College Football: 15 Coaches on the Hot Seat in 2015
Every season, numerous college football coaches at major programs across the nation find themselves on the brink of losing their jobs, and 2015 is no different.
Whether it is because of too much losing, like Purdue’s Darrell Hazell, or not winning enough with elite talent, such as LSU’s Les Miles, these Power Five conference coaches enter this season on the hot seat for unique reasons.
Not to say all of the following coaches will soon be gone, but another disappointing season could force the majority of these men to start looking for new work next offseason. Let us take a look at 15 head coaches from the nation’s top conferences who need strong 2015 seasons.
Honorable Mentions
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- Randy Edsall, Maryland
- Larry Fedora, North Carolina
- Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- Derek Mason, Vanderbilt
These coaches are not exactly on solid footing with their respective programs, but they have slightly more job security than the others on this list for different reasons.
Randy Edsall has significantly improved Maryland since his 2-10 debut season in College Park. Entering his fifth year with the program, Edsall is coming off back-to-back 7-6 campaigns that ended in bowl losses. The team needs to improve soon from average seasons to Big Ten contender, but with a ton of lost talent from 2014, a bowl berth this season could be a challenge. What saves Edsall’s job this season is a recent three-year extension to go along with some big recent recruiting splashes.
Larry Fedora is 21-17 in three seasons at North Carolina, which is OK. Similar to Edsall, it is time to take the next step in Fedora’s fourth year. A major way to do this would be to fix the defense, an Achilles' heel for the Tar Heels, who allowed 39 points per game in 2014. That unit should improve with former Auburn coach Gene Chizik taking over with numerous returning starters. The offense also returns quarterback Marquise Williams, an experienced offensive line and a slew of talented receivers. Fedora should be safe from the chopping block barring a disastrous season.
A staple of Iowa football, Kirk Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes for 17 seasons, but his time could be running thin. The team has been hovering around .500 every year since an 11-2 season in 2009. Iowa also has not had a winning Big Ten record since 2010. The program could look to revitalize and soon move in a new direction, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Solomon. However, Ferentz’s massive $13 million buyout along with the amount of clout he has built up in Iowa City should ensure him at least another season.
Lastly, Derek Mason is only entering his second season at Vanderbilt, but he absolutely has to show some improvement in 2015. The Commodores finished 3-9 and winless in the SEC. In addition, the team often looked woefully unprepared and outmatched, particularly in blowout losses to Mississippi State, 51-0, and Ole Miss, 41-3. Vanderbilt should be more experienced and improved in 2015, which should give Mason an extra year to prove himself.
Tim Beckman, Illinois
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Overall, Illinois has improved by a pair of wins in Tim Beckman’s first three seasons. However, off-the-field issues and struggles in conference play make Beckman’s seat among the hottest in college football.
Illinois’ offseason has been plagued with headlines regarding its head coach. Multiple former players of Beckman accused him of mistreatment ranging from forcing players to play injured to threatening to take away scholarships. This has prompted an investigation into the matter, which puts Beckman in hot water.
In addition, the team has struggled in Big Ten play, compiling a record of just 4-20. That mark is tied with Purdue as the worst conference record the last three seasons.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Beckman may be doomed if the abuse allegations prove to be more substantial and serious. However, a big season could help him immensely.
Illinois returns a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Wes Lunt returns to lead the offense with running back Justin Ferguson, who is arguably the team’s best receiving option as he is the leader in receptions from 2014 after an offseason injury to receiver Mike Dudek.
The defense also returns seven starters, which should lead to a better performance than the one that put the team near the bottom nationally in total defense. The schedule should also be manageable with home games against top opponents Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
It may end up not mattering, but an eight-to-nine win season would at least give Beckman a chance to keep his job.
Sonny Dykes, California
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Despite coaching in one of the most talent-rich recruiting areas in the entire country, Sonny Dykes has mightily struggled in two seasons at California, racking up a rough 6-18 record.
Cal has traditionally been one of the better programs in the Pac-12, so the recent toils put the team in an unusual position as a conference bottom-feeder. Yet, 2015 seems to hold some promise. A slew of returning talent make this a do-or-die season for Dykes.
How Can He Keep His Job?
This is pretty simple: Win.
Cal returns star quarterback Jared Goff, its leading rusher and three of its top four receivers from an offense that finished 11th nationally in points per game. The Golden Bears will have one of the most explosive offenses in the Pac-12.
The defense was horrendous in 2014, but numerous returning starters should provide some cause for hope. The offense should also compensate for any poor play against most of Cal’s opponents.
Dykes was able to improve Cal from 1-11 to 5-7 in 2014. With the team primed to succeed this season, Dykes must get his team to seven wins to keep his job. Anything else puts his job in serious jeopardy. In addition, a top-25 recruiting class is perfectly reasonable with the talent available in California. The program has yet to finish inside the top 30 nationally in either of Dykes’ two full seasons at Cal.
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Al Golden, Miami
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
After getting Miami through the wake of the Nevin Shapiro scandal, Al Golden has run into some trouble on the field with the Hurricanes.
The future looked bright after Golden led his team to a 9-4 mark in 2013 despite losing its four biggest games of the year, including a 36-9 blowout to Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Since then, the situation has been rocky.
Miami started out 6-3 before losing its last four games, even with elite talent that resulted in seven players drafted into the NFL. Now in his fifth season, Golden’s time is running out as he has yet to elevate Miami back into the top tier of the ACC.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Accomplishing the task of getting Miami back into ACC contention will be pretty difficult in 2015. Other than quarterback Brad Kaaya, who proved to be one of the best in the conference, the Hurricanes lose pretty much the entire offense from last season.
Other than a talented secondary that includes senior safety Deon Bush and junior cornerback Artie Burns, the defense has plenty of questions. Losses like linebacker Denzel Perryman and defensive end Anthony Chickillo make the front seven unproven, which could cause some problems.
If Golden can take this retooling team to a bowl, it should be enough to earn him one more season. Miami has a star to build around in Kaaya and numerous top-15 recruiting classes, which gives the team plenty of talent to succeed in 2016. That year would be the biggest for Golden as he needs to compete for championships by then.
Golden has the same record, 28-22, that Randy Shannon had in four seasons before getting fired. Thus, he is already on thin ice. A sub-.500 year could definitely sink Golden, so the pressure is on.
Darrell Hazell, Purdue
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Although traditionally known as a respectable competitor in the Big Ten, Purdue football has fallen off drastically in the past two seasons. Both of these years came under Hazell.
He marginally improved the Boilermakers from 1-11 to 3-9 in 2014, but another rough season as a punching bag in the conference could be enough to break the ice for Hazell’s time in West Lafayette, Indiana. In his two seasons, Purdue is a combined 1-15 in Big Ten play.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Some of Purdue’s young talent that took some bumps and bruises the past two years is more experienced, which is good news for Hazell. In addition, the team may have found a steady quarterback in junior Austin Appleby.
The team also returns some All-Big Ten-caliber talent in cornerback Frankie Williams and Ja’Whaun Bentley. They will anchor a unit that struggled in 2014, but it returns a lot of other key contributors.
It is not yet clear how patient Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke plans to be with Hazell. A bowl berth would likely guarantee another season for the coach. Another similar season to the past two and Hazell would present some regression, which would likely end his tenure. Thus, the coach should enter 2015 with a bowl-or-bust attitude regarding his job security.
Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Brian Kelly is just two seasons removed from a 2012 trip to the BCS National Championship Game and he has won at least eight games in each of his five seasons with Notre Dame, yet his seat is definitely heating up.
Since the national title embarrassment with Alabama, Notre Dame has largely been unimpressive, going just 1-4 against Top 15 teams. Last season, the Fighting Irish experienced an epic collapse, starting out 6-0 and looking like a serious College Football Playoff contender before losing five of their last seven games.
Kelly’s team returns a ton of talent and will start a talented new quarterback in Malik Zaire. It would be a safe bet to believe another average season could spell trouble for Kelly at a traditional powerhouse like Notre Dame.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Notre Dame’s schedule is slightly easier than usual this season. Georgia Tech, Texas and USC are all at home, while the only challenging road games come against Clemson and Stanford.
The team returns 19 total starters and a slew of talent on both sides of the ball. Zaire also proved himself to be a legitimate quarterback when he led Notre Dame to a 31-28 bowl win over LSU.
Given the team’s loaded roster, there is no reason the Fighting Irish should not be able to defeat Georgia Tech and Texas along with the rest of the schedule not already mentioned. That puts Notre Dame at 10 wins with Clemson, Stanford and USC left. One win against any of these three would be reasonable.
Bleacher Report’s Sami Harb stated that 10 wins would keep Kelly off the hot seat and the previous points appear to agree with that. This means Notre Dame cannot repeat the same breakdown it went through down the stretch in 2014, or else Kelly could definitely be gone.
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
What started out looking like a dynamite hire is now looking shaky for Texas Tech with head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Since leading the 2013 Red Raiders to a 7-0 start in his first season, Kingsbury and his team have won just five of the last 23 games. This included a 4-8 campaign last year where the team looked downright inept at times, especially in an 82-27 shellacking by TCU.
Texas Tech has been surpassed by Baylor, TCU and West Virginia in recent years and fans are waiting to return to the Big 12 title hunt sooner rather than later. This puts Kingsbury under a lot of pressure to turn things around quickly.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Fixing the defense would certainly be a start.
Texas Tech finished 124th out of 128 FBS teams in total defense. It flat out could not stop anybody.
Kingsbury brought in new defensive coordinator David Gibbs from Houston, where he led the Cougars to a top-20 finish in total defense last season. The defense returns eight starters and a plethora of young talent that should be better with more experience. This includes potential All-Big 12 candidates linebacker Micah Awe and safety Keenon Ward.
The offense returns a lot of talent at every position with four offensive linemen and running back DeAndre Washington, who ran for over 1,100 yards in 2014, leading the way. The biggest question will be at quarterback, where junior Davis Webb and sophomore Patrick Mahomes will continue to battle into the fall.
Texas Tech looks to be a prime candidate to rebound in 2015, which is good news for Kingsbury. Also, his history of getting solid play out of his quarterbacks should allow the position to become a strength for the team after a down year. Look for the Red Raiders to return to a bowl this season, thus cooling off Kingsbury’s seat a bit.
Mike London, Virginia
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Of all the coaches on this list, nobody is more on the brink of a firing than Mike London.
The once promising coach has had a rough tenure at Virginia. In five seasons, he has a record of 23-38 and outside of an 8-5 season in 2011 the record is 15-33.
Virginia is not a powerhouse program, but a .377 winning percentage in five years in unacceptable anywhere. Another sub-.500 year and London will surely be out.
How Can He Keep His Job?
London almost certainly has to take his team to a bowl game to save his job, which will not be easy.
The team returns just 10 starters from a team that finished 5-7 in 2014. After Greyson Lambert’s transfer to Georgia, junior Matt Johns is the man at quarterback. He finished 2014 with 1,109 yards with eight scores and five picks. This season could be even harder with the team’s leading rusher gone and Canaan Severin as the only experienced receiver.
Outside of freshman All-American safety Quin Blanding, the defensive situation seems bleak with last season’s top three linebackers gone and star defensive end Eli Harold now in the NFL.
With nonconference games against Boise State, Notre Dame and UCLA, Virginia will have to win at least five conference games to earn bowl eligibility. Do not count on it, as the Cavaliers have not accomplished that feat since 2011 and this year’s team lacks that talent. It looks like London will be looking for a new job next offseason.
Mike MacIntyre, Colorado
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
After a debut 4-8 campaign that looked promising after a win over Colorado State and decent performances in the Pac-12, Colorado regressed in 2014 and managed only two wins.
Fair or not, head coach Mike MacIntyre is facing some pressure to right the ship soon in Boulder. He is 6-18 in two seasons with a program that should be better given its location in the middle of California and Texas to go along with one of the most beautiful campuses in America. Yet, there could be some reason for optimism in 2015.
How Can He Keep His Job?
With a strong offense and a revamped defense, Colorado could make some noise this season.
Junior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who threw for 3,200 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2014, returns his top weapon in receiver Nelson Spruce, who had 106 catches for 1,198 yards and 12 touchdowns. Leading rusher Christian Powell is also back to run behind a veteran offensive line.
The defense will still have its problems—it finished 112th nationally—but new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt should help. He will have four-year starter Ken Crawley at cornerback and top linebacker Addison Gillam to lean on in stopping some powerful offenses within the conference.
Having one of the Pac-12’s best passing attacks should help Colorado sweep its nonconference schedule if it can handle rival Colorado State. Managing two wins to earn a bowl berth will be tough in the vaunted Pac-12 in addition to a game against Oregon.
Home contests with Oregon State, Utah and Washington State look like the best chances for the Buffaloes to find a couple of wins. Even if that does not totally work out, a five-win season with much improvement should be enough to earn MacIntyre another year.
Les Miles, LSU
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
LSU has been one of the top programs in the country in the last decade or so, but recent struggles may be warming up Miles’ seat.
The Tigers were not very good in 2014, but still managed an 8-5 record. This would be somewhat of a win for most schools, but down on the bayou this was viewed as an utter disappointment.
Quarterback has been a problem since the team won the BCS title in 2007 and this could again plague LSU this season as Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings return after poor 2014 campaigns.
LSU returns a lot of talent elsewhere, enough where a reliable quarterback would put it in the playoff discussion. Yet, the looming possibility of another season derailed by a dysfunctional offense could have LSU fans pleading for a change.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Compared to other coaches on this list, Miles is not on the immediate brink of unemployment simply based on his 103-29 record, national title and two SEC championships with LSU.
The offense returns its top two receivers, Heisman candidate Leonard Fournette at running back and a stout offensive line. On defense, Jalen Mills and Jamal Adams lead one of the nation’s best secondaries to complement a powerful front seven featuring linebacker Kendell Beckwith and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.
These factors would typically point to a strong 2015 season. However, the same type of pieces were in place last season and the team still struggled thanks to lackluster quarterback play.
An eight or nine win season would likely not lead to Miles being fired, but his seat would be on fire heading into 2016. For now though, Miles’ job is still one of the most proven coaches in America and his job should be safe for now, especially if he can pull out 10 wins in 2015.
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
After hovering around .500 his first four years and notching three bowl appearances, Paul Rhoads and his Iowa State program have fallen off significantly.
He is just 5-19 the last two seasons and 29-46 overall heading into his seventh season. The team was hit hard by injuries last season, but Rhoads needs to turn it around in 2015 as another poor year will doom him.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Quarterback Sam B. Richardson is still around and he will begin his fourth season, second as the starter, in Ames. He was solid last season with an 18-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He will also have Allen Lazard and 6’6” red-zone target D’Vario Montgomery back in the fold.
Losing top rushers Aaron Wimberly and DeVondrick Nealy with little experience returning in the run game will hurt, but three returning offensive linemen should make things easier for whoever claims the job. The defense finished second-to-last in total defense in the FBS and the unit loses five starters, which again will hinder any sort of significant improvement this season.
Playing in a conference riddled with explosive offenses, it is hard to see Iowa State garner more wins than last season. It will be outmatched in nearly every game it plays this season, which will result in no more than four wins. This will be the final nail in the coffin of Rhoads' tenure at Iowa State unless he miraculously pulls out a bowl berth.
Scott Shafer, Syracuse
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Syracuse took numerous steps backward in 2015, ending up 3-9 after a successful 7-6 season in Scott Shafer’s debut with the Orange.
The team entered 2014 as a sleeper pick in the ACC with a lot of returning talent from the previous season. Instead, the team looked disorganized on both sides of the ball and became even more inept on offense after quarterback Terrel Hunt broke his leg midway through the year.
Syracuse could be in for just as bad of a season with its vast inexperience and difficult road schedule. Shafer is already squarely on the hot seat for the program’s recent downturn, per Syracuse.com’s Nate Mink, and this season could either make or break his future.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Any sort of improvement would help.
The team can only go up after the debacle in 2014, but even that seems like a tall task.
Hunt is really the only significant player back for the Orange offense. He is the team’s top returning rusher and passer with his top two running backs gone. His top receiver last season, Jarrod West, is also gone to graduation. Four returning linemen should slightly help.
The defense is also vastly inexperienced as the team’s top players from each group in 2014 are gone with not much behind them. This surely means the defense will not be near the top 30 unit nationally it was in 2014.
Lastly, in addition to a nonconference game with LSU, Syracuse must face Florida State, Louisville and North Carolina State on the road. With a depleted team and this daunting schedule, the Orange are in for another rough year. If Shafer can get the team to at least five wins, he may a chance to save his job. Otherwise, his situation is looking less than favorable.
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Bob Stoops has been at the helm of one of the nation’s best programs for over a decade. Recently though, that luster has started to wear off.
After a promising 2013 season, Oklahoma entered the following year as the Big 12 favorite and a serious threat to win a national title. Instead, the Sooners limped to an 8-5 record, the second-worst finish under Stoops. The season concluded with a 40-6 thrashing from Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
This season, the situation does not look a whole lot better with an unimpressive roster and an unfavorable schedule. If Stoops was coaching most anywhere else, he would be very comfortable. However, Oklahoma is a championship-or-bust program and Stoops has not won a national title in 15 years and the team has been passed by Baylor as the class of the Big 12.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Outside of running back Samaje Perine and receiver Sterling Shepard, the offense does not scare anyone. Unless quarterback Trevor Knight can start playing like he did in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama two seasons ago, the Sooners will likely be as limited as last year’s team.
The defense has lost some proven playmakers up front, especially defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, which could hurt against the run. Zack Sanchez is really the only proven difference-maker in the secondary and against passing attacks like Baylor and TCU that could be a problem.
Stoops’ situation could prove to be one of the most interesting developments of the season. If the Sooners lose at Tennessee and then stumble through the Big 12 again, he could very well lose his job. To ensure his security, Oklahoma will need to win around 10 games and make a splash with a win over either Baylor or TCU.
Charlie Strong, Texas
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
Meanwhile, there is also trouble on the other side of the Red River Rivalry.
After departing with legendary coach Mack Brown, Texas turned to Charlie Strong to return the program among college football’s elites.
The team’s win total dropped from 8-5 to 6-7 in 2014 with the season being topped off with a 31-7 bowl loss to Arkansas.
It was only Strong’s first season, but Texas is not a program that waits patiently for a rebuild. The team also failed to improve talented quarterback Tyrone Swoopes, who was still inconsistent through the air. Strong must show significant progress in 2015 to feel safe about his future with the Longhorns.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Again, Texas has to show legitimate signs of a revitalization for Strong to ensure his job security.
The offense could struggle again if Swoopes cannot come through on his potential. It is hard to say he will at this point given his track record and the loss of the team’s top two receivers. The offensive line is solid with four returning starters and running back Johnathan Gray should exceed 1,000 yards.
The defense also should be fine with Strong at the helm. His prowess helped the team finish 25th nationally in total defense. With returning mainstays in Hassan Ridgeway and Desmond Jackson on the defensive line and Duke Thomas leading a stout secondary, the team should again be solid defensively. Look out for freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson to also make a splash.
Substantial progress would probably result in around nine wins for Strong. That will largely swing on quality quarterback play, which is questionable. If Strong reaches that win mark, he should be fine for the 2016 season. Anything less than that and his situation may get a little murky.
Willie Taggart, South Florida
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
South Florida has had a pair of rather putrid seasons under Willie Taggart, which puts his job on the brink.
Taggart has a 6-18 record, but the team did double its win total from two to four in 2014. Even though the Bulls are not expected to regularly compete with Florida, Florida State and Miami for recruits in the Sunshine State, only winning six games in two years in the American Athletic Conference with the amount of talent available in state is inexcusable, even it is no longer a Power Five conference.
The Bulls coach is under pressure to start winning sooner than later, or else he could sent packing.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Making a bowl game has to be the mission, particularly in a middle-of-the-road conference.
That task will be difficult with quarterback Mike White transferring to Western Kentucky, where Taggart coached before South Florida. The return of sophomore running back Marlon Mack is big as he may exceed 1,500 yards and again lead the AAC in rushing. The defense is also experiencing some turnover with an unproven unit being taken over by Tom Allen from Ole Miss.
A tough nonconference schedule with games against Florida State, Maryland and Navy will not help USF’s case to earn a bowl berth. Given the lack of talent across the Bulls’ roster, it is hard to imagine the team making a postseason appearance. Taggart’s future will definitely be in limbo following the season.
Kevin Wilson, Indiana
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Why He Is on the Hot Seat
The Hoosiers have yet to find any consistency in Kevin Wilson’s four years leading the program.
He is 14-34 in that time and has only surpassed four wins once in 2013 and even that ended without a bowl appearance.
Indiana returns a solid quarterback and some quality talent across the board, so the time is now for Wilson to start winning in Bloomington.
How Can He Keep His Job?
Indiana has not been to a bowl game since 2007, so a return trip to the postseason is the answer.
A promising 3-1 start, including an upset win over Missouri, was derailed by injuries, most notably to quarterback Nate Sudfeld. He is back with a veteran offensive line and a talented receiving group. The program also brought in UAB transfer Jordan Howard, who ran for 1,600 yards in 2014, to replace star running back Tevin Coleman.
This should be enough to compensate an average-at-best defense that returns some talent, notably freshman All-American linebacker Tegray Scales.
There is no excuse for Indiana not to return to a bowl game, even in a tough division. The team should be able to sweep its nonconference schedule and win at least two games against either Maryland, Purdue or Rutgers to get to six victories.
Failure to do this would likely lead to the end of Wilson’s time as a Hoosier.
All statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.
All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Returning starters information comes from Phil Steele's projections.
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