Naw, it's never too early to debate the next round of coaches (AQ schools) whose jobs are in jeopardy. Here's my list for 2014.

Very hot seat:
Will Muschamp - that was a rather tepid endorsement from the AD
Dana Holgerson - "defense, who needs defense?"
Paul Rhodes - I doubt anyone can win here but you have to be at least competitive
Mike London - going in reverse

Hot but not sizzling:
Bo Pelini - another poorly timed outburst is more likely to do him in than not winning a B1G championship
Charlie Weiss - I doubt anyone can win here but you have to be at least competitive
Mike Leach - collapse in bowl didn't engender confidence
Dan Mullen - (unimpressive) win over Ole Miss probably buys another year but overall expectations aren't being met

Getting warm:
Brady Hoak - he needs to be seen as making some (any?) progress. MSU's success doesn't sit well with 'Ine bosters.
Kyle Wittingham - the move to the PAC 12 isn't going too well. Only the Stanford win keeps him from moving up to "Hot"
Bret Bielma - Hog fans are already starting to think "mistake?"

PS Last year I thought Gus Malzahn was a mistake and was in over his head. So what do I know?

Think Pelini is on the Very Hot Seat quite frankly.

And would have to wonder about Paul Johnson at GT...

I don't think Leach is in any trouble. I think Flood at Rutgers needs to be competitive in year 1 in the B1G to keep his job. Maybe ditto for Edsall.

I think Muschamp and Dana are dead men walking.

I think Bo and Hoke are also in deep trouble without a big turnaround.

The rest are pretty safe.

Tim Beckman is as good as gone at Illinois unless they go bowling, which just isn't going to happen. I bet Mark Richt will have some heat on him, it always seems like he's one dud season away from the unemployment line. Then again, it seems like he always comes through for UGA when he's got a lot of pressure on him.

(01-10-2014 10:28 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  I don't think Leach is in any trouble. I think Flood at Rutgers needs to be competitive in year 1 in the B1G to keep his job. Maybe ditto for Edsall.

I don't think they get rid of Edsall unless he fails in spectacular fashion. He is 3 years into a 6 year deal where he's making $2 MILLION A YEAR (UGGH). They would have an extremely difficult time justifying/affording the expense when they are already having financial difficulties. I think it is a lot more likely to happen after year 5. You get 2 years in the B1G, $2 Million buy out, no "lame duck" coach situation and the perception that they are stable (PLEASE GOD DON'T LET THEM TURN INTO THE REDSKINS!!!)

Whittingham at Utah is in the hot category for sure. It might not be fair, but another no-bowl season and he's out.

Bielema's seat might already be pretty hot. I doubt anyone will give him a free pass for going 0-8 in the SEC last year, he's got to do much better in 2014, and good luck finding 3 or 4 conference wins in that division.

Leach and Mullen do not have hot seats.

You do know that Mullen is the most successful coach at Mississippi State since Jackie Sherrill? He would have to sustain several 3 - 9 and 4 -8 seasons in a row to be on the hot seat. And how about the Cal coach?

(01-10-2014 01:12 PM)JRsec Wrote:  You do know that Mullen is the most successful coach at Mississippi State since Jackie Sherrill? He would have to sustain several 3 - 9 and 4 -8 seasons in a row to be on the hot seat. And how about the Cal coach?

It's only Dykes 2nd year at Cal- so almost for sure he's safe.

(01-10-2014 01:12 PM)JRsec Wrote:  You do know that Mullen is the most successful coach at Mississippi State since Jackie Sherrill? He would have to sustain several 3 - 9 and 4 -8 seasons in a row to be on the hot seat. And how about the Cal coach?

I would love to think that Dykes is on a hot seat and would be gone if 2014 is another bad year. But at about $2 million per year, I have to grudgingly concede that he's very likely to get at least 3 years even if year 2 is another dumpster fire.

June Jones has to get to a bowl game in order to keep his job. Tough OOC with Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M might make that difficult.

(01-10-2014 10:28 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  I don't think Leach is in any trouble. I think Flood at Rutgers needs to be competitive in year 1 in the B1G to keep his job. Maybe ditto for Edsall.

I agree completely. Unless Leach has a 4 or less win season next year he will get another year. Takes time to install his system. And Edsall and Flood are both out after next year because I'd doubt either squad does very well in the Big Ten (Murderer's Row) East division.

(01-10-2014 10:46 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Tim Beckman is as good as gone at Illinois unless they go bowling, which just isn't going to happen.

Correct. He's fortunate that he even survived this season. Illinois would have canned him after just one year if they had a viable replacement willing to come (which is easier said than done).

Hoke or Muschamp, your choice. I say Muschamp.No way a new OC brings UF to challenge in the SEC east and can't afford getting further behind.

I think this will be Paul Johnson's last year at Georgia Tech.

Norm Chow belongs on the very hot list. He's 4-20 in two seasons and would already be gone if Hawaii had the $1.3 million to pay off his contract.

I might be a bit Big Ten-centric...
but the hottest seats are...

Hoke
Muschamp
Pelini (more for his off-field buffoonery mouthiness than anything else...)
London
Holgerson

Except for London, those are all guys at big-time programs who are underperforming.

Wilson at Indiana needs to get a bowl game or he is gone.

Beckman at Illinois does not need a bowl game to survive, but needs to beat someone else in the big ten besides Purdue

If Hoke or Pellini have losing seasons, they are gone.

(01-11-2014 01:54 AM)WakeForestRanger Wrote:  I think this will be Paul Johnson's last year at Georgia Tech.

I agree. Paul Johnson can win a number of games at Georgia Tech but Tech will never rise to the national championship level with his style of play.

Pelini for sure. A huge burden has been lifted losing Michigan and PSU off that schedule, although having the three toughest conference games on the road won't be easy (Wisky, Iowa, and MSU).

He's on death watch if they lose to Miami at home. They may cut him loose after Sparty if they're not successful.

Someone said Chow...I think he's safe. Part of Hawaii's issues have been trying to keep talent there and not losing them to PAC schools and BYU. I'm going to call it: Hawaii will be one of 2014's most surprising teams.

Whitt's in trouble in Utah. Hoke may be gone even with a bowl-eligible team (if he loses to PSU again, he's gone).

I won't be surprised if ND starts to really turn on Kelly if the new set-up isn't great the first year in. That is one heck of a schedule the Irish have next season.