A few thoughts to jump start your Saturday morning:

Here is a coach-by-coach look at who’s seat is hot and whose is not in the SEC.

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: He went 9-4 last year. After 17 years of Saban, 16 of which produced at least 10 wins, last year is thought of as a disaster. They won’t fire him if he doesn’t get to 10 wins, but he will be on thin ice for 2026.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas: Three winning seasons in the last four but fans and boosters want more. A 7-6 season might not save his job. The fans and boosters want championships and with all those gozillionaires in the state, they think they can go out and buy someone who can get the job done.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn: Four straight losing seasons, the last two under Freeze have the fan base wondering if Auburn is about to become the next Mississippi State or Vandy in the SEC. A 7-6 season might not save Freeze but 8-5 would. The fan base would be happy with a new coach right now. The heat is ratcheted up several notches.

BILLY NAPIER, FLORIDA: Most preseason publications say Billy is still on the hot seat despite last year’s vote of confidence from Scott Stricklin and the ensuing four-game winning streak at the end of the year. Eight wins last year only whet the appetite of Florida fans who remember what it was like from 1990-2009. Napier finally has a roster that is capable of competing at a high level in the SEC, but more important, he’s got a quarterback (DJ Lagway), an offensive line (C Jake Slaughter is a first team All-American), skill people who can flat out fly and a defense that’s good enough to win games.

Kirby Smart, Georgia: He’s been in Athens nine years with two national championships. He’s as untouchable as any coach in the country.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky: Just two years ago Stoops was thought to be untouchable, but the fans were spoiled by that 10-win season in 2021. After that, trips to the Music City Bowl don’t seem so special. A second straight losing season won’t get him fired last year but it will make his seat blowtorch hot.

Brian Kelly, LSU: For the most part, he beats all the teams he’s supposed to beat but loses the games he desperately needs to win. Three years and no SEC Championship Game or trip to the playoff is wearing quite thin on a fan base that expects more out of a coach in his fourth year on a $10 million a year contract. They won’t fire him if he doesn’t make the playoff, but the fan base is going to turn on him if he doesn’t.

Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State: They’re rather testy at MSU. They fired Joe Moorhead after two seasons. They fired Zach Arnett after one. Lebby inherited a rotten situation and he needs at least four years to make it work. If he lasts three it will be a minor miracle.

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri: The concern at Missouri is can they keep Eli? He has won 21 games in the last two years without 5-star talent. It’s a tough place to recruit. There is no SEC feel to the program and it has the worst weather in the league. They will be fortunate to keep him another year.

Brent Venables, Oklahoma: Everybody loves him, hence the problem. Just because he’s nice doesn’t exempt him from winning 10 or more games. He will call the defense himself. Defense won’t be a problem. If Washington State transfer QB John Mateer doesn’t deliver on offense, Venables will get the hook.

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: As long as Lake Kiffin wins 9-10 games a year and avoids getting sentenced to a year or so in the NCAA pokey, he’s in business. He’s won at least 10 games three of the last four years which is unheard of. The folks who sip their bourbon in The Grove are ecstatic. You see, at Ole Miss, an SEC title would be good but not necessary as long as he’s winning.

Shane Beamer, South Carolina: Right now they love him but that’s because he won nine games last year. Now that he’s raised expectations so high, there will be a lot of upset folks if the Gamecocks don’t meet or exceed 9-4. Odds that the Gamecocks can win nine this year are off the charts, but then again they were last year, too, and look what he did.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas: Right now they love Steve Sarkisian. He won 13 games a year ago and will start the 2025 season ranked No. 1. What happens if and when he doesn’t make the College Football Playoff? Remember, this is the place that ran off Mack Brown because he only won 25 games in his last three years on the job in Austin. His seat isn’t blowtorch hot. Yet. 

Mike Elko, Texas A&M: They keep thinking if they only spend enough money they can win the SEC and make the playoffs. Just because only God and the Longhorns have more money doesn’t mean the Aggies will bring home the big trophy any time soon. Mike Elko is in no danger of getting pink slipped this year but if he doesn’t do better than 8-5 buzzards will be circling in College Station.

Clark Lea, Vanderbilt: Clark Lea did the unthinkable a year ago when he went 7-6 after being picked to finish last. He will be picked to finish last again this year and he might do it, but that doesn’t mean he will be canned. Patience is one of Vandy’s long suits. No other school in the SEC can tolerate losing the way Commodore fans do. Firing is such a tacky thing so as long as Clark keeps the Commodoes competitive he’s got a job. And who knows? Maybe he can win in back-to-back years. Wouldn’t that be a hoot.

NAPIER STAYS HOT, LANDS 4-STAR EDGE KJ FORD

June turned to July, but Billy Napier’s hot streak on the football recruiting trail continues. Friday, Napier and the Gators landed 4-star defensive edge rusher KJ Ford (6-3, 245, Duncanville, TX), who chose Florida over Alabama, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Southern Cal among others.

Ford’s commitment could be just the start of an outstanding weekend for the Gators. Expected to announce their commitments this weekend are tight end Heze Kent (6-6, 310, Bradenton, FL) and linebacker Duyon Forkpa Jr. (6-2, 225, Hoschton, GA/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy).

Ford is Florida’s 17^th commitment for the recruiting class of 2026 and the 12^th 4-star.

4-star recruits: CB CJ Bronaugh (6-1, 170, Windermere, FL); DL Kendall Guervil (6-5, 315, Fort Myers, FL); DE KJ Ford (6-3, 245, Duncanville, TX); WR Marquez Daniel (6-5, 200, Tuskegee, AL Booker T. Washington); WR Justin Williams (5-11, 190, Gainesville, FL Buchholz); LB Malik Morris (6-1, 230, Lakeland, FL); QB Will Griffin (6-3, 230, Tampa, FL Jesuit); DL JaReylan McCoy (6-6, 250, Tupelo, MS); RB Carsyn Baker (6-1, 200, Fairburn, GA Langston Hughes); S Kaiden Hall (6-3, 200, Milton, FL); CB CJ Hester (6-1, 175, Cocoa, FL); OT Chancellor Campbell (6-8, 310, St. Petersburg, FL Lakewood)

3-star recruits: OG Desmond Green (6-5, 350, Saint Stephen, SC Timberland); OG G’Nivre Carr (6-4, 325, Ocala, FL/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy); OT Tyler Chukuyem (6-6, 295, Douglasville, GA South Paulding); TE Kekua Aumuna (6-6, 257, Kahuku, HI/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy); OT Javarii Luckas (6-5, 305, Belle Glade, FL)

UF BASKETBALL: CLAYTON, MARTIN AND RICHARD STAND OUT

Walter Clayton Jr., Utah: Clayton had his best offensive game in a loss to Charlotte, scoring 21 points while hitting 8-17 overall from the field including 4-10 from the 3-point line. Clayton had six rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot. Sunday night, Clayton and the Jazz will go against Will Richard and Golden State.

Alijah Martin, Toronto: Making his summer league debut with the Raptors, Martin was rock solid in a 116-72 win over Chicago. Martin went 6-12 overall from the field, 2-4 from the 3-point line and 2-2 from the foul line. Martin’s supplemented his 16-point effort with five rebounds, five assists and five steals. Sunday the Raptors will play the Orlando Magic.

Colin Castleton, Toronto: In 17 minutes against the Bulls, Castleton scored five points on 2-6 shooting from the field that included a 1-2 effort from the 3-point line. Castleton had a game-high eight rebounds to go with a steal and a blocked shot.

Will Richard, Golden State: Richard played 23 minutes in a loss to Portland, scoring 12 points to go with four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. Richard was 5-9 from the field, 0-3 from the 3-point line and 2-2 from the foul line.

Zyon Pullin, Memphis: Pullin played 24 minutes in a 92-78 loss to Boston, scoring five points to go with two rebounds and four assists. Saturday night the Grizzlies play Portland.

Phlandrous Fleming Jr., Memphis: In 15 minutes against Boston, Fleming scored three points, grabbed three rebounds and handed out one assist.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT

The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to show the world it has regrown some teeth. Yes, the NCAA has a new enforcement arm and job No. 1 is to stop people from spending excessive amounts of money to build a College Football Playoff-type roster. Ohio State, last year, spent more than $40 million on its national championship roster. Spending is supposed to drop way down now that the NCAA has agreed to what amounts to a $20.5 million salary cap per school for ALL sports, not just football.

To make sure everybody is keeping it between the rails, there is a new enforcement division that is supposed to make everybody quake in their boots. NIL has a clearinghouse that is supposed to keep boosters from getting into a bidding war for what is perceived as the next great quarterback.

Reel in that spending boys and girls! That’s what it’s supposed to do.

Are you buying it? Neither am I.

As long as we’ve had college sports, we’ve had cheating. NIL just means now it’s legal. The NCAA may think it’s going to shut down big spending, but it will just go back to paying players under the table, just like the old days.

There used to be $100 handshakes. They will be replaced by the $1000 handshake. We’ve gone back to the future.