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ESPN insider puts 2 SEC head coaches on hot seat entering 2024
By Crissy Froyd
Published:
Two SEC head coaches could potentially be coaching for their jobs in 2024. On Tuesday, ESPN insider Pete Thamel named coaches on the seat in 2024, including Florida’s Billy Napier and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman from the SEC.
It’s been tough going for Napier since he took over at Florida, and he made it obvious that he was well aware of that when he appeared at SEC Media Days.
“It has not been easy here the last couple of years now,” Napier said in July. “This is not for the faint of heart. And then the game has evolved and changed every six months.”
It’s very much a make-or-break year for Napier after signing a top-15 recruiting class and Florida fans won’t be pleased if he fails to capitalize upon that without a winning season in store for 2024. Florida has endured 3 consecutive losing seasons, including an 11-14 record in Napier’s tenure.
“Florida is a lot like some of the other places I’ve worked,” Napier said. “When it’s good, it is phenomenal. When it’s bad, it’s horrendous. So, I think that’s the leadership challenge — trying to stay objective and stay steady and really evaluate things for what they are.” To that end, he said, “We’ve got work to do, and we’re in the middle of that.”
Napier’s Gators face 8 teams ranked in the AP Top 25, beginning with No. 19 Miami on Saturday in Gainesville (3:30 p.m., ABC).
As for Pittman, things haven’t quite been the same since the Razorbacks since they went 9-4 in 2021, and there’s a lot of risk that may not change in all in 2024, but it’s simply been too long without success in Fayetteville.
The Hogs’ 4-8 season showing in 2023 prompted chatter that Pittman could be out, but Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek opted to bring the head coach back for a fifth season. Pittman’s squad opens against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday before traveling to No. 17 Oklahoma State in Week 2. Arkansas plays Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas and Mizzou in SEC play.
Crissy covers SEC football news for Saturday Down South.
