With the launch of NIL and the transfer site, college football has entered a new era, and coaching in the sport has never been more challenging. These challenges are made worse, particularly in a league like the SEC where there are lofty standards and little time for success.
Now that the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns have joined the conference, the pressure will only increase.
Fortunately, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has taken Nick Saban’s place as the man to defeat when he left Alabama. Still, both Texas’s Steve Sarkisian and Alabama’s new head coach Kalen DeBoer will be making their SEC debuts this season and are fresh off trips to the College Football Playoffs.
On3 ranks the SEC coaches under the greatest pressure heading into the 2024 season.Following a 4–8 season, Sam Pittman of Arkansas is ranked first on the list, and Sarkisian is ranked seventh.
Prior to last season, Sarkisian was not even ranked among the top 25 head coaches in the nation. In what was undoubtedly his finest season as a head coach, he led Texas to the CFP and won the Big 12 Championship.
Can he now repeat the feat in a more challenging conference? Sarkisian is under pressure to demonstrate that the previous season wasn’t a fluke. The Longhorns will start the season ranked in the unanimous Top 5 thanks to their strong lineup.
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