Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
12. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Could the Utes lose him to a bigger gig? That’s far more of a worry than for Utah fans than any sort of a hot seat situation. With a great team returning, Whittingham continues to keep the program rolling among the best in the Pac-12.
Record With Team: 134-66
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: 9, 2018: 7
Utah Preview | Schedule
11. Jedd Fisch, Arizona
There’s no pressure whatsoever in a building year. Everything has to start over, the Wildcats need to generate a defense, and the offense has to find its playmakers after a disastrous 2020. Fisch has done everything right with the media, and now he needs time to put it all together.
Record With Team: 0-0
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Arizona Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason Pac-12 Rankings
10. David Shaw, Stanford
The Cardinal quietly came up with a 4-2 2020 season with a four-game winning streak to close it out. He’s been so brilliant outside of a clunker of a 2019 that he’s safe for at least another year no matter what. If Stanford doesn’t want him, there are a slew of NFL teams that do.
Record With Team: 90-36
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 11, 2018: 12
Stanford Preview | Schedule
9. Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Two Pac-12 championships in a row will buy him time no matter what, but with the talent he’s amassing and the expectations growing, it’s time to turn the corner. A recruiting machine, Cristobal has the program on the verge of something truly special.
Record With Team: 25-10
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 4, 2018: 2
Oregon Preview | Schedule
8. Justin Wilcox, Cal
Blow off the 1-3 2020 season because just about everything in the Pac-12 campaign was weird. He’s a hot head coach with the defensive chops, but he needs a third winning season in four years to show forward progress.
Record With Team: 21-21
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 8, 2018: 6
Cal Preview | Schedule
7. Jimmy Lake, Washington
There wasn’t any grace period last season considering what Lake inherited and the continuity from the Chris Petersen era, and he came up big – the Huskies would’ve played for the Pac-12 title if they were healthy. The expectations don’t slip a bit.
Record With Team: 3-1
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Washington Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-Pac-12 Team
6. Karl Dorrell, Colorado
Dorrell had the pressure on to produce considering there weren’t too many fans jumping up and down over the hire – the dream was to get former Buff star Eric Bieniemy – and under the trying circumstances he went 4-1 in the Pac-12 before a bowl loss to Texas. The bar is set a little higher now, but he has some breathing room for a season of revamping.
Record With Team: 4-2
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Colorado Preview | Schedule
5. Jonathan Smith, Oregon State
Yeah, the Beavers are more entertaining and more competitive, and beating Oregon last season was a big plus, but three straight losing seasons are three straight losing seasons. Yeah, going 2-5 in 2020 wasn’t okay, but again, the team put up a fight.
Record With Team: 9-22
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 5, 2018: 3
OSU Preview | Schedule
4. Nick Rolovich, Washington State
Year One gets blown off because of the COVID-19 season, but the offense has to become a factor again after sputtering in three blowout losses. He’s supposed to be the guy who knows how to wing it all over the yard – let’s go.
Record With Team: 1-3
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Wazzu Preview | Schedule
3. Herm Edwards, Arizona State
The Sun Devils have been fine under Edwards, but he wasn’t hired for the program to be just okay. There have been a few splashy wins, but there hasn’t been any consistency and now there’s a recruiting controversy to deal with. On the field, with the team Edwards has in place, the expectations should be set at Pac-12 South title or bust.
Record With Team: 17-13
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: 6, 2018: 1
ASU Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Pac-12 Predictions For Every Game
2. Clay Helton, USC
Has everyone chilled out on him yet? The hope was to get Urban Meyer, but that wasn’t happening and Helton stuck around after a disastrous 2018 and underwhelming 2019. Last year wasn’t easy, but the Trojans got to the Pac-12 Championship with a shot at going unbeaten. Even with the 2020 success, anything less than another Pac-12 South title might bring the change so many Trojan fans have been waiting for.
Record With Team: 45-23
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 1, 2018: 4
USC Preview | Schedule
1. Chip Kelly, UCLA
It took a little while, but the Bruins started to look the part in 2020. It’s been a wildly disappointing three years overall, but Kelly appears to finally have the right pieces in place to start producing. Anything less than a winning season and bowl appearance will be a disaster.
Record With Team: 10-21
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 2, 2018: 9
UCLA Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
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