It's time to update the heat meter across the nation once again. With some upsets in place, there has been a great deal of upheaval on the Hot Seat this week, and we may have seen some serious shifts in attitude, with some coaches maybe pushing their fates off until 2015. Let us take a look at this week's Hot Seat update:
Curtis Johnson, Tulane
Tulane is now 2-6 after a 24 point loss to Cincinnati last week. With one more loss, the Green Wave may turn into a stinking red tide and miss the bowl season just one year after looking as if this program was turning the corner under Johnson. It's not Dead Pool time quite yet for Johnson, as fan interest in the program is tepid at best, and there are no calls for heads on platters just yet.
Ron Turner, FIU
Turner looked like he was saving himself a few short weeks ago, and then the Panthers haven't won since, falling to 3-6 this week. That may be a slight improvement over 2013, but is it enough? We'll know soon enough. There may be adequate pressure to end his tenure after two seasons.
Paul Rhoades, Iowa State
As we've said before, his contract may actually be keeping him safe for another season, as he is owed a hefty buyout if fired. That clause wasn't smart on the ISU administration's behalf. ISU is nowhere near being competitive in the Big 12, and Rhoades likely isn't the guy to turn the corner. One more loss, and it's home for the holidays in 2014.
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech
I think we can all agree that Texas is pretty bad this season. I also think that we can agree that Texas Tech is far worse. A week after giving up 82 to TCU, The Dead Raiders got blasted by three TDs against the Longhorns. Stock in Kingsbury is falling faster than Enron did.
Scot Shafer, Syracuse
The offense has been a mess, and it hasn't gotten a ton better since Tim Lester was inserted as OC. One more loss and the Orange will not be bowling in 2014, and that loss will come sooner than later. Has this program elevated since Doug Marrone left for the Bills? Absolutely not.
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
I think that we are upon a time when we can announce that the Fitz magic at northwestern has left the building. The Wildcats are largely a mess. Last season it was an injury problem, this season has had injuries, sure. But this team also has a lacking talent problem. It's time to move on. May I suggest Rod Carey of Northern Illinois as a replacement?
Kevin Wilson, Indiana
This was supposed to be a bowl or bust season for the Hoosiers, but they haven't won a game in Big 10 play, and got blasted by a miserable Michigan squad. Wilson isn't getting it done in Bloomington, and there is grumbling. That bowl could still happen, but only if IU wins 3 of their final 4.
Todd Berry, UL-Monroe
Sure, the War Hawks had Texas A&M on the ropes last weekend, but that's not so difficult these days. Berry has never gotten ULM to turn the corner and stay there, and consistency has been a central theme as to why they can't get a streak going. ULM is one of my most disappointing teams in the country this season, and it shouldn't still be this way.
Tim Beckman, Illinois
Beckman is a serious candidate to hit the Dead Pool in the next week or so. The Illini, like Indiana, were on a bowl or bust mission, and Illinois sits at just 4-5. It should be easy to get there, but it's never as easy as it seems, and plenty of folks in Champaign want him gone.
Bob Davie, New Mexico
Oh how timely that 31-28 win over UNLV was last weekend. New Mexico is no longer in dead last place in the Mountain Division, and Davie still has a shot to get the Lobos bowling with a hot finish. At least that could never be said under Mike Locksley, so that's a small moral victory for Davie at this point.
Mike London, Virginia
The Wahoos were an early season surprise, and a late season disaster. Virginia has now fallen to 4-5, and minus a bowl invite, London could be shown the door despite some visible improvements to the program. It's a contract year for him, and there is no extension in place yet. This could go either way.
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
4-5 records and Tech football should never be synonymous. As we've harped since the Sun Bowl last season, Beamer Ball is dead in the water. It's time for the venerable old Hokie legend to step aside and let a younger, more energetic guy take the reins and move the needle back to right again.
Butch Jones, Tennessee
I am the only person in the nation that doesn't seem to be buying in. Media types are heralding Jones as a savior of Tennessee football, but I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think about buying stock. Recruiting class rankings are simply meaningless to me, so toss that argument out on its ass. I look for on field production, not mystical pipe dreams of what might be with a bunch of over hyped selfish 5 stars that have no chemistry or team mentality.
Paul Chryst, Pittsburgh
Things are quiet in Pittsburgh. Too quiet. Nobody could or should be happy with this 4-5 Panther team right now, nor should they have any joy towards the apparent lack of progress that Chryst has pumped through during his tenure. This program is no better, but not much worse, than when he got there. That's not a good thing.
Larry Fedora, North Carolina
It's only a matter of time before everyone sees that Fedora cannot coach. UNC is nowhere near where they should be, and he's been overrated in my book everywhere he has been, including Southern Miss, where he left that program in utter ruin before taking on UNC.
Kyle Flood, Rutgers
Rutgers is as Rutgers does, every single season. Rutgers always starts hot and finishes ice cold, and limps into a bowl leaning heavily on beating weak sisters in September. This is happening again, and Flood has got to answer to it. He has added nothing to this program since Greg Schiano left.
Will Muschamp, Florida
After an 18 point win over Georgia behind a power run game, Muschamp may not be done just yet. That win opened enough eyes of folks who cut checks, and so Muschamp may not be out, pending what happens as the season wraps up. This is an up and down, fluid situation.
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