Scarbinsky: Best new SEC football coach - Alex Golesh or Jon Sumrall?
Predicting their futures is a bit of a shot in the dark, but given the programs they now lead, it’s likely that the competition for the best new SEC head coach will be a two-man race.
Olivia Bennett 
This is an opinion column.
With the World Cup now in the rearview—following a championship game that felt as uninspired as a rainy Sunday nap—the thirst for genuine football has never been higher. SEC Media Days have officially kicked off, providing a much-needed shot of adrenaline for the college football faithful.
This week’s proceedings in Tampa bring a familiar discussion: the SEC’s recent struggle to produce national champions. It has been a long time since Georgia’s dominant 2023 title run, and with Kirby Smart standing as the league's only coach to have captured an SEC or national crown, the pressure is mounting for the rest of the pack. As Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, and others look to chase down that legacy, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is set to introduce five new head coaches to the conference.
The New Faces of the SEC
Among the fresh faces, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding faces a pivotal test in his first full season at the helm. After stepping in following Kiffin's move to LSU, Golding inherits a roster featuring HeisMEN candidates Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacey. Whether he can replicate that success as the permanent boss remains the burning question: will he evolve into another Kirby Smart or a different archetype entirely?
Beyond Golding, the spotlight turns to the four coaches making their SEC debuts: Auburn’s Alex Golesh, Florida’s Jon Sumrall, Kentucky’s Will Stein, and Arkansas’ Ryan Silverfield. While predicting their trajectories is far from an exact science, the competition for the title of the league's top new hire is quickly shaping up to be a two-man race between Golesh and Sumrall.
The Golesh vs. Sumrall Dynamic
Golesh brings an offensive-minded edge, while Sumrall offers a gritty, defensive intensity. Both men have inherited storied programs that have tasted national championship glory within the last two decades but have recently hit a slide. If their respective tenures take hold, Auburn and Florida could once again become major players in the SEC hierarchy.
Fans won't have to wait long for the drama to unfold. The SEC has slated an immediate showdown between the two in their conference openers on September 19 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
This rivalry adds a layer of 'what-if' to the season. The hiring process in the SEC often resembles a game of three-card monte; while Kiffin opted for LSU and Florida landed Sumrall, Golesh secured the job at Auburn. Both coaches already have points to prove in their personal history, with Sumrall holding a win over Golesh’s former squad, and Golesh sporting a victory over the Gators during his time at South Florida.
For the sake of the conference, here is hoping both can revitalize their proud programs. The SEC needs more than just one powerhouse at the top, and it is time for someone other than the current standard-bearers to step into the spotlight.
Kevin Scarbinsky, a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame, is a special contributor to 205focus.com. Follow him on X @kevinscarbinsky. Watch his Scarbo Knows podcast on YouTube.
