Coaches on the Hot Seat
We take a look at the latest projections in the coaching
profession as it pertains to college football. This week will bring plenty of
pressure for coaches all around the game, and some coaches who are merely
feeling heat right now, are simply about to find their way into our Dead Pool,
or rather coaches who you can count on to be fired at some point between now
and December. Here is a look at who the coaches are that are merely feeling
some heat right now.
Kevin Wilson, Indiana
Wilson started out red hot, but anything short of a bowl
game this season would certainly turn the Hoosier fan base and administration
against him. The Hoosiers are reeling right now, and are currently just 0-4 in
Big 10 play, or as we like to call it, the IU annual swoon under Wilson. The
next loss for IU may be enough to push Wilson into the Pool.
Mike Riley, Nebraska
Nothing will happen in any imminent capacity with Riley,
as he is only in his first season at Nebraska, and the season has been loaded
with close losses. That being said, the Huskers are just 3-5 overall, and just
1-3 in conference play, and that’s not going to go down well in Huskerville.
Usually you can expect a coach to go through a 3-5 year progression in getting
a program fixed, but this program wasn’t this broken when Bo Pelini was fired.
Paul Haynes, Kent State
This is a fluid situation right now, as there were rumors
circling last season that this could be his final go. Kent State is 3-5, but
are 2-2 in MAC play, and so one has to wonder if this is a situation that has
the administration looking to let it play longer or not. The Golden Flashes did
get blasted by Bowling Green 48-0 last week, so another bad loss in the next
couple of games could have Haynes back in the Pool.
Pete Lembo, Ball State
The Cardinals are just 2-6 and 1-3 in MAC play as of now,
and Lembo has had more than enough time to get his stamp on this program. The
losses are piling up, and other programs are streaking by the Cardinals in the
MAC. I’m not sure he is entirely secure.
Butch Jones, Tennessee
The Vols, who were ranked in the top 20 in pre-season
polls, are now just 3-4 and 1-3 in a very weak SEC East. This was supposed to
be the year for UT fans. Of course, so was last season. Everyone kept on
waiting for the rocket to lift off, but all they have is a dud. Jones could be
in more trouble than projected if he can’t finish strong.
Bret Bielema, Arkansas
The Razorbacks got lucky in a 4OT win over Auburn last
week, but this team was supposed to challenge in the SEC West. That’s not happening
at 3-4 and 2-2 in SEC play. How long are the fans going to put up with the
constant underachievement?
Gus Malzahn, Auburn
The Tigers fan base have no patience when Alabama is
still winning, and there is zero tolerance for sitting in dead last place in
the SEC West with a 1-3 conference mark. Gene Chizik won a national title, and
they fired him just a couple of seasons later. The honeymoon is over.
Scott Shafer, Syracuse
There shouldn’t be any immediate push to oust him this
season, as he has been playing with a walk-on QB all season due to injuries,
but that may be due to recruiting deficiencies rather than anything else.
Still, Syracuse isn’t turning any corners right now, and that is what it is all
about. The Orange are 3-4 overall now, and just 1-2 in ACC play.
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
The clock is still ticking, and the Hokies blew a
brilliant chance to upset Duke last week in a 4OT loss. The Hokies are now 3-5
and 1-3 in ACC play, so one has to wonder how keeping him around for even
another season makes any sense right now.
Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech
Beating Florida State last week was impressive, but this
formerly top 15 team is now just 3-5 and 1-4 in ACC play, and so you have to
wonder how solid Johnson’s footing is in Atlanta.
Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee
If you want to alienate a fan base, start bitching about
them when they don’t show up to games, or just start bitching about them in
general, because that worked so well for Bo Pelini. Stockstill has had issue
with fan support, and the thing is, he doesn’t have the right, as MTSU has been
largely underperforming for years under his watch. He may have just bit the
hand that has fed him.
Larry Coker, UTSA
I’m not fond of this, but there has been some kind of
discussion about the possibility of Coker not returning in 2016, even though he
has a contract that pushes out farther than that. Leaked information has shown
that there is some concern about a new direction, but that may be Coker’s
reluctance to keep pushing forward, and he may just retire. I hope not, but
that’s what is floating about in the information world.
Sean Kugler, UTEP
UTEP looked as if they were turning a corner last fall,
but this season, instead of building on that, the foundation already looks
wobbly at best. The Miners have been largely non-competitive in their losses
this season, and are now just 3-4, and 1-2 in CUSA play. Regression is bad.
Bob Davie, New Mexico
There is no doubt that the Lobos have been better this
season than in any season under Davie’s watch. That being said, the heat was on
when the season started, and the Lobos have lost some head scratchers. They are
now just 4-4, and 2-2 in MWC play, but if the rest of the season goes south,
Davie is in the Pool.
Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State
I have been vocal about this for a few weeks, but
DeRuyter has let the program fall apart around him. The Bulldogs lack athletes
on both sides of the football, and what once was a promising rise has fallen
flat to the ground for DeRuyter.
Dennis Franchione, Texas State
Bobcat Nation has to be tired of always falling somewhere
in the middle, or somewhere in the basement of the Sun Belt. Texas State has
gotten no better under Franchione’s watch, and at 2-4 overall, things aren’t
looking good for 2015.Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech
The Red Raiders have been blasted in back to back games, and even though they stand at 5-3, they are just 2-3 in Big 12 play. If the Red Raiders can get it together in the next four games and finish strong, then this is for nothing, but if they fold and collapse hard, Tech could be making some unfortunate decisions.
Dana Holgorson, West Virginia
It’s not working in Morgantown. WVU is a terrible fit in
the Big 12, and they cannot seem to get competitive in this conference. WVU is
3-3, and 0-3 in conference play, and this has been a theme during his tenure. A
change is not only suggested, but probably necessary.
Jeff Monken, Army
We have to be fair here, and Monken’s predecessors
started feeling the heat right about now as well. Army is a young football team
right now, but the only teams Army has beaten were FCS schools, and barely at
that.
Mark Helfrich, Oregon
This is the worst Oregon football team in over a decade,
and the Vernon Adams experiment has largely been a failure. That has Ducks
fans, whether fairly or not, tied up in a knot. Oregon media is trying to call
for calm in the fan base right now, but Duck fans have become too used to
success to simply lay back and ride the wave.
Mike McIntyre, Colorado
The Buffaloes finally won a conference game under
McIntyre last week in a 17-13 victory over hapless Oregon State. The Buffs are
now just 2 wins away from bowling this season. If Colorado can get there, than
McIntyre should be safe for another year. It’s a process sometimes, and this
has been a long one. 
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