College football hot seats 2022: Six coaches who are under pressure to win this season
Ahead of the 2021 season, Sporting News listed nine coaches under pressure to win. The fates of these nine trainers? Well, they’ve ranged from winning the Big Ten championship and making the college football playoffs (Jim Harbaugh at Michigan) to being fired after two games (Clay Helton at USC). A total of four were fired and four are returning to our preseason hot seat list, with Mr. Harbaugh being the only coach to play his way through among the remaining coaches.
Here’s our list of coaches to follow for the inevitable spin of the coaching carousel.
Herm Edwards, Arizona State
Status of the program: The win-loss record isn’t bad for Edwards (25-18, no lost seasons in four years), but an ongoing 14-month NCAA investigation has cost him his offensive and defensive coordinators, plus nine potential starters who are after the were moved last season to finish 8-5. It was an unconventional take that initially looked promising, but things seem to be going in the wrong direction on several fronts.
Season opening: vs. Northern Arizona, Thursday, September 1st.
Florida transfer Emory Jones is in contention for the first QB job and this will be a nice warm-up spot if he wins it. Northern Arizona went 5-6 last season and 4-4 in the Big Sky, despite beating Arizona 21-19.
MORE: Pac-12 Predictions | Betting Preview
How the seat can cool: Arizona State stirs up excitement in Oklahoma State in Week 2, going at least .500 in the Pac-12 coupled with an NCAA conclusion that rogue assistants rather than Edwards were behind the alleged recruiting violations.
A new coach is appointed when: The NCAA is getting tough with penalties, and Arizona State is showing no tangible progress on the field.
Bryan Harsin, Auburn
Status of the program: It’s remarkable to think of life on The Plains if Tank Bigsby had managed to stay within bounds in the closing minutes against Alabama and the Tigers finished in what would have been an amazing upset. But he didn’t, and they didn’t, and Harsin endured an embarrassing spring when his program was investigated by the government at the behest of some influential backers. Harsin kept his job and is entering a sophomore year after a 6-7 mark in 2021 with questions at quarterback and dismal recruiting rankings for the Class of 2023 thanks to Auburn’s internal turmoil.
Season opening: vs. Mercer, Saturday 3 September.
Not only can the Tigers open with Mercer, they can open with five straight home games against unranked opponents. For a team and coach desperate to get off to a fast start, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.
MORE: SEC Predictions | Betting Preview
How the seat can cool: Since the AD who hired Harsin is in the final year of his contract, Harsin basically requires an ice bath. A 10-2 season with only losses in Georgia and Alabama might do the trick. But that’s asking a lot from a team with some big question marks up front.
A new coach is appointed when: Fair or unfair, the leash will be short. A home loss to Penn State in Week 3 will set off quite a few howls. If losses to LSU and Georgia follow, Auburn could pull the trigger until mid-October.
Mike Norvell, Florida State
Status of the program: The state of Florida has been in decline since Jimbo Fisher set foot outside in 2017. Four straight seasons — two with Willie Taggart, two with Norvell — veteran college football fans have had trouble believing the state of affairs in Tallahassee. The Seminoles aren’t expected to do much better than a mid-tier ACC team this year.
Season opening: vs Duquense, Saturday 27 August
A Week Zero tuning for a major showdown against LSU should give the Seminoles an edge ahead of their independent game over Labor Day weekend. It will be hard to gauge much of this game. The Dukes went 7-3 out of the FCS Northeast Conference last season, losing to TCU 45-3, their only FBS opponent.
MORE: ACC Predictions | Betting Preview
How the seat can cool: Beat LSU in Game 2. A major national Spotlight win would do wonders for a program looking for momentum. A loss coupled with Jackson State and Deion Sanders winning big on national TV leading up to the game would spark even more “Deion-to-FSU” talk. Florida State is a 3-point underdog and then doesn’t play another ranked opponent until October 8th. If FSU can get off to a hot start, 8-4 should be enough for Norvell to return for the 4th year.
A new coach is appointed when: LSU is winning comfortably and the team never finds footing against the bigger name teams on its schedule – NC State, Clemson, Miami, Florida. A bowl bid of 6-6 probably won’t do the trick.
Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech
Status of the program: Transitioning off the triple-option offense was never easy, and critics seemed to understand that when Tech went 3-9 in Collins’ debut season. Year 2 was the pandemic season, which in turn would delay progress. But when the Jackets limped to a 3-9 season last year, Collins’ three-year record was suddenly being consistently carried out despite the early obstacles. Unfortunately, this year’s roster has holes, and the schedule has two ranked non-conference opponents from the SEC and three ranked teams in the ACC.
Season opening: vs. No. 4 Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Monday 5th September
Georgia Tech lost 8-14 at Clemson last season when the Tigers GT twice denied from within the 10-yard line in the last two minutes. The biggest concern for Georgia Tech will be its offensive line, which handles a dominating defensive front. The Tigers are favorites with 21 points.
How the seat can cool: A similar effort to last year’s against Clemson would at least give hope to the fan base. Collins praised new quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke for his work with Jeff Sims, who will need a big season on Chip Long’s new offense following the transfer of star running back Jahmyr Gibbs to Alabama.
A new coach is appointed when: Georgia Tech wins fewer than five games and is uncompetitive against heavyweights Clemson and Georgia.
Scott Frost, Nebraska
Status of the program: From a win-lost perspective, the program is at its worst point since the late 1950’s. Five straight losing seasons, four under Frost, has the Huskers at a level unimaginable for those who have watched decades of dominance. But how far away is Nebraska? It lost to Iowa, Wisconsin and Oklahoma by touchdown, Michigan and Michigan State by field goal, and played with Ohio State for 55 minutes.
Season opening: vs. Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday 27 August
Nebraska smashed Northwestern 56-7 last season in its only Big Ten win. The Huskers gained 657 yards, led 35-7 at halftime and never let Northwestern in the game. A game between two three-win Big Ten teams would normally be lost, but this is a week zero game that will give Fox some extra eyes. Nebraska enters as a 12-point favorite.
MORE: Big Ten Predictions | Betting Preview
How the seat can cool: A bowl game will do. As Nebraska goes from three wins to six and starts winning some of those tight games, progress in discussing the Frost regime can finally be pointed out. There is only one ranked opponent (Oklahoma) in the first nine games. Frost has a chance to save himself.
A new coach is appointed when: Casey Thompson isn’t proving to be the answer as quarterback, and the Huskers continue to get injured in tight games. A slip in Dublin would almost certainly be the beginning of the end.
Dino Babers, Syracuse
Status of the program: Syracuse has won more than seven games in the regular season once in 20 years and has lost three straight seasons. Babers is having a sparkling season — a 10-3 mark in 2018, but his overall record in Orange stands at 29-42. This year’s team is experienced and includes an All-ACC back in Sean Tucker, but also includes non-conference challenges against Notre Dame and Purdue.
Season opening: vs. Louisville, September 3rd
Louisville drew out Syracuse 41-3 last season, but the program has been in flux with Scott Satterfield, who is 18-19 and was 6-7 last year. Quarterback Malik Cunningham threw 19 touchdowns and ran for 20 last season, so he’ll be a challenge right off the bat. No easy way for Syracuse to open an important September.
How the seat can cool: New offensive coordinator Robert Anae figures out how to crank Syracuse’s pass attack to complement Tucker, and the experienced defense remains solid enough to take Syracuse to a bowl game against a challenging schedule that’s road trips to Clemson, Wake Forest and Pitt as well as a home meet includes with NC State. Syracuse has only been to four bowl games in 17 years, so it would be a surprise to see Babers fired if he makes the postseason.
A new coach is appointed when: The schedule proves too much as a young defensive line struggles and quarterback Garrett Shrader is unable to be more productive in the air.
Chip Kelly, UCLA
Status of the program: The Bruins went 8-4 last year and are poised to have one of the top teams in the Pac-12, so Kelly’s name on this list isn’t so much that 2022’s doom is imminent, but rather his error rate at UCLA Underachieve is nonexistent . He’s 18-25 in four seasons and his recruiting has lagged since arriving at Westwood. With Lincoln Riley stationed across town at USC and set to move to the Big Ten in the near future, there is an urgent need to improve the program.
Season opening: vs. Bowling Green, Saturday 3 September
Incredibly, Kelly is 2-7 in non-conference games, with one of those wins being LSU last season. Bowling Green comes off a 4-8 season and is picked midfield in the MAC. UCLA is a 26-point favorite.
How the seat can cool: Live up to expectations, in this case a top-three finish in the league, and seal the deal with a third win in five years over USC.
A new coach is appointed when: This team finishes in the 6-6 range. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet are an excellent 1-2 shot. If this team isn’t chasing Pac-12s all season, Kelly will have trouble making it to 6th grade.