How SEC football coaches feel about Texas, Oklahoma joining
One of the biggest moves in college football conference expansion history will take place next summer as traditional superpowers Texas and Oklahoma will make their historic move to the SEC in time for the 2024 football season, forever changing the landscape of the sport moving into the future.
By adding the Sooners and Longhorns to the conference, the SEC will be able to further argue that it plays the toughest schedule in college football, and in the meantime will also renew some rivalries fans haven't seen for a while, including the Texas-Arkansas game and the Texas-Texas A&M matchup, while likely creating new rivalry games and new traditions for the 21st century.
Related: Must-watch games on 2024 SEC football schedule
Here is what some of the conference's top football coaches had to say about the incoming arrivals when speaking at the 2023 SEC Media Days.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
The Ole Miss coach remains close with Texas coach Steve Sarkisian after the two worked together, and Kiffin said he discussed the move with him already.
"I said [to Sarkisian], 'Well, I don't know any coach that would want to go to the NFL. We are in it now," Kiffin said. "Our schedule is like playing in the NFL in the SEC now, especially adding those two."
He added, "Hats off to the commissioner for getting that done and making it the super conference of all time."
Related: How SEC will handle "Horns Down" when Texas joins
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
Like most SEC personnel, the Vols coach is happy to see the league expand to add these two programs, but he also sent out a friendly little warning to Texas.
"There's only one UT," he said with a grin. "One right shade of orange."
Heupel throwing some shade at the Longhorns is expected: he's a former Oklahoma quarterback who also coached at his alma mater, but it's all in good fun.
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
"I think they're certainly ready," Beamer said of Oklahoma, in particular.
"This is a team that won five straight conference championships in the Big 12 going into 2021. Then, in 2021 they won, what, 10 or 11 games? They had a heck of a season in 2021 with Lincoln [Riley]. So they're not very far off, that's for sure."
OU is coming off its first losing season of the century in Brent Venables' first year as head coach and looks ahead to a tough schedule in 2024 as members of the SEC.
The Sooners draw Alabama and Tennessee at home, in addition to Beamer's Gamecocks, and go to LSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn.
"This league is different," Beamer said. "I saw a stat the other day where the SEC led the nation in average attendance per game, and it wasn't even close compared to the rest of the conferences... That'll be different for those teams coming in."
He added, "But I certainly feel like they're ready."
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
“Well, I think, obviously, the State of Arkansas is ecstatic about, you know, having an opportunity to play Texas and for that matter, Oklahoma. Proximity is so good. It's so good for us," he said.
“I think everybody is really excited about that. Obviously we are bringing two powerful, storied programs into the SEC. So we know they are going to be really great opponents.
“Everybody's excited. I'm excited. You know, I'm from Oklahoma. Grew up a Sooner fan until I moved out to eastern Oklahoma and became a Hog fan. I think it will be a big deal for the SEC and specifically Texas because of the old Southwest Conference rivalry.”
Nick Saban, Alabama
We had a preview of the Texas-Alabama game last season and will again this year when the Longhorns travel to take on the Crimson Tide.
"I think it's a great addition to the SEC," Saban said. "You have two great programs that have great traditions that have great fan support. I think it just continues to sort of, the map of the SEC, it is stronger than ever."
In particular, Saban is happy to see the SEC's quality of schedule improve even more.
"I think the competition is going to be, it's always been difficult," he said. "It's going to be even more challenging because you've got two really, really good programs who have consistently, if you look at the past, have been, you know, top-10 programs for a lot of years, won national championships."
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Fisher is happy to see the Longhorns come to the SEC in particular, as it will renew the historic rivalry between Texas and A&M.
“I think it's great. I think it's great for college football," he said.
"I think it's great for Texas and Texas A&M. I mean, I think anytime the old rivalries are renewed -- I've been in a lot of rivalries, been fortunate to be in college football a long time and be in some of the great rivalries in college football, and this one, A&M and Texas definitely is a great rivalry. I think it's great for us and it's great for them, and it's great for college football in general. Very excited for it to happen.”
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