As the 2026 college football season gets rolling, the next coaching carousel is already starting to take shape.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg singled out two SEC head coaches who could be positioned for bigger jobs after the 2026 season, depending on how things unfold this fall: Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.
Drinkwitz has already built a strong case for himself in Columbia. He led Missouri to 10-plus wins in both 2023 and 2024 before the Tigers settled for an 8-4 regular season in 2025. Missouri dealt with quarterback injury problems last season and is now hoping Austin Simmons can help the offense move forward in the coming fall.
Rittenberg pointed to Drinkwitz’s steady run and the possibility that his profile keeps rising if Missouri handles a tougher schedule.
His name surfaced for some of the high-profile jobs last year, but he remained at Missouri, which has rewarded him with contracts and program investment. Drinkwitz is 29-10 during the past three seasons and has overseen balanced teams.
If the 43-year-old can continue his success while navigating seemingly a tougher schedule this fall - he’s 26-24 all time in SEC games - interest in him should remain strong. Would he leave the SEC for a job such as Florida State?
Lea’s situation looks a little different, but his stock has climbed just as fast. Vanderbilt is coming off back-to-back strong seasons, capped by a program-record 10 wins in 2025. Lea, a Vandy alum, had won only 2 conference games across his first three SEC seasons before Diego Pavia arrived on campus.
Rittenberg said Lea’s connection to Vanderbilt, plus the school’s investment in the program, makes his next move harder to project.
Lea is a Vanderbilt guy, and the program has taken care of him, making major investments in multiple areas to build on the momentum from a historic 2025 season. The 44-year-old has won consecutive SEC Coach of the Year awards, and last fall, he earned the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year honor after guiding Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season.
Lea likely would leave his alma mater and hometown only for the right type of job - with a higher, more consistent ceiling. He spent 2017-2020 at Notre Dame, the final three years as defensive coordinator, and made a strong impression there.
Week 1 of the 2026 season begins Thursday night, when Missouri opens against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
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