-tempo offense works wonders. His composed approach is exactly what Tennessee needed after the disastrous Jeremy Pruitt era. Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class is shaping up as Heupel’s best yet. Now, can he elevate Tennessee’s defense to a championship level? His offensive chops aren’t in question.

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7. Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri)

Last year: No. 14

Drinkwitz’s bravado filled a craving for Missouri, which desperately pines for respect. Drinkwitz backed up his bluster last season by delivering 11 victories for one of the best seasons in program history. He’s galvanized fans and donors, and he’s taking advantage of Missouri’s favorable NIL laws to help the Tigers punch above their recruiting weight. His task this season? Prove last year was no flash in the pan.

8. Mark Stoops (Kentucky)

Last year: No. 9

Stoops is a force of consistency at a program where that doesn’t come easily. He’s elevated Kentucky’s ceiling and its floor. A stiffening Kentucky schedule means Stoops’ best seasons are behind him, but he’ll keep football relevant at a basketball school. Stoops specializes in defense and in meeting or exceeding modest expectations. His inability to develop a standout quarterback limits UK’s ability to reach a higher tier.

9. Hugh Freeze (Auburn)

Last year: No. 6

No one should question Freeze’s X’s and O’s or ability to call an offense, but it’s unclear whether he’s built for this era of NIL and transfers. Freeze’s career peak occurred a decade ago. That doesn’t mean, though, he can't reinvigorate Auburn. This season will be telling. So will this recruiting class. What Freeze needs most is a star quarterback, which he’s so far failed to secure.

10. Mike Elko (Texas A&M)

Last year: Not ranked. Not in SEC.

Elko’s defenses highlighted the Jimbo Fisher era. He returned to College Station after consecutive winning seasons at Duke. He’ll enjoy more resources at Texas A&M, and Aggies power brokers have embraced this New Jersey native. He’s off to a fine start working transfers and recruits. Making the Aggies’ offense more explosive becomes his next challenge.

11. Brent Venables (Oklahoma)

Last year: Not ranked. Not in SEC.

The jury remains in deliberations as to whether Venables will be a hit at OU. He misfired in Year 1 before rebounding last season, but the Sooners limped to the finish. His expertise comes on defense, a unit that remains under construction but is improving. His star quarterback (Dillon Gabriel) and offensive coordinator (Jeff Lebby) departed in the offseason. The fork in the road of his tenure arrives this year.

12. Shane Beamer (South Carolina)

Last year: No. 7

Beamer’s inability to make South Carolina more fearsome at the line of scrimmage continues to be a warning flag, and regression became the theme of his third season. Also, he’s repeatedly been damaged by transfer exoduses. He’s also not recruiting as well as he was earlier in his tenure. He still enjoys widespread approval in South Carolina, but this will be a critical season.

13. Sam Pittman (Arkansas)

Last year: No. 10

Once Arkansas’ “Jukebox hero,” the tune soured last season for Pittman, and the Head Hog is roasting on a scalding-hot seat. Transfer departures continue to plague Pittman, and he sorely missed offensive coordinator Kendal Briles last season after Briles left for TCU. You know the situation is getting desperate because Arkansas brought in renegade Bobby Petrino to revive the offense.

14. Billy Napier (Florida)

Last year: No. 11

Napier finally dropped his lukewarm approach to the transfer portal this offseason, and he assembled his best roster to date. Too little, too late? Even Steve Spurrier questioned the program’s direction. That’s tough to live down. If Napier had the benefit of a longer runway, he might eventually generate momentum, but Florida isn’t known for patience, and the schedule is brutal.

15. Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State)

Last year: Not ranked. First-year coach.

Mississippi State replaced one coach with no head coaching experience with another. At least Lebby’s teams ought to produce more points. Lebby’s offensive system traces to Art Briles, and Lebby helped steward exciting offenses as an assistant or coordinator at Baylor, UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. His system resembles the offense of Tennessee and Ole Miss, but he won’t have the talent base of those schools.

16. Clark Lea (Vanderbilt)

Last year: No. 13

If exceeding your predecessor’s performance marks success, then Lea has failed. Nothing indicates he’s up to this tough job. The Commodores are as much of an afterthought as ever, and they’re prone to losing their top players to the portal. In a last-ditch effort to engineer a spark, Lea brought in a bevy of transfers, but the Commodores remain an SEC anchor.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.