College Football 2011: 10 Coaches Who Should Be Fired If They Don't Win 8 Games
After every season there are always coaching changes. Some resign, and others get canned. However, there are those coaches that perhaps maybe should have been let go but weren't. These guys still have their jobs, but they sure are on the hot seat.
The list that follows will feature those coaches who have to win next season. There's no more "oh let’s just give him one more chance" kind of deal—it's now or never for these coaches.
They get paid the big bucks to produce wins and get to postseason football. If they fall short then it's time they went packing.
Here are 10 coaches on the hot seat who must win in 2011.
10. Mike Locksley, New Mexico
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Locksley landed his first head coaching job back in 2009 with the New Mexico Lobos. The past two seasons, Locksley has only managed two wins while losing 22 times. How he still has his job is beyond me.
There's no way this team turns it around just like that. Locksley may win more than one game in 2011, but he isn't going to coach this team to a bowl-eligible season. He makes $750,000 a year, which is way too much for the kind of job he's done.
His large contract buyout is the only thing saving his job right now. Another one-win season in 2011 means the Lobos have to eat his salary.
His time has come.
9. Paul Wulff, Washington State
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Wulff came to the Washington State Cougars in 2008 from Eastern Washington, where he put up a decent record but was never able to make it very far in the Division I-AA playoffs.
He hasn't been able to make a good transition into the FBS division, going 5-32 since taking the job a few years ago. Is there any hope for Wulff as the Cougars' head coach? Things do look promising as he beat Oregon State 31-14 at the end of the 2010 season. Wulff also had close games with Cal, Stanford and rival Washington.
But losing close games can only cut it for so long. The Cougars will definitely improve from 2010 but I don't believe this is a bowl-eligible team, let alone an eight-game-winning team. It's time the Cougars looked elsewhere to turn their team around.
8. Greg Schiano, Rutgers
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Schiano and his Scarlet Knights missed a bowl game for the first time in five years. Rutgers went 1-6 in a weak Big East Conference and only 4-8 overall.
Schiano has certain expectations to meet, as he has turned the Scarlet Knights from a joke of a team into a perennial winning program. However, another year like 2010 and it could be the end for him. Because the Big East isn't very strong, if Rutgers isn't in contention for the title it will go down as a lost year for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers did have a freshman quarterback in 2010, so their record should improve in 2011. But if Schiano fails to reach eight wins people will begin to wonder if he's lost his touch.
It did take him a while to get Rutgers going as they had some rough seasons in Schiano's early years. I highly doubt the Scarlet Knights want to go back to that.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
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The Demon Deacons haven't been relevant since Grobe led them to an 11-win season in 2006. Wake Forest has faded away since then and in the last two seasons they've gone 8-16, only winning three games this past season.
Grobe has only had four winning seasons as head coach of the Demon Deacons. It's going to be difficult to turn this team around to an eight-win season, but bowl eligibility is possible. Grobe shouldn't be coaching Wake Forest after this season, but if he somehow finds a way to surprise everyone with eight wins then he deserves to keep his job.
6. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
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2009 was Swinney's first full year as head coach for the Tigers and he managed to go 9-7 with a win at the Music City Bowl. Clemson had high hopes for their future with Dabo coaching, but things went south when he put together a losing season in 2010 and lost big again to arch-rival South Carolina.
He may not have been at Clemson for very long but there is a lot expected of him. He did so well his first year and then so poorly the next. Nobody wants that type of coach around—one that will continously mess with fans' emotions like that.
If Dabo doesn't have a solid season in 2011 and win eight games, it could be the end for him. Clemson isn't going to wait forever to fire their coach this time around. They want to win, and they want to win now.
5. Ron Zook, Illinois
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Zook has achieved two winning seasons in his six years as head coach for the Fighting Illini. He did make it to the 2008 Rose Bowl but suffered a beatdown from USC. Other than that, Zook hasn't done much for Illinois.
After a decent season a year ago at 7-6, Zook must improve on this if he wants to keep his job. Fans have been disappointed with Zook, and if he doesn't get things turned around at Illinois he won't be there much longer.
Failing to win at least eight games in 2011 should be the end for his tenure at Illinois.
4. Houston Nutt, Mississippi
7 of 10
Nutt did a solid job in his first two seasons with the Rebels, but he was coaching players that Ed Orgeron recruited. Nutt made a terrible decision in 2010 in bringing in Jeremiah Masoli to play quarterback.
The Rebels went 1-7 in SEC play and 4-8 overall. Because of his success early on, Nutt still kept his job after a horrible 2010 season. However, two bad seasons in a row could spell disaster for Nutt. He has to have a winning season in 2011 or else he'll be looking for new work.
Eight wins is possible for this team, but that's only if new quarterback Nathan Stanley plays well. He was all set to be the QB a year ago but Nutt benched him for Masoli. Nutt must instill confidence in Stanley and let him know that he believes in him, otherwise 2011 is going to be rough for Ole Miss.
3. Jeff Tedford, California
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Tedford has been the head coach for the Golden Bears since 2002. And in that time Tedford has had only three seasons were he failed to win at least eight games. The most recent time was this past season, when Cal went 5-7.
Tedford turned the Golden Bears back into a winning program and it is expected for him to win eight games plus a bowl game. If Tedford fails to do so in 2011, it should be time the Golden Bears looked for a new head coach.
He'd done a solid job in his years as head coach for Cal, but he's never won the Pac-10 nor been to the Rose Bowl. His chances got a little better this season now that there will be a championship game. Tedford must win at least eight games to stick around. If he fails people will begin to believe his days of success are over.
2. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA
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Rick Neuheisel doesn't have much support these days because he can't seem to capitalize on the downfall of USC. The Trojans have long dominated LA, and now that they face NCAA sanctions it's time for UCLA to rise up.
Neuheisel has yet to win eight games as head coach for the Bruins. It's something he has to accomplish in 2011 or he will be let go. The Bruins realize they haven't gone very far with him, and they won't hang on too much longer.
Changes have been made already to the coaching staff as 2011 will feature new coordinators for the Bruins. Neuheisel knows his days are numbered and that he has to start winning. If he doesn't get things going this coming season then he'll be out of a job before the end of the year.
1. Mark Richt, Georgia
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No other coach in college football has a hotter seat than Mark Richt. Many thought he should have been fired after his first losing season as Georgia's head coach. He was given another chance and if he doesn't win eight games in 2011 he will no longer have a job.
Richt recruited the "Dream Team" for 2011 and a few of those recruits are expected to contribute right away. Most notably would be top running back in the nation, Isaiah Crowell. Many believe that Crowell will be the guy to make or break it for Mark Richt.
Richt's had two disappointing seasons in a row now. If he fails to win eight games, the Bulldog nation won't be happy. Georgia has a much easier schedule in 2011 than in years past, meaning eight games is very doable. If Richt fails to meet the high expectations that comes with coaching Georgia, his time is over.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
