The 2026 college football season is barely underway, but the pressure cooker is already boiling over in the SEC. Two head coaches are facing intense scrutiny before their teams even take the field for a full slate of games.
According to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, South Carolina's Shane Beamer and Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby are the conference's most vulnerable leaders heading into the fall. Both are coming off rough 2025 campaigns and need to show immediate improvement to secure their jobs.
Beamer's Seat Heating Up in Columbia
Shane Beamer, son of legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, has enjoyed some highs with the Gamecocks, including a 9-4 record in 2024 and a few signature wins over Clemson. But last season's 4-8 mark—with just one SEC victory—was a gut punch to a program that had been trending upward.
Feldman notes that Beamer's cultural fit in Columbia has been strong, and he's won some big recruiting battles. However, the on-field product slipped badly after offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains left to become head coach at Appalachian State. The hire of Kendal Briles as the new OC could be a saving grace, especially with quarterback LaNorris Sellers returning.
“The son of Virginia Tech legend Frank Beamer has done better than most Gamecocks coaches. He’s been a good cultural fit, rallying the fan base and also winning a bunch of big-time recruiting battles,” Feldman wrote. “But last year’s 4-8 season with just one SEC win was a gut punch. Beamer hired the wrong offensive coordinator after Dowell Loggains left to become the head coach at Appalachian State, and I suspect new OC Kendal Briles will be a better fit with QB LaNorris Sellers.”
South Carolina's September schedule is friendly, which gives Beamer a chance to build momentum. But if the Gamecocks stumble early, the calls for change will grow louder.
Lebby's Rocky Tenure at Mississippi State
Jeff Lebby's time in Starkville has been anything but smooth. With an overall record of 7-18, the Bulldogs have struggled to find consistency under his leadership. Feldman warns that the schedule could turn ugly quickly.
After hosting ULM, Mississippi State travels to Minnesota and then to South Carolina. A 1-2 start against unranked teams would be disastrous. Then comes a brutal stretch: Missouri, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas.
“The schedule has the potential to get problematic in a hurry,” Feldman wrote. “After hosting ULM, Mississippi State visits Minnesota and then goes to South Carolina. Opening 1-2 while playing two unranked teams wouldn’t look good. Then it gets this stretch: vs. No. 25 Missouri, vs. No. 13 Alabama, at No. 11 LSU, vs. No. 10 Oklahoma and at No. 5 Texas. Falling back to 4-8 or worse feels dicey.”
If Lebby can't steer the Bulldogs to a respectable record, he might be cleaning out his office before Christmas. The pressure is on for both coaches, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
For more on coaches facing make-or-break seasons, check out this list of 11 coaches on the hot seat.
