From having no NCAA Tournament appearances for 14 seasons to participating in four back-to-back, the Ole Miss Rebels have come a long way. And one person has been at the center of that turnaround: Yolett McPhee-McCuin. However, that run may now face uncertainty as exit rumors begin to swirl.

USA Today Sports journalist Mitchell Northam weighed in on the speculation via an update on X. He hinted that a few options are opening up for the coaching openings in the SEC, and McPhee-McCuin is being considered a potential candidate.

“Two other SEC jobs might open this year. Both will call Yo and she will absolutely listen,” the post read.

The rumor also has context behind it. McPhee-McCuin’s contract with the Rebels runs through the 2026-27 season. Moreover, she reportedly earns around $1M from her position, which is far less than the salaries of other SEC coaches, such as Kim Mulkey at LSU ($3.2M annually) and Dawn Staley at South Carolina ($4M annual base salary).

All in all, with just a her contract nearing expiration, and better options available with lucrative packages, there isn’t much to argue about Northam’s suggestion, if the Rebels don’t lock in McPhee-McCuin early with a major extension. This wasn’t the first time, though, that the Ole Miss head coach has been the center of similar rumors.

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In 2022, reports surfaced that Yolett McPhee-McCuin was being approached by Georgia, and that a deal between the two parties was imminent. While that later proved false, Katie Abrahamson-Henderson was the Bulldogs hired as their head coach. With recent exit rumors surfacing, fans haven’t taken long to share their perspective on which program will suit McPhee-McCuin best.

Fans Explore Possible Options for Yolett McPhee-McCuin if She Bids Goodbye to Ole Miss

“She goes to sc when dawn leaves imo,” opined a fan.

While it’s a bold take, the opinion has several flaws. Dawn Staley’s contract with the South Carolina Gamecocks runs through the 2030 season. While Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s contract is nearing the end of her deal. Thus, at least for now, McPhee McCuin will have to renew her contract with the Rebels or put pen to paper with a new SEC team. And most likely won’t be the Gamecocks, given Staley’s contract and the stature she has in the Gamecocks program, which eliminates the possibility that she will be fired before her contract expires.

That’s only half of it. The common trait between McPhee-McCuin and Staley is their aggressive, no-nonsense personalities. While this is a plus point, the Gamecocks can find a a coach with a similar style if Staley bids goodbye to the Gamecocks in 2030. However, it’s hard to imagine that South Carolina will let go of Staley, especially with the success she has brought to the program, including three NCAA Tournament, and she is a key to their long-term success.

“She ain’t leaving Ole Miss,” commented another. 

“Haha. Ole Miss will outbid them both. She loves working with Keith Carter and the university provides her with every single thing she wants. You should know the person you’re responding to isn’t doing it from a place of good faith,” wrote another. 

Several fans, including, have also opined that McPhee-McCuin might end up staying at Ole Miss. This won’t be surprising though, given the impact she has had with the Rebels. Under her tenure, the program has become one of the most dominant forces in the conference. Even in the ongoing season, Ole Miss have been able to blow out programs like Tennessee

Thus, it won’t even raise an eyebrow if the Ole Miss front office provides McPhee-McCuin with an even more lucrative salary to make her stay and trust her with the reins of the women’s basketball program.

“Definitely not Florida. Tennessee yes. They open the checkbook there more,” wrote another.

“I like Yo… I’d be okay with her in Florida. She wouldn’t be my first choice, but light-years better than Finely,” added another. 

Two possible options as per these comments: Florida and Tennessee. And there’s a slight hint where this is coming from. Both the programs, the Lady Vols under Kim Caldwell and the Gators under Kelly Rae Finley, haven’t had strong seasons, for now. The Gators under Finley haven’t qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons.

On the other hand, Caldwell’s team has lost five of the last seven games this season. Their hopes for a deep NCAA Tournament run are hanging by a thread, which isn’t much like the dominant Tennessee we’ve seen over the years. Add to that the frustration with Kim Caldwell openly criticizing the team. However, there have been no reports from the teams for now. If a certain coaching change happens, McPhee-McCuin might be a go-to if the latter is up for a move.

Finley’s contract, like McPhee-McCuin’s, runs through 2027, making her situation worth monitoring. While the current salary of the Tennessee head coach (around $1M) is more than the Gators coach’s ($75,000), Caldwell’s contract runs through the 2029-30 season.

Amid the rumors, there hasn’t been any official confirmation from Yolett McPhee-McCuin, though. Thus, for now, the situation remains fluid on the Ole Miss head coach’s potential next move this offseason. Until then, she will look to continue competing with the Rebels, where her team sits 4th in SEC play with records of 21-6 and 8-4.