As I reach for my red pen to award grades for SEC football coaches, I worry that a few fellas might require remedial coursework after receiving their report card.
At least some SEC coaches are headed for the honor roll.
Here’s my season grade for each coach. Keep in mind grades are awarded on a curve. A 7-6 record at Vanderbilt resonates better than a 9-4 mark at Alabama.
Clark Lea: A
Vanderbilt beat Alabama, Auburn and Kentucky, then finished it off with a bowl victory against Georgia Tech. Forget the hot seat for Lea. Lifetime contract?
Steve Sarkisian: A-
Texas lost to its toughest opponents – twice to Georgia, and to Ohio State in a playoff semifinal. But, the Longhorns took care of business elsewhere. They beat Texas A&M, continued their upward trajectory and glided into the SEC.
Shane Beamer: A-
South Carolina’s win against Clemson cemented this as a season of celebration for the Gamecocks, and Beamer’s best record yet in Year 4 triggered a contract extension.
Josh Heupel: B+
By making the playoff, Tennessee met the bar of expectations. Include a win against Alabama, and the Vols experienced more good than bad. But Tennessee’s playoff flop sours the grade a bit.
Kirby Smart: B
Nobody has outperformed Smart in the sum of the past eight seasons, but this didn’t reflect his finest hour. Credit Georgia for capturing the SEC championship, but it was fortunate to avoid losing to Georgia Tech, then went poof in the playoff.
Billy Napier: B
Napier endured a season on the hot seat, surviving with a red-hot finish after a pitiful start. Four straight wins and quarterback DJ Lagway’s surge offer hope for the future.
Eliah Drinkwitz: B
It’s a testament to Drinkwitz that Missouri fans were left a bit unfulfilled after a 10-win season. The Tigers didn’t entirely cash in on a forgiving schedule. They lacked a signature victory, but this still logs in the ‘good season’ column.
Mike Elko: B-
Elko chugged into SEC coach of the year contention with wins against Florida, Missouri and LSU, but the Aggies limped to the finish. Still, more good than bad signs in Elko’s debut season. He’ll require more from quarterback Marcel Reed next season.
Lane Kiffin: B-
Kiffin earned a signature victory when Ole Miss smacked Georgia. He also suffered one of the most puzzling losses of his career, at home to Kentucky, and relinquished a playoff bid in The Swamp. A good season by the Rebels’ historical standards, but a missed opportunity considering the roster.
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Brian Kelly: C
Kelly once said he should be expected to contend for a national championship in his third season, but, in fact, LSU missed the playoff, and it became evident further personnel upgrades are needed. Narrow wins against South Carolina and Ole Miss prevented a full-fledged disaster.
Sam Pittman: C
Pittman opened the season on the hottest seat in the country. His seven wins were enough to trigger a contract extension through the 2028 season and a $250,000 raise. An upset of Tennessee balanced a few unsightly losses.
Kalen DeBoer: C-
At least DeBoer won his first Iron Bowl. That helped him save some face after Alabama stunk up the joint and cost itself the playoffs in losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma. To complete his rough Year 1, DeBoer failed Alabama fans’ fashion test.
Mark Stoops: D-
Kentucky’s upset of Ole Miss on Sept. 28 kept the Rebels out of the playoff. It also became Kentucky’s final win against an FBS opponent in a season that makes me think Stoops’ best days are behind him.
Brent Venables: D-
In a reminder that university administrators are lousy negotiators, the Sooners hitched their schooner to Venables by awarding him an unnecessary contract extension before the season. Months later, he found the hot seat with a woeful season brightened only by an upset of Alabama.
Hugh Freeze: D-
It’s gotten so bad on the Plains that the nerds are beating Auburn now. The Tigers lost to Cal and Vanderbilt amid a fourth straight losing season. The offseason couldn’t arrive fast enough.
Jeff Lebby: F
Lebby inherited a tough situation, as Mississippi State’s third coach in as many seasons. He failed to improve the situation. State’s two wins came against Eastern Kentucky and UMass.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC football grades: Do Kalen DeBoer, Hugh Freeze need summer school?
