Top 9 Coaches on the Hot Seat After Week 6 of College Football
As the college football season reaches its midway point, a new season is set to begin.
The process of firing and hiring coaches has become more active and intense than ever, and the movement is set to commence in short order.
To hire a coach, of course, a program must first have a vacancy to fill. And while some athletic directors will wait until the end of the season to make a move, others won't wait that long.
Some coaches have taken themselves temporarily off the hot seat. West Virginia's Neal Brown entered the year with his seat scorching. A strong start has cooled that took significantly.
Others, however, aren't nearly as fortunate. And the hot seat conversation is likely only beginning.
Here are some coaches and jobs worth monitoring.
1. Sam Pittman, Arkansas
1 of 9
One of the most likable figures in college football finds himself on uneasy ground.
Arkansas has lost four games in a row, and the Hogs are unlikely to get a win on the road at Alabama this week. What happens from that point forward could dictate what happens with Sam Pittman moving forward.
The program feels like it has plateaued or perhaps even regressed. After a 7-6 season in 2022, Arkansas is likely to miss out on bowl eligibility in 2023.
Yes, the schedule has been brutal. There's no getting around that. But the results are what they are, and a hungry fanbase along with anxious boosters could ultimately grow tired of these results.
The buyout figure is still to be determined, although it will be north of $10 million if Arkansas is to make a move.
2. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech
2 of 9
It is striking to see just how far Virginia Tech has fallen from the program it once was. Not all of that is Brent Pry's fault, although the regression has been in the works for some time.
He is in only his second year as head coach with the Hokies, and removing him from his post might be premature. Thus far, however, Virginia Tech is 5-12 in that stretch and 2-7 in conference play.
The economics are perhaps working in Pry's favor. After handing over a hefty sum of cash to Justin Fuente, the school might not be inclined to hand over another big check to a coach after a short period of time.
Still, the program momentum is all but gone. And some might be inclined to start afresh.
3. Billy Napier, Florida
3 of 9
Let's start with the positive.
That positive comes on the recruiting front, where Florida holds the No. 4 class in the country, according to 247Sports. While this has been a difficult area for the Gators in recent years, Billy Napier appears to have momentum.
That momentum will factor into his future, which is a bit cloudier.
He is currently 10-9 in his second season with the Gators, which features a conference record of 5-6. A convincing win over Tennessee in mid-September was undone two weeks later when Florida lost to Kentucky by double digits.
While it feels like Napier will likely get another year—with the recruiting serving as a big reason why—a rough close to the end of the season could make this one complicated.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
4. Ken Wilson, Nevada
4 of 9
While bigger jobs at blueblood programs tend to draw more attention, the hot seat covers all coasts, conferences and program types.
For Ken Wilson, still in just his second season with Nevada, he likely needs some help to keep his job. Since taking over for Jay Norvell, things have not been trending in the right direction.
Wilson is just 2-15 since taking over, and Nevada is winless thus far this year. The schedule hasn't exactly been easy, and a handful of wins could be coming. But will a few wins be enough to generate the necessary buzz to get a third season?
For a program that has enjoyed some sustained success over the past two decades, the answer is unclear. At the moment, however, Nevada's regression is undeniable, and change is likely being pondered already.
5. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
5 of 9
If things take a turn, and it might have already started, this will be the most interesting job watch in the history of college football.
The reason is simple: If Texas A&M has truly had enough of Fisher, it will likely have to pay him more than $70 million to make him go away. That alone makes this a tough one to figure, although a few more losses could intensify the conversation.
The Aggies are 4-2 this season, although meaningful games—including a road trip to Tennessee on Saturday—remain on the schedule. Fisher's team also still has road trips to Ole Miss and LSU.
There have been flashes across the last six years, but a record of 43-23 doesn't come close to matching the expectations of the program or his robust, fully guaranteed contract.
This one requires the utmost attention, starting almost immediately.
6. Tom Allen, Indiana
6 of 9
For a while, Tom Allen was the architect of one of the great stories in college football. Indiana's eight-win season in 2019 grew to a thrilling 6-2 showing in the COVID-shortened season during 2020.
From there, quite honestly, it just hasn't worked.
While Indiana football will never have mammoth expectations, it's reaching that point of discomfort. Since 2021, the team is 8-21. Perhaps even more jarring is the 2-19 mark in the Big Ten during that same time.
Granted, the schedule is difficult. The competition is legitimate. This, more than anything, could save Allen's job for another year. Well, that and the fact that his buyout reportedly drops more than $12 million if Indiana keeps him on for one more go.
7. Dino Babers, Syracuse
7 of 9
This isn't the first time Dino Babers has found himself squarely on the hot seat. The head coach of Syracuse entered 2022 in a similar position, and he delivered a 6-0 start.
The issue? His team finished 1-6 from that point, and the Orange barely finished above .500.
Babers has been with Syracuse since 2016, and there have been some highs. There have also been some lows, and last season's close began to reignite a familiar conversation.
Thus far this season, Syracuse is 4-2. The wins have come over Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army (not too shabby). This week, though, Syracuse plays at Florida State, which is not likely to go well.
From there, Babers' team will play a slew of winnable (and losable) games that could make or break his tenure. This one could come down to the wire.
8. Danny Gonzales, New Mexico
8 of 9
This one feels obvious for a few reasons, and it starts with performance.
While Danny Gonzales' arrival in 2020 felt like a potential hit given his love and familiarity with the program, it simply hasn't been the case. Since 2020, New Mexico is 9-27. And the Lobos are 2-3 to start the year.
To their credit, they played Wyoming tough a few weeks ago, and facing Texas A&M in the opener wasn't exactly a fair barometer. There are a handful of winnable games on tap before a difficult close, though.
While nothing seems official just yet, this one seems like a good bet for a change. Plus, the buyout won't be anything like what some of the other programs are likely to deal with.
This feels like a matter of timing.
Dana Holgorsen, Houston
9 of 9
His tenure has had its ups and downs, although the trajectory no longer feels upward.
A rough start blossomed into a 12-win season in 2021, and Houston won eight games last year. While this seems stable enough to maintain job security, Dana Holgorsen's general job stability has never felt quite right.
Now, as Houston powers through its first season in the Big 12, the cracks are starting to form. Granted, the strength of schedule has escalated, although an early loss to Rice coupled with two blowout losses within the conference are less than ideal.
With a slew of losable games on the horizon, this feels like a potential danger zone. Having recently signed a new deal, the buyout would likely be well north of $10 million. But with big-pocketed boosters and an immense desire to make a Big 12 impression, well, anything is possible.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
