SEC Hot Seat: 5 coaches who should start browsing job boards

Spring football is over, which means summer is fast approaching.

While most people see the summertime as a period of rest and relaxation, there are several coaches in the SEC who would be wise to use it to see what other gigs are available.

With 16 Saturdays until the start of the 2016 campaign, here's a list of five coaches who should take some time to check out job postings, as a poor start could send them straight to the unemployment line.

Les Miles, LSU

Perhaps the only person who didn't think Les Miles would get fired last season was the 62-year-old himself. The deed seemed all but done prior to LSU's season finale against Texas A&M, yet a win kept the "Mad Hatter" in Baton Rouge and saw him carried off the field by his players. It may be a short-lived reprieve, though, as the expectations surrounding the program are as high as ever. Athletic director Joe Alleva told 104.5 ESPN-FM: "I think this year we have a chance to be truly exceptional." A top recruiting class joins returning star Leonard Fournette and 18 of 22 starters from last season's team. With early-season road games next season against Wisconsin, Auburn, and Florida, struggles could lead to Miles getting the axe this time around.

Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M

Is there a coach's stock that's fallen faster in recent years than Kevin Sumlin's at Texas A&M? Life after Johnny Manziel hasn't been very fruitful for the embattled coach, who posted just a 16-10 record with a dismal 7-9 mark in SEC play. Getting top-end quarterbacks to commit to the Aggies program isn't the problem for Sumlin, but keeping them in College Station appears to be an issue. Gone are former No. 1 recruits Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, who transferred to Houston and Oklahoma, respectively. Joining them this week was top 2017 recruit Tate Martell, who decommitted from the program, sparking a Twitter firestorm from assistant coach Aaron Moorehead. Sumlin is in the midst of a $30-million contract through the 2019 season, but money has never been an issue with Texas A&M. No wonder Sumlin has been looking toward the NFL in recent years.

Gus Malzahn, Auburn

Auburn lost in the final seconds of the national title game in 2013, and may fire its coach just three years later. The SEC is a fickle beast indeed. Gus Malzahn completely turned around the program after a 3-9 season under Gene Chizik in 2012, but last year's 7-6 mark didn't go over well on the Plains. The SEC West isn't getting any less competitive, and Malzahn's once-vaunted offense ranked 75th in the country in points per game last season. The Tigers' schedule to being 2016 is difficult, with dates against Clemson, Texas A&M, and LSU in the first four weeks, but all are at home. Should Auburn struggle to negotiate that stretch, Malzahn's days could be numbered.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky

During his introductory press conference in 2012, Mark Stoops said he thought Kentucky could win the SEC title. With a 4-20 mark in three seasons of conference play, that idea seems as far-fetched as possible. Coaching Kentucky isn't easy, but Stoops has yet to post a winning campaign with the program. Next season probably offers the 48-year-old his best chance to finally accomplish the feat. Hosting South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Georgia, with rebuilding Missouri also on the slate, if Stoops can't reach six wins, he likely won't get another season to try.

Derek Mason, Vanderbilt

With tight academic admissions at the school, winning at Vanderbilt in the SEC is damn near impossible ... or is it? James Franklin posted back-to-back 9-4 seasons before bolting for Penn State. His successor, Derek Mason, hasn't been able to come close to replicating that winning percentage in his two campaigns in charge. In fact, Mason hasn't won nine games over that span. A 3-9 mark in his debut campaign, followed by a 4-8 record in 2015 certainly wasn't the start the former Stanford defensive coordinator was looking for. There's an easy fix for the Commodores' woes: Score some points. Vanderbilt ranked fourth-last in the country last year, putting up just 15 points per contest. Unless Mason can drastically overhaul the offensive unit, he'll likely patrol the sideline elsewhere in 2017.