Clay Helton Fired By USC, 5 Possible Coaching Candidates

USC fired Clay Helton two games into the 2021 season. Who are 5 possible candidates to replace him?

USC fired Clay Helton two games into the 2021 season. Who are 5 possible candidates to replace him?


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Clay Helton was fired by USC. Now it’s time to shoot for the stars.

There’s no excuse whatsoever for USC to be anything but in the College Football Playoff chase every single season.

It might be asking too much to replicate the Pete Carroll era, but USC should be an automatic preseason top ten program with the ability to hang with anyone in the nation – it shouldn’t be getting hammered by Stanford.

Clay Helton was okay.

He won a Pac-12 title and a Rose Bowl, and his 2020 team would’ve had a theoretical argument to be in the College Football Playoff had it beaten Oregon for the Pac-12 championship.

Even so, there was a 5-7 season in there, 2020 was the only time he lost fewer than three games – and that’s mostly because it was a shortened campaign – and it doesn’t help that the UCLA program up in Westwood is starting to look like a thing under Chip Kelly.

Helton is a likable guy – it’s partly why he was given every shot to make USC into a powerhouse again – but 46-24 isn’t okay if you’re in charge of that program.

The recruiting has been fine, and Kedon Slovis is an NFL prospect, but – for example – was USC able to keep DJ Uiagalelei in the state? No. Was it able to keep Bryce Young to his commitment? No. Losing JT Daniels was inevitable, but that goes to an overall issue that it all just didn’t work like it was supposed to.

And now Helton is done, Donte Williams will take over in the interim, and USC has to find a new head man.

First, let’s start with this. No, Urban Meyer isn’t leaving Jacksonville for the USC job.

And no, Pete Carroll isn’t leaving the Seattle Seahawks to come back.

And no, Ed Orgeron isn’t an option.

And no, Lane Kiffin isn’t going to return, even if he’s the perfect fit and a far, far better coach than he ever got credit for.

But USC can’t hire just anyone. It has to reach out to the elite of the elite because it really can get almost anyone – it’s that big a gig.

Here are five possible candidates who at least need to get a phone call.

5. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati head football coach

Everyone loves him right now after winning 31 games in three seasons as he turned Cincinnati into a Group of Five powerhouse.

This would be a huge jump in every way, but considering his Ohio State background – and the lessons learned from a 6-7 2011 season as the head man with the Buckeyes in a strange transition year – he’s hardly a stranger to big programs with massive expectations.

At 48 he’s entering his prime, he proved he could coach up okay recruits and turn the team into something great, and he certainly knows how to recruit the five-star types after his ten years in Columbus.

He checks all the boxes, including being the hot coaching prospect the fan base would gush over.

NEXT: Chris Petersen, FOX college football studio analyst

Hot Seat Coach Rankings For Every Power Five Team: 21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14

20 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14: The coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams.

20 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14: The coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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What’s the hot seat status of all the Power Five head coaches?

Being on a hot seat isn’t just about whether or not a head coach needs to win a football game or have a big season to keep the job. That’s obviously the biggest part of staying hired, but it’s about pressure, too.

Some of the biggest-name head coaches have no real shot of getting fired, but they have to deal with through-the-roof unfair expectations. Really, though, these rankings are about who needs to win … NOW.

The hot seat rankings go from who’s on the coolest of seats in each Power Five conference to who desperately needs a massive campaign.

21 for 2021 Preview Topics (so far)  
21. Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes for 2021
20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP
19: Teams That Will Rebound Big
18. Teams That Will Fall Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches
15. Expectations For 2nd Year Head Coaches

CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

ACC Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021

14. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

The pressure is now at a whole other level – not winning the ACC Championship and going to the College Football Playoff would be a failure – but he’s obviously in the high-rent district of elite coaches.
Record With Team
: 140-33
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 14, 2019: 14, 2018: 14
Clemson Preview | Schedule

13. Mack Brown, North Carolina

No, he’s not on any hot seat when it comes to potentially being fired, buuuuuuuut … is Mack Brown going Mack Brown? He recruited well enough to have a team worthy of playing for the ACC Championship – UNC isn’t in Clemson’s division – and this year the results have to match the talent.
Record With Team
: 15-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 3, 2018: NA
UNC Preview | Schedule

2021 CFN Preseason ACC Rankings

12 . Dave Clawson, Wake Forest

If you want to make a list of who’s doing the most with the least, Clawson might be at the top. Five straight bowls at Wake Forest is amazing – he can have a dud of a year and be more than fine.
Record With Team
: 40-45
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 8, 2018: 10
WF Preview | Schedule

11. Jeff Hafley, Boston College

The passing game is great, Boston College is looking dangerous, and there’s a shot Hafley becomes one of the hot rising coaches with a big year. As long as BC goes to a bowl, all is fine.
Record With Team
: 6-5
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
BC Preview | Schedule

10. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia

He can still live another year off the Orange Bowl appearance of 2019. Virginia is never going to be the pressure cooker of jobs that others are, and even if the results aren’t always perfect, Mendenhall is still among the best coaches in the league.
Record With Team
: 30-32
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 13, 2019: 12, 2018: 8
Virginia Preview | Schedule

9. Scott Satterfield, Louisville

It’s not like the buzz wore off after a huge 2019, but going 4-7 last season was a huge disappointment. He’s a good guy, he brings a great attitude and tone for the program, and he’s fine to 2022 no matter what, but there’s still rebuilding to do.
Record With Team
: 12-13
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 13, 2018: NA
Louisville Preview | Schedule

8. Dave Doeren, NC State

Doeren got it back after a 4-8 2019 season with is typical 8-4-like campaign, and now he has to keep it all going with one of his better teams. He’s always going to be on a tepid seat – that’s sort of the nature with the NC State gig – but he’s good through next year even with a disappointing run.
Record With Team
: 55-46
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 7, 2018: 5
NC State Preview | Schedule

7. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers

The pressure has chilled out a little bit as Pitt has found a bit of a groove with its style. However, he can’t afford one really bad year. As long as the Panthers are going bowling, he’s fine.
Record With Team
: 42-34
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: 2, 2018: 1
Pitt Preview | Schedule

2021 CFN Preseason All-ACC Team

6. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech

So how much longer does the “he has to totally restyle the offense” thing work? It’s Year Three, and now the production has to come and the wins have to be there, but that’s going to be a problem with a nasty schedule.
Record With Team
: 6-16
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 11, 2018: NA
GT Preview | Schedule

5. Manny Diaz, Miami

It’s amazing what happens when you have a great quarterback and an offense that works. It’s Miami so the pressure is always going to be high and the seat will always be hot, but things have chilled a bit after going 8-3.
Record With Team
: 14-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 6, 2018: NA
Miami Preview | Schedule

4. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Yeah, one year in a pandemic shouldn’t mean much, but considering how quickly Willie Taggart was run out of town, the same standards need to apply here, too. Start winning or else.
Record With Team
: 3-6
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
FSU Preview | Schedule

3. David Cutcliffe, Duke

Yeah, he might be one of the best teachers in the game, and the pressure is never there for football at Duke, but he’s 4-15 in his last 19 games with three losing seasons in the last five. This is his 13th year – there has to be something positive this season.
Record With Team
: 74-88
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 10, 2018: 7
Duke Preview | Schedule

2021 CFN ACC Predictions For Every Game

2. Dino Babers, Syracuse

He’ll get one more shot to prove that the ten-win 2018 season wasn’t a total fluke. Syracuse doesn’t have to win the ACC title – and it might not have to even go bowling – but this can’t be among the worst teams in the conference again. Just pull up out of the nosedive and show hope for 2022 and things might be okay.
Record With Team
: 24-36
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 3, 2019: 9, 2018: 2
Syracuse Preview | Schedule

1. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech

It’s about as make-or-break as a year gets. The Hokies haven’t totally underachieved over the last few seasons, but they’re not in the ACC title mix like they need to be. At the very least, they have to make some noise in the Coastal.
Record With Team
: 38-26
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: 4, 2018: 13
VT Preview | Schedule

2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

NEXT: 2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC

Expectations For The 2nd Year Head Coaches: 21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 15

21 for 2021 College Football Topics: What are the reasonable expectations for the second year college football head coaches this season?

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 15: What are the reasonable expectations for the second year college football head coaches this season?


2nd Year Head College Football Coach Expectations For 2021

If you were a new head coach last season, there’s not much else that can be thrown at you after 2020.

Even the longtime veterans had to completely change up everything as they tried to navigate their way through the craziness and changes. Teams didn’t have a real offseason to get up and going, no one had the proper time to prepare, and just about everyone had to deal with the prospect of a cancelled season.

Combine the global pandemic with a revitalized era of social consciousness, and last year was anything but routine for the new head coaches. But now they all have a year to try getting their programs going.

21 for 2021 College Football Topics 
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound
18: 5 Teams That Will Take A Step Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches

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What can fans hope for out of each second year head coach, and what can they look forward to over the next five seasons? Here’s the breakdown of all them in four categories.

The rebuild continues
Mild expectations … but go bowling
Go bowling, and maybe do more
2020 is over … WIN NOW

Coaches in each category listed in alphabetical order

2021 2nd Year College Football Head Coach Expectations: Keep The Rebuild Going

These coaches took over impossible situations even if 2020 was normal. They get the equivalent of a redshirt year as they now try to build things back up.

Marcus Arroyo, UNLV

2020: It didn’t go well. UNLV is a much, much tougher gig than it seems, and Arroyo’s team struggled with the program’s first winless season since 1998. The Rebels went 0-6 losing all six game by double-digits.

Realistic Expectations In Year Two: Just start looking more dangerous. There should be a few wins coming, but UNLV will be the underdog in just about every game. Even so, there has to be a sign of life – especially defensively.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Build the program up. UNLV has been a perennial doormat with just one winning season since 2000. Arroyo will get plenty of time, but there has to be incremental improvement starting with a bowl game in 2021.
2021 UNLV Preview


Danny Gonzales, New Mexico

2020: As 2-5 seasons go, it wasn’t all that bad. New Mexico was in total redo mode, but it was competitive in losses to Hawaii and Nevada and won its final two games at Wyoming and Fresno State. Gonzales did what all first year head coaches in tough situations need to do – he showed the potential for positive things to happen going forward.

Realistic Expectations In Year Two: Make a push for a bowl game. It’s still going to be a work in progress, but the Lobos have a few nice parts – getting Kentucky QB Terry Wilson helps – and there should be a built-in four wins as a base.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Four bowl appearances over the next five years with one big push of a season at some point to get into Mountain West title contention.
2021 New Mexico Preview


Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion

2020: Everything was about to get going and then … nope. Old Dominion chose to opt out on the season.

Realistic Expectations In Year Two: It’s really Rahne’s first season at the helm. On the plus side, he had a full season to get settled in, and he’s got a salty bunch of players ready to go. At least four wins is a reasonable goal, but ODU is a true X factor team as it gets up and going again.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Three bowl appearances and at least one push for the Conference USA East title. Overall, it’s going to be a heavy lift in the tougher of the two C-USA divisions.
2021 Old Dominion Preview


Jeff Scott, USF

2020: The Bulls went 1-8 with that lone victory coming over The Citadel from the FCS world. The offense perked up at times, but not enough to overcome a woeful defense.

Realistic Expectations In Year Two: It’s still going to be an uphill climb. USF might have even more offensive punch, but the D has to go from miserable to just mediocre. It’ll be ugly at times, but getting to four wins would be a step forward.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Make the offense unstoppable. The Bulls need to quickly grow into a regular on the bowl circuit, be in the American Athletic title chase within three years, and come up with at least two wins over UCF.
2021 USF Preview

Mild expectations … but go bowling
Go bowling, and maybe do more
2020 is over … WIN NOW

NEXT: 2021 2nd Year College Football Head Coach Expectations: Mild Expectations, But Go Bowling

Expectations For The New Head Coaches: 21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 16

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 16: What are the reasonable expectations for the new college football head coaches this season?

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 16: What are the reasonable expectations for the new college football head coaches this season?


New Head College Football Coach Expectations For 2021

There are 17 new college football head coaches going into the 2021 season. That’s not a ton compared to some years, but there are plenty of big jobs being filled with plenty of big names moving around.

21 for 2021 College Football Topics 
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound
18: 5 Teams That Will Take A Step Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game

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What can fans hope for out of each new coach, and what can they look forward to over the next five seasons? Here’s the breakdown of all the new guys in four categories.

Total rebuild with no instant expectations
Lowered expectations … but go bowling
Go bowling, and maybe do more
You get a year, sort of. WIN NOW

Coaches in each category listed in alphabetical order

2021 New College Football Head Coaches: Total Rebuild. Do What You Can.

There’s little to no real pressure on these four coaches. All of them are walking into a tough situation with no real expectations other than to start building things up.

Terry Bowden, ULM

Top Lines of the Resumé: Led Auburn to an 11-0 season in 1993 when the program was on probation. Named Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
– Took Auburn to the 1997 SEC Championship Game (lost) and Akron to the 2017 MAC Championship Game (lost).

Realistic Expectations In Year One: Three wins and a spark for the offense. ULM had the worst record – 0-10 – in college football in 2020. It’s going to be a total overhaul.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Take ULM to a winning record within three seasons. 2012 was the only time the program finished better than .500 since 1980. It took three years for Bowden to get Akron to a bowl game.


Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Top Lines of the Resumé: Notre Dame defensive coordinator for the last three seasons.
– Top assistant and linebacker coach at six places before rising up to the DC job at Notre Dame.

Realistic Expectations In Year One: Create a positive identity and win four games. There are enough winnable games on the slate to at least get to three victories and then hope for an upset. More than that, Vandy has to get nasty on D.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Two bowl games and become a more competitive out. It’s always going to be an impossible uphill climb for Vandy in the SEC, but it needs to be more than the league’s free space game.


Lance Leipold, Kansas

Top Lines of the Resumé: Six-time Division III national championship head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
– Two MAC Championship appearances – and three bowl games – in the last three seasons at Buffalo.

Realistic Expectations In Year One: Win three games. That’s not a given considering at Coastal Carolina and at Duke are two of the non-conference games, but asking any coach for three wins isn’t looking for the world – even at Kansas.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Get to a bowl game within three years. Kansas isn’t the toughest Power Five head coaching gig, but it’s right there. If Iowa State could become a player in the Big 12 …


Kane Wommack, South Alabama

Top Lines of the Resumé: Indiana Defensive Coordinator over the last two seasons.
– South Alabama Defensive Coordinator for two years, including the 2016 season when the program went bowling.

Realistic Expectations In Year One: Flirt with .500. It’s tough in a nasty Sun Belt with a whole slew of strong teams, but there’s enough talent and experience in place for the new coaching staff to push for six wins.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: A Sun Belt Championship appearance and at least two winning seasons. The Sun Belt West isn’t as tough as the East. It’s gettable in the right year.

Lowered expectations … but go bowling
Go bowling, and maybe do more
You get a year, sort of. WIN NOW

NEXT: Lowered Expectations, But Go Bowling

Will Muschamp Fired By South Carolina, 5 Possible Coaching Candidates

South Carolina fired Will Muschamp in his fifth season. Who are 5 possible candidates to replace him?

South Carolina fired Will Muschamp in his fifth season. Who are 5 possible candidates to replace him?


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That Will Muschamp got a fifth year was a minor miracle.

The South Carolina gig is really, really tough.

How many conference championships does the program have? One, and that ACC – not SEC – title was all the way back in 1969 when the team went 7-4 and never beat a team with a winning record.

The program went 4-6-1 in 1970.

Not only does the South Carolina head coach have to contend with the SEC, but it has to deal with that Clemson thing 130 miles up the road.

Will Muschamp was everyone’s hot head coaching prospect back in 2011 when he took over the Florida gig, but he went 28-21 in his four years and way let go before latching on with South Carolina.

He took the Gamecocks to bowl games in his first three seasons, but he went 4-8 last year and was 2-8 in his last ten games. He was able to beat Florida and Georgia once, but his teams were annihilated by Clemson in each of the last four seasons – that’s a no-no for the Gamecock head man.

There’s no ill-will, he’s a likable guy, and he’s very rich, walking away with just over $13 million in a buyout. Assistant coach Mike Bobo – the former Colorado State head man – will fill in for the rest of the season, and now the search is on.

Here are five coaching candidates who athletic director Ray Tanner will at least need to think about.

To begin, let’s start with the one big name being thrown around.

Hugh Freeze, Liberty head coach

No. Just … no.

A big portion of the social media fan base wants him, considering what he’s doing to make Liberty a thing with a huge start to the 2020 season, and there was some success at Ole Miss, but … no.

There’s too much baggage and too many hoops to jump through to make him the South Carolina head man at this point. Besides, how many SEC titles did he win at Ole Miss?

Okay, so he really is a name to be discussed and he really is a good football coach. If Freeze isn’t the guy, he’ll be the baseline comparison for the new hire, making the already pressure-packed job that much more intense.

Again, here are five candidates who at least need to get a phone call.

5. Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina head coach

In so many ways, he makes perfect sense.

Chadwell is young, he’s experienced, he’s been able to work his way up through the lower ranks before being an assistant at Coastal Carolina, where he then built the program up over the last three years from three wins, to five, to a 7-0 start and a likely Sun Belt title.

His teams are aggressive, with a defense that lives in the opposing backfield and an offense that’s Wisconsin-like in the way its able to control the clock and the tempo, only with a more spread-like style.

While his problems were hardly Freeze-level, there is some baggage. The NCAA handed down sanctions at Charleston Southern for violations around players who were supposed to be ineligible because they used scholarship money to buy things – it’s mostly NCAAish stuff that hasn’t mattered in his time at Coastal Carolina.

He’s the type of rising head coach who might need a little bit to get things going at South Carolina, but has a massive upside.

 

4. Scott Satterfield, Louisville head coach

A powerhouse head man at Appalachian State, he ushered in the program’s era to life in the FCS with 40 wins, three Sun Belt championships, and three bowl wins over his last four years before taking the Louisville job. 

The Cardinal program needed some refurbishing, and he stepped right in and turned it into a winner in his first season.

This year there’s a problem. The team is struggling through a 2-6 season with just one ACC win. The Cardinal program still needs work with the 2-10 2018 season not all that long ago, and the schedule is far rougher this season with an improved ACC. However, he’s got a great personality, he’s great around the right people, and he’s a rebuilding type who’ll bring an instant jolt for the offense.

3. Brent Venables, Clemson defensive coordinator

This would be a tough one on a whole slew of levels.

First, Will Muschamp was the superstar defensive coordinator who was destined to be a head coach, and that didn’t exactly work out – Venables might be a bit of a tough sell to parts of the base considering he’s never been a head coach.

Second, he’s been a hot head coaching prospect for the better part of a two decades, and yet he seemed like he found his groove as a star for Clemson after rocking at Oklahoma.

If he is thinking about becoming a head coach, it might be more attractive to think Clemson would be the job if Dabo Swinney ever moved on to the NFL or if and when the Alabama gig opens up.

But it’s worth a call to gauge his interest … and then he’ll stay at Clemson.

2. Duce Staley, Philadelphia Eagles assistant head coach

It’s hardly ever a sure thing when a school hires a former player to take over the coaching job – ask Nebraska and Michigan how that’s working out. However, landing the former Gamecock running back would be a great get for just about anyone, and that’s part of the problem.

Staley is on the short list for NFL head coaching jobs after spending the last few years as Doug Pederson’s right hand man with the Eagles, and took over this offseason when Pederson was positive for the coronavirus.

He knows running backs, he knows offenses, and he’s got the energy and personality to make the South Carolina job all his.

1. Billy Napier, Louisiana head coach

I spent several years begging for schools to hire Lane Kiffin. He was always better than he got credit for, and he was going to be an instant jolt for whatever program wanted to become immediately interesting on a national scale.

And then Ole Miss did it.

Kiffin was No. 1 on the list of coaches who’d rock again at a bigger gig, and Napier was No. 1A.

A high-riser in the assistant coaching world, he spent a few years as Nick Saban’s wide receivers coach before taking the Arizona State offensive coordinator job. A bit young, no head coaching experience, and with the Sun Devils going with Herm Edwards, Napier took the Louisiana job, and he’s been fantastic.

His teams go fast, they’ve had dominant running games, and they win, going 25-11 in just over two years with two division titles and a bowl victory.

Since losing to Mississippi State in a good fight in last year’s opener, his Ragin’ Cajuns have gone 18-3. The three losses? By three to this year’s amazing Coastal Carolina team, and last year twice to an Appalachian State squad that finished 13-1.

He’s just 41, he was an assistant for several years at Clemson, he went to Furman, he knows the area and he’s the Next Coach Up for all the openings that are about to come.

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College Football Hot Seat Coach, Coach of the Year Rankings: After Week 7

Which coaches are on the hottest seats, and who leads the Coach of the Year race, after Week 7 of the college football season?

Which coaches are on the hottest seats and under the most pressure – and who leads the Coach of the Year race – after Week 7 of the college football season?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Which ten coaches are going to be feeling it if they don’t win … NOW.

To be positive, which five coaches lead the way in the Coach of the Year race?

The hot seat rankings are done in two ways. First, the five coaches who need a win for job security, and then the five coaches who aren’t in any real danger of being fired but could use a massive win.

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CFN Coach of the Year Race

Coaches On The Hot Seat: Win, Or Else

5. David Cutcliffe, Duke

2-10. That’s what Duke is in its last ten games, and it’s 9-17 since starting out 4-0 in 2018. The offense has given it up a whopping 22 times so far with three picks in the 31-20 loss to NC State. On the plus side, the Blue Devils get three straight home games against Charlotte, North Carolina and Wake Forest. Win two of those three games, and everything starts to change.

4. Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee

Just when it seemed like things might start to bounce back for the Blue Raiders after a win over FIU, pffffffffffft – the air came out of the balloon. North Texas is bad at college football this year, but it just went into Murfreesboro and left with a 52-35 win. The program is now 3-10 in its last 11 games, and two of those wins are against FIU.

3. Dino Babers, Syracuse

Yeah, the Orange don’t have starting quarterback Tommy DeVito around anymore, but that’s partly because the offensive line hasn’t been fixed after years of issues. Losing to a bad Duke team at home by 14 was bad enough, but getting dropkicked by 17 against Liberty is a whole other level of yuck. Oh great … next up is a trip to Clemson.

2. Gus Malzahn, Auburn

You can’t have a column about hot seat coaches without Gus Malzahn after an Auburn loss, but this is different. The offense isn’t clicking like it should, the 2-2 record should be 1-3 after catching a colossal break against Arkansas, and getting whacked around by South Carolina is never going to make the base happy. Lose at Ole Miss next week and this gets really interesting.

1. Matt Viator, ULM

After starting the season 0-5 and going 2-9 in the last 11 games, Viator and the Warhawks have to get hot. Lose at South Alabama this week, and there’s a big, bit problem with no obvious winnable games the rest of the way. Be shocked if ULM isn’t a double-digit underdog in the last seven outings.

CFN Coach of the Year Race

NEXT: 5 Coaches Who Won’t Get Fired, But Need A Win

College Football Hot Seat Coach Rankings: After Week 6

Which coaches are on the hottest seats and under the most pressure after Week 6 of the college football season?

Which coaches are on the hottest seats and under the most pressure after Week 6 of the college football season?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Which ten coaches are going to be feeling it if they don’t win … NOW.

The hot seat rankings are done in two ways. First, the five coaches who need a win for job security, and then the five coaches who aren’t in any real danger of being fired but could use a rainbow.

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Coaches On The Hot Seat: Win, Or Else

5. Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee

He got a very, very much-needed win over FIU for the first victory of the season for the Blue Raiders, but it will be a big problem if there isn’t a run of wins to follow with North Texas, at Rice and Charlotte up next. Anything less than 2-1 won’t be okay.

4. Dino Babers, Syracuse

The Orange are destined for a fourth losing season in five ears under Babers following a 38-24 home loss to a previously winless Duke. With that, Syracuse is 3-7 in its last ten games. Lose at home to Liberty next week, and the seat becomes flaming with a trip to Clemson to follow.

3. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt

October 19th of 2019. that was the last time Vanderbilt won a game over an FBS team, going 1-9 during that stretch and 2-13 in the last 15 games against the big league programs. Being plucky is nice, but the Commodores have scored 26 points int eh first three games with two straight 41-7 blastings.

2. Seth Littrell, North Texas

One of the hot young coaches after two nine-win seasons, North Texas went 4-8 last year and started out 1-3 this season. The defense has been miserable – allowing over 45 points per game – with the program going 1-7 in its last eight games against FBS programs. With Middle Tennessee and UTEP up next on the road, this is when the Mean Green have to get going.

1. Matt Viator, ULM

How bad have the Warhawks been? The’ve been outscored 181-67 in the first five games – all losses – and now the defense is on a run of 11 straight games giving up 31 points or more. In his fifth season, this is going to be a fifth year without a winning record.

NEXT: 5 Coaches Who Won’t Get Fired, But Need A Win

College Football Hot Seat Coach Rankings: After Week 4

Which coaches are on the hottest seats and under the most pressure after Week 4 of the college football season?

Which coaches are on the hottest seats and under the most pressure after Week 4 of the college football season?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Which ten coaches are going to be feeling it if they don’t win … NOW.

The hot seat rankings are done in two ways. First, the five coaches who need a win for job security – even in a year when most coaches will get a whole lot of benefits of a whole lot of doubts.

Then come the five coaches who aren’t in any real danger of being fired, but could desperately use something positive.

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Coaches On The Hot Seat: Win, Or Else

5. Will Muschamp, South Carolina

His Gamecocks played well in the loss to Tennessee, and there’s hope for a decent year with just enough talent to be pesky, but now Muschamp has gone 3-10 in his last 13 games against FBS teams. Beat Florida this week, though, and everything changes.

4. Philip Montgomery, Tulsa

It’s not fair, but the wins likely aren’t going to be there. His team isn’t bad – it pushed Oklahoma State in a tough loss two weeks ago, but Tulsa has won nine games since 2016, and now he gets a trip to UCF followed up by a date with Cincinnati. It’ll take a massive upset – like last year’s win over UCF – to avoid a 2-9 run in 11 games.

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3. David Cutcliffe, Duke

Yeah, he’s a legend, but he’s also a phenomenal offensive coach whose offense isn’t doing anything. Turnovers, misfires, and too many mistakes led to third straight double-digit loss on the way to an 0-3 start.

How bad have things been? Duke is 1-8 in the last nine games with seven of those defeats in ugly blowouts. Life doesn’t ease up with Virginia Tech up next.

2. Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee

This team should be a whole lot better than 0-3. After the rough start, now the Blue Raiders are 4-13 in their last 17 games, with one of those coming in the 2018 Conference USA Championship.

It’s his 15th year with the program, and he’s done a whole lot to get to 91 wins, but beating WKU next week is everything.

1. Matt Viator, ULM

No, you don’t lose 31-6 at home to UTEP. Ever.

The rest of the Sun Belt is having a whole lot of fun, but ULM is 0-3, got whacked by Texas State, too, and is likely going to be a big underdog in the remaining nine games. Now his career record at ULM is 19-32 in just over five years, going 2-7 in his last nine games with Georgia Southern up next.

NEXT: 5 Coaches Who Won’t Get Fired, But Need A Win

College Football Hot Seat Coach Rankings: After Week 3

Which coaches are on the hottest seat and under the most pressure after Week 3 of the college football season?

Which coaches are on the hottest seat and under the most pressure after Week 3 of the college football season?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Which ten coaches are going to be feeling it if they don’t win … NOW.

The hot seat rankings are done in two ways. First, the five coaches who need a win for job security – even in a year when most coaches will get a whole lot of benefits of a whole lot of doubts.

Then come the five coaches who aren’t in any real danger of being fired, but could desperately use something positive.

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Coaches On The Hot Seat: Win, Or Else

5. Dana Dimel, UTEP

It’s sort of hard to put him on any real hot seat list after winning as many games in the first three dates of this year than he did in his first two seasons combined, but the 2-1 start is a bit of a mirage. The two wins were too tight over Stephen F. Austin and Abilene Christian, and the loss was a blowout to Texas. Dimel won’t be fired anytime soon, but he could really use a win over an FBS team and win on the road against …

4. Matt Viator, ULM

Army has been great in its two games, so there’s some forgiveness for being off in the 37-7 opening win. However, getting boat-raced at home against Texas State 38-17 hurts. Lose at home to UTEP, and ULM could be facing a winless season.

3. Dino Babers, Syracuse

The games against North Carolina and Pitt were on the road, but those two aren’t that amazing. They’re both good, but not good enough to lose to by a combined score of 52-16. The offense is a disaster because the line is a mess, and now Babers – after winning ten games in 2018 and the 2019 season opener – has gone 4-9 in his last 13 games.

2. Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee

Chalk up the 42-0 clunker at Army to start the season as an opening weekend misfire when the team didn’t do much of anything right. Two weeks later, everything was supposed to start working at home against Troy, and … 47-14 loss. Stockstill might be a fixture for the program, but now he’s 5-13 in his last 18 games. Lose at UTSA, and there’s a problem.

1. Will Muschamp, South Carolina

The schedule is unforgiving.

South Carolina doesn’t have to play Clemson this season, but seven of the ten teams on the all-SEC schedule went bowling last year, and three of the first five games are on the road. After going 4-8 in 2019, a bad start with losses to Tennessee and at Florida would set up a true hot seat game at Vanderbilt.

NEXT: 5 Coaches Who Won’t Get Fired, But Need A Win

College Football Head Coach Rankings By Conference: CFN Preview 2020

Ranking the college football head coaches in each conference before the season starts, where do they all stack up?

Ranking the college football head coaches in each conference before the season starts, where do they all stack up?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Next we’ll do the full ranking from 1 to 130 of all the head coaches going into the 2020 college football season – whatever it’s going to be and however it’s going to look – but first, here are the galleries with the CFN head coach rankings by conference.

How did we pick who goes where? Let’s just say the criteria was very, very loose.

It’s a combination of the head coaches with the best resumés, and who has the most experience, and who has done a great job at the toughest places, and who has the most longevity, and who you’d want right now to be your head man, and who has more to prove, and …

Again, it’s very loose. In general, those who have consistently done a great job at the toughest places get ranked higher.

Disagree with any of this? Great … if your guy rocks – or struggles – we’ll adapt and adjust the rankings throughout the season.

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ACC Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-ACC Team

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American Athletic Conference Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-AAC Team

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Big Ten Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Big Ten Team

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Big 12 Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Big 12 Team

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Conference USA Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-C-USA Team

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Independents Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Independents Team

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MAC Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-MAC Team

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Mountain West Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Mountain West Team

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Pac-12 Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Pac-12 Team

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SEC Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-SEC Team

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Sun Belt Preseason Head Coach Rankings

CFN 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

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Photo Credits: (Dabo Swinney, Scott Satterfield) Brian Spurlock; (Tom Herman, Mike Gundy) Rob Ferguson; (PJ Fleck, Paul Chryst) Jesse Johnson; (Jimbo Fisher, Gus Malzahn) John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports

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