Y’all ever seen a man try to outrun a hurricane? That’s what coaching in the SEC feels like in 2025. The conference has officially become the most cutthroat, high-stakes game of musical chairs in all of college football. If you aren’t winning, you’re packing. The standard ain’t just winning games—it’s making the playoffs. And if you fall short? Hot seat. If you fall short again? You’re probably already halfway out the door before your office coffee even gets cold. Spoiler alert: Billy Napier made it through.

On February 19th, college football’s loudest truth-tellers and iconic trio—Dan Wetzel, Pat Forde, and CFB’s very own Shams Charania, aka Ross Dellenger—jumped on Yahoo Sports to talk about which SEC coaches are officially on borrowed time. And let’s just say, if you’re a head coach in this league and your name got mentioned? Whew. You might want to start checking Zillow for new housing options. Let’s break down the three names who are walking on the thinnest ice:

First up, Sam Pittman. Arkansas isn’t exactly a blue blood, but let’s keep it real—Razorback Nation has expectations. “Arkansas, Sam Pittman—there was a lot of speculation [he’d] be let go last year. He’s been given another year. Pat, heat index?” Dan Wetzel set the tone. Look, Pittman has been dodging the guillotine-like he has Matrix reflexes. But there is no Neo in this story. Arkansas went 7-6 last year, which in SEC terms means, ‘Eh, we’ll keep you, but you better come correct next year.’ And now? The man’s got to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Pat Forde isn’t sugarcoating it either: “10. I mean, you know, like, this is a must-win year. Not just a winning record, you know. I think that he’s going to have to be competitive in the SEC and not, you know, be dragged down near the bottom of things.”

Ross Dellenger chimed in with even more real talk. Calling Pittman’s tenure a never-ending game of “Will he get fired?” Look, we all know the deal: If Pittman isn’t touching eight wins or more this season, he’s outta there faster than a freshman who forgot to set his morning alarm for class. The SEC doesn’t do second chances—either you deliver, or you’re delivering job applications to the next school.

Next up, Hugh Freeze. Auburn fans thought they were getting a magician when they hired Hugh Freeze, but so far, he’s pulling rabbits with no ears. Last season? 5 and 7. Before that? 6 and 7. Auburn fans don’t have patience for any rebuild—they’re trying to win yesterday. Pat Forde’s take? “Do you want to know who the last Auburn coach was to keep his job after three straight losing seasons? Nobody, never happened.”

Ross followed up, throwing some serious side-eye Freeze’s way: “I think they lost maybe four—three or four games after blowing a—a second-half lead. Uh, the defense and—and, um, the offense obviously had its—its fair share of struggles, and quarterback struggles, and that’s kind of been the story of Hugh’s first couple of years is the quarterback struggles.” Freeze is staring down a schedule that is straight-up brutal. If six or seven wins don’t flip to eight or nine, he’s gone. Simple as that. Auburn fans don’t want to hear excuses—they want to see trophies.

Freeze got a lifeline with former 5-star Jackson Arnold transferring in from Oklahoma, but let’s be real, that kid got benched in Norman. So, it’s too soon to bet a house on Jackson Arnold, but props for his Bama game. Auburn’s got a squad—especially at receiver—but if Freeze can’t find a way to put it all together, the boosters are going to send him packing before Halloween.

Billy Napier—Florida’s dead man walking?

Y’all ever seen someone survive an execution? That was Billy Napier last season. Florida fans were ready to send him packing, but somehow, he got one more year to prove he belonged. Let’s just say… the jury isn’t exactly convinced. Florida was literally in the trenches in 2024, and it took a miracle (plus an AD vouching for him) to keep Napier from getting curb-stomped. Now? He’s got zero room for error. Pat isn’t even pretending anymore: “11. Shoulda been fired last year. No question. He’s gotta win at least eight or nine this season—maybe more.”

Florida’s got DJ Lagway under center, and that boy can sling it. But let’s keep it real—Napier has to beat Miami, gotta beat FSU, and sure as hell, has to make a bowl game that doesn’t have “Citrus” or “Gator” in the title, more like Orange or Sugar Bowl. If he doesn’t, UF boosters aren’t going to waste any time finding his replacement. Pat Forde spilled Florida’s schedule for 2025 season, trust, it ain’t looking pretty, they get Texas at home. Texas A&M on the road. Mississippi State. Georgia in the Cocktail Party. At Kentucky. At Ole Miss. Tennessee at home. Florida State.

For Billy Napier, making the playoff is the bare minimum. Florida’s been waiting for a real contender since Urban Meyer and that late 2000s squad and patience isn’t in the Gators’ DNA. Billy Napier’s got to deliver—ain’t no way around it. The SEC is not a “wait and see” type of conference. You either win, or you’re watching the next guy or guy who worked under you take your headset. Back in 2023, Jimbo Fisher got the boot, even with Texas A&M still on the hook for a $77+ million buyout. That’s wild. You think Pittman, Freeze, or Billy Napier got that kind of leash? Not a chance.

This season, it’s like SEC coaches are playing’ in ‘Squid Game.’ You fumble a big game? Say goodbye to that paycheck. Pittman’s got to survive Arkansas fans trying to toss him out of town, Freeze has to prove he ain’t just another over-hyped nostalgia hire, and Napier has to stop coaching like he has one foot out the door. The pressure? Off the charts.

And in 2025? You miss the playoffs? You’re done.