College Football Coaches Whose Hot Seat Could Impact Their 2014 Recruiting Class

Every season several college coaches begin on the hot seat, as the uncertainty surrounding their job security impacts how they lead a program. Administrators, assistant coaches, players, media and fans talk about it throughout the season.

However, aside from the coach's family, a perceived hot seat mostly impacts recruiting. Prospects do not wish to sign with a school without a coach, or with a school whose coach will likely not be there through their tenure.

A powerful Pac-12 program has a coach on the hot seat, and it has been tough to collect commitments. A Big Ten program's coach may be gone after another bad season, so it is no shock that he has struggled on the trail.

Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets have not been a bad program under head coach Paul Johnson. However, they have not been elite.

Johnson has gotten Georgia Tech to five straight bowl games, including an Orange Bowl berth. Yet, a change in administration, plus not beating rival Georgia, has led to some hot seat whispers in Atlanta. If Johnson doesn't take Georgia Tech to the next level this season, he could be out.

He has never been an elite recruiter, but Johnson has seen the moderate hot seat banter impact his efforts on the trail. He has no 4-star commitments in his class, according to 247Sports. 

Paul Pasqualoni, UConn

If Paul Pasqualoni was not on the heat seat before last week, he is now. The Huskies lost their opening game to FCS program Towson, 33-18.

The embarrassing loss will only add more fire under Pasqualoni's hot seat, as he has only won 10 games in two full seasons at UConn. Recruiting has not gone any better, as the Huskies have the the second-worst class in the American Athletic Conference, says 247Sports. 

With their 11 commitments, only five are even 3-star prospects. 

Tim Beckman, Illinois

Illinois started their 2013 season off with a victory, which gives second-year head coach Tim Beckman a grand total of three for his tenure in Champaign.

Beckman failed to win a Big Ten game last season, and one of his 2012 wins was over Charleston Southern. So it is not hard to feel the heat on Beckman, as he may need six wins and a bowl berth to keep his job.

However, it gets worse on the recruiting trail for Beckman. Illinois has one of the worst classes in the Big Ten, and is sans a 4-star commitment in its 12-man class, according to 247Sports.  

Randy Edsall, Maryland

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall ditched a good situation he had at UConn for the chance to coach the Terps in 2011.

So far, things have not gone well, as Edsall is only 7-18 at Maryland. He has only won three ACC games and with the Terps moving to the Big Ten in 2014, Edsall's job will only get tougher. He must show improvement in 2013, or he could be relieved of his duties.

Edsall's hot seat is impacting his recruiting class, as Maryland has the No. 12 slot in the ACC recruiting rankings, per 247Sports. 

Lane Kiffin, USC

The epitome of a 2013 head coach on the hot seat, Lane Kiffin must feel like he is a furnace in Los Angeles. USC was supposed to be a national title contender last season, but instead finished a disappointing 7-6.

Kiffin is not liked by many coaches or media members, which only has added to his hot seat. Another disappointing season in Troy could lead to athletic director Pat Haden pulling the plug on Kiffin.

USC is usually a juggernaut on the recruiting trail, but the 2014 cycle has not been overly kind to the Trojans. With so many recruits taking a wait-and-see approach to USC, it is ranked at 48th in the 247Sports recruiting rankings.

Kiffin's hot seat has kept the Trojans from sewing up commitments from prospects who usually would be pledged to USC by now.

Edwin Weathersby is the College Football Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. He has worked in scouting/player personnel departments for three professional football teams, including the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns.