20 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14: The coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams.
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What’s the hot seat status of all the Power Five head coaches?
Being on a hot seat isn’t just about whether or not a head coach needs to win a football game or have a big season to keep the job. That’s obviously the biggest part of staying hired, but it’s about pressure, too.
Some of the biggest-name head coaches have no real shot of getting fired, but they have to deal with through-the-roof unfair expectations. Really, though, these rankings are about who needs to win … NOW.
The hot seat rankings go from who’s on the coolest of seats in each Power Five conference to who desperately needs a massive campaign.
21 for 2021 Preview Topics (so far)
21. Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes for 2021
20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP
19: Teams That Will Rebound Big
18. Teams That Will Fall Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches
15. Expectations For 2nd Year Head Coaches
– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
14. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
The pressure is now at a whole other level – not winning the ACC Championship and going to the College Football Playoff would be a failure – but he’s obviously in the high-rent district of elite coaches.
Record With Team: 140-33
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 14, 2019: 14, 2018: 14
Clemson Preview | Schedule
13. Mack Brown, North Carolina
No, he’s not on any hot seat when it comes to potentially being fired, buuuuuuuut … is Mack Brown going Mack Brown? He recruited well enough to have a team worthy of playing for the ACC Championship – UNC isn’t in Clemson’s division – and this year the results have to match the talent.
Record With Team: 15-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 3, 2018: NA
UNC Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason ACC Rankings
12 . Dave Clawson, Wake Forest
If you want to make a list of who’s doing the most with the least, Clawson might be at the top. Five straight bowls at Wake Forest is amazing – he can have a dud of a year and be more than fine.
Record With Team: 40-45
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 8, 2018: 10
WF Preview | Schedule
11. Jeff Hafley, Boston College
The passing game is great, Boston College is looking dangerous, and there’s a shot Hafley becomes one of the hot rising coaches with a big year. As long as BC goes to a bowl, all is fine.
Record With Team: 6-5
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
BC Preview | Schedule
10. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia
He can still live another year off the Orange Bowl appearance of 2019. Virginia is never going to be the pressure cooker of jobs that others are, and even if the results aren’t always perfect, Mendenhall is still among the best coaches in the league.
Record With Team: 30-32
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 13, 2019: 12, 2018: 8
Virginia Preview | Schedule
9. Scott Satterfield, Louisville
It’s not like the buzz wore off after a huge 2019, but going 4-7 last season was a huge disappointment. He’s a good guy, he brings a great attitude and tone for the program, and he’s fine to 2022 no matter what, but there’s still rebuilding to do.
Record With Team: 12-13
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 13, 2018: NA
Louisville Preview | Schedule
8. Dave Doeren, NC State
Doeren got it back after a 4-8 2019 season with is typical 8-4-like campaign, and now he has to keep it all going with one of his better teams. He’s always going to be on a tepid seat – that’s sort of the nature with the NC State gig – but he’s good through next year even with a disappointing run.
Record With Team: 55-46
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 7, 2018: 5
NC State Preview | Schedule
7. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers
The pressure has chilled out a little bit as Pitt has found a bit of a groove with its style. However, he can’t afford one really bad year. As long as the Panthers are going bowling, he’s fine.
Record With Team: 42-34
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: 2, 2018: 1
Pitt Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-ACC Team
6. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech
So how much longer does the “he has to totally restyle the offense” thing work? It’s Year Three, and now the production has to come and the wins have to be there, but that’s going to be a problem with a nasty schedule.
Record With Team: 6-16
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 11, 2018: NA
GT Preview | Schedule
5. Manny Diaz, Miami
It’s amazing what happens when you have a great quarterback and an offense that works. It’s Miami so the pressure is always going to be high and the seat will always be hot, but things have chilled a bit after going 8-3.
Record With Team: 14-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 6, 2018: NA
Miami Preview | Schedule
4. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Yeah, one year in a pandemic shouldn’t mean much, but considering how quickly Willie Taggart was run out of town, the same standards need to apply here, too. Start winning or else.
Record With Team: 3-6
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
FSU Preview | Schedule
3. David Cutcliffe, Duke
Yeah, he might be one of the best teachers in the game, and the pressure is never there for football at Duke, but he’s 4-15 in his last 19 games with three losing seasons in the last five. This is his 13th year – there has to be something positive this season.
Record With Team: 74-88
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 10, 2018: 7
Duke Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN ACC Predictions For Every Game
2. Dino Babers, Syracuse
He’ll get one more shot to prove that the ten-win 2018 season wasn’t a total fluke. Syracuse doesn’t have to win the ACC title – and it might not have to even go bowling – but this can’t be among the worst teams in the conference again. Just pull up out of the nosedive and show hope for 2022 and things might be okay.
Record With Team: 24-36
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 3, 2019: 9, 2018: 2
Syracuse Preview | Schedule
1. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech
It’s about as make-or-break as a year gets. The Hokies haven’t totally underachieved over the last few seasons, but they’re not in the ACC title mix like they need to be. At the very least, they have to make some noise in the Coastal.
Record With Team: 38-26
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: 4, 2018: 13
VT Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
NEXT: 2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
14. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
The guy took Northwestern to two Big Ten Championship appearances in the last three years. No matter how it looked and how it happened, that’s as strong a coaching job as it gets. Sometimes the formula doesn’t work – like in 2019 going 3-9 – but he could clunk for a few years and still be a made man.
Record With Team: 106-81
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 9, 2018: 12
Northwestern Preview | Schedule
13. Greg Schiano, Rutgers
It’s Rutgers. Schiano’s 2020 team was ultra-competitive, beat Michigan State, pushed Michigan into overtime, and looked like a program that’s at least going to be a tough out going forward. There’s still SO much work to do, and he’ll get the time.
Record With Team: 3-6
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 13, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Rutgers Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason Big Ten Rankings
12. Ryan Day, Ohio State
No regular season losses, two Big Ten championships, two College Football Playoffs, one national title game appearance. Day has been amazing in his first two years, but it’s Ohio State. He’s one 8-4 season away from getting everyone grumbling – but don’t count on that happening with his 2021 team.
Record With Team: 23-2
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: 2, 2018: NA
Ohio State Preview | Schedule
11. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
Even with the team ripped apart with COVID-19 issues early on and with a slew of key injuries to the receiving corps, the Badgers still came up with a winning season and a bowl victory. However, this is a bit of a crossroads year – can the program get back to West championship form? Chryst is fine for the next few years no matter what.
Record With Team: 56-19
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: 9, 2018: 12
Wisconsin Preview | Schedule
10. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
The longest-tenured head coach with one program – guiding Iowa since 1999 – he’s in a rock-steady situation as long as the issues from a rocky 2020 offseason alleging problems with the culture of the program continue to be addressed. On the field, the machine should keep on rolling.
Record With Team: 168-106
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 14, 2019: 12, 2018: 14
Iowa Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-Big Ten Team
9. Tom Allen, Indiana
Come up with one great season at Indiana in football and you’re good for a while. It’ll be a must to keep it all going and prove that 2020 wasn’t big because the rest of the Big Ten East was down in the COVID-19 year. No matter what, the Hoosiers appear to be on the right track.
Record With Team: 24-22
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: 4, 2018: 3
Indiana Preview | Schedule
8. Bret Bielema, Illinois
Well this will be interesting. There’s no pressure whatsoever in his first year at the helm of an underwhelming program that’s struggled to find any sort of positive identity. He can’t totally bomb, but he’ll get a free pass for 2021 to remake the team.
Record With Team: 0-0
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Illinois Preview | Schedule
7. PJ Fleck, Minnesota
Everything is still just fine as long as the program is competitive and shows a fight in the Big Ten West race. A hot prospect for other gigs, this year he needs a great run to show that 2019 wasn’t an aberration.
Record With Team: 26-19
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 7, 2018: 6
Minnesota Preview | Schedule
6. Mel Tucker, Michigan State
Give him another year or so. Mark Dantonio always had several plates spinning at once to get the Spartans to succeed like they did, but that’s hard to replicate. Tucker should get time to revamp the program, but he needs to at least go bowling and show incremental success.
Record With Team: 2-5
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
MSU Preview | Schedule
5. James Franklin, Penn State
Don’t focus on the historically awful 0-5 start in 2020 and give all due credit for Franklin’s team fighting back to win the last four games – that’s coaching. Does that – along with his 42 wins in the previous four years – buy him enough credit at Penn State? Not if his Nittany Lions aren’t pushing for the Big Ten East title.
Record With Team: 60-28
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 6, 2018: 9
Penn State Preview | Schedule
4. Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Remember, he almost certainly could’ve had the Louisville job a few years ago but he stuck around West Lafayette. He knows how to coach up an offense, but the program has gone a flat 7-15 over the last 22 games. While he’s almost certainly fine even with a bad year, a bowl game would take the heat off for 2022.
Record With Team: 19-25
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 10, 2018: 11
Purdue Preview | Schedule
3. Mike Locksley, Maryland
He’s a great recruiter and Maryland came up with a few splashy moments over his first two seasons, but he’s still 8-43 all-time as a head coach and has yet to come up with a winning season either in College Park or at New Mexico. At the very least, it has to look like the Terps are on the verge of something large.
Record With Team: 6-17
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 3, 2019: 8, 2018: NA
Maryland Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Big Ten Predictions For Every Game
2. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
The man has never received his just credit for making Michigan good at football again. The program’s problem was it couldn’t beat the elite of the elite teams – it always beat everyone else. That all changed last year. There really is no shame in losing to Ohio State, but Michigan can’t lose to Michigan State and Indiana again – ever.
Record With Team: 49-22
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 6, 2018: 1
Michigan Preview | Schedule
1. Scott Frost, Nebraska
It’s been a strange disaster so far. It’s not just that the Huskers are 12-20 with three straight losing seasons, it’s that there doesn’t appear to be any big improvements. Of course, all it takes is one solid year to change everything around. At this point, he doesn’t need to win the Big Ten title, but Nebraska has to go bowling and show signs that big things are about to come.
Record With Team: 12-20
Big Ten Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 13, 2018: 13
Nebraska Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
ACC | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
NEXT: 2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings: Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
10. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
The Big 12 Championships keep rolling right in, and the consistency and greatness doesn’t drop all that much even when it’s not a College Football Playoff season. Yeah, it would be nice to finally make some noise in the tournament, and he’s got the team to do it.
Record With Team: 45-8
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 10, 2018: 7
Oklahoma Preview | Schedule
9. Matt Campbell, Iowa State
Campbell is coming off a Big 12 title game appearance and has what should be one of the top ten teams in the country coming into the season. You’ve won as many outright conference championships as Iowa State has – Campbell has done wonders to make the program a major player.
Record With Team: 35-28
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 8, 2018: 6
Iowa State Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason Big 12 Rankings
8. Lance Leiplold, Kansas
It’s going to take a while, and Leipold will get plenty of time to try cleaning up the mess. There’s no bigger rebuilding job among the Power Five programs, but he has the coaching chops to to do it. This year, anything positive will be celebrated.
Record With Team: 0-0
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Kansas Preview | Schedule
7. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Kirk Ferentz and Gary Patterson. Those are the only two head coaches who’ve been leading their teams longer than Gundy, who started in 2005 and followed it up with 15 straight winning seasons. No one’s saying it wouldn’t be nice if the Cowboys could make a push for the Big 12 title for the first time since 2011, but there’s little complaining with five eight-plus win seasons in the last six.
Record With Team: 137-67
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: 7, 2018: 8
OSU Preview | Schedule
6. Gary Patterson, TCU
A made man with the program, only Kirk Ferentz has enjoyed a longer tenure with the same school. However, it took a three-game winning streak to make it 18-17 over the last three years. There’s no real pressure, but a bad year would generate some rumbling.
Record With Team: 178-74
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: 6, 2018: 9
TCU Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-Big 12 Team
5. Neal Brown, West Virginia
The Mountaineers have been good so far in Brown’s two seasons, and the defense has improved in a hurry, but now the offense has to rise up and the wins against the big boys have to kick in. He’s fine this year even with a dud, but the base will soon need more.
Record With Team: 11-11
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 3, 2019: 3, 2018: NA
West Virginia Preview | Schedule
4. Chris Klieman, Kansas State
Closing out with a five-game losing streak to end the 2020 season was hardly a positive, but like everything else for the teams that struggled last year, there were reasonable excuses. This is the year Kansas State needs to take a leap forward on this watch.
Record With Team: 12-11
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 4, 2018: NA
Kansas State Preview | Schedule
3. Dave Aranda, Baylor
2020 was going to be a rebuilding year no matter what, and then Aranda had to kick things off in a pandemic. He gets a free pass for that, but after the program got to the Big 12 Championship in 2019, and with a national title in basketball, the school’s expectations for greatness have cranked up a notch.
Record With Team: 2-7
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Baylor Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Big 12 Predictions For Every Game
2. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Tom Herman went 7-3 last year, won five of his last six games, and blew out Colorado in the Alamo Bowl with an offense that scored 124 points over the last two games and scored 41 or more six times. The Longhorns lost to Iowa State on a late field goal, lost by two to TCU, and battled Oklahoma in a 53-45 fight. No pressure, new guy, but do a lot more than that.
Record With Team: 0-0
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Texas Preview | Schedule
1. Matt Wells, Texas Tech
It was a wee bit of a questionable hire at the time after an up-and-down run at Utah State. Starting out with two straight four-win seasons – worse yet, with a mediocre offense – put the pressure on in a big, big way. He’s got the quarterback in Tyler Shough, and he has a decent defense – now the wins have to follow. It might be win-or-else this year.
Record With Team: 8-14
Big 12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 1, 2018: NA
Texas Tech Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
ACC | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
NEXT: 2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings: Pac-12, SEC
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
12. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Could the Utes lose him to a bigger gig? That’s far more of a worry than for Utah fans than any sort of a hot seat situation. With a great team returning, Whittingham continues to keep the program rolling among the best in the Pac-12.
Record With Team: 134-66
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: 9, 2018: 7
Utah Preview | Schedule
11. Jedd Fisch, Arizona
There’s no pressure whatsoever in a building year. Everything has to start over, the Wildcats need to generate a defense, and the offense has to find its playmakers after a disastrous 2020. Fisch has done everything right with the media, and now he needs time to put it all together.
Record With Team: 0-0
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Arizona Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason Pac-12 Rankings
10. David Shaw, Stanford
The Cardinal quietly came up with a 4-2 2020 season with a four-game winning streak to close it out. He’s been so brilliant outside of a clunker of a 2019 that he’s safe for at least another year no matter what. If Stanford doesn’t want him, there are a slew of NFL teams that do.
Record With Team: 90-36
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 11, 2018: 12
Stanford Preview | Schedule
9. Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Two Pac-12 championships in a row will buy him time no matter what, but with the talent he’s amassing and the expectations growing, it’s time to turn the corner. A recruiting machine, Cristobal has the program on the verge of something truly special.
Record With Team: 25-10
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 4, 2018: 2
Oregon Preview | Schedule
8. Justin Wilcox, Cal
Blow off the 1-3 2020 season because just about everything in the Pac-12 campaign was weird. He’s a hot head coach with the defensive chops, but he needs a third winning season in four years to show forward progress.
Record With Team: 21-21
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 8, 2018: 6
Cal Preview | Schedule
7. Jimmy Lake, Washington
There wasn’t any grace period last season considering what Lake inherited and the continuity from the Chris Petersen era, and he came up big – the Huskies would’ve played for the Pac-12 title if they were healthy. The expectations don’t slip a bit.
Record With Team: 3-1
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Washington Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-Pac-12 Team
6. Karl Dorrell, Colorado
Dorrell had the pressure on to produce considering there weren’t too many fans jumping up and down over the hire – the dream was to get former Buff star Eric Bieniemy – and under the trying circumstances he went 4-1 in the Pac-12 before a bowl loss to Texas. The bar is set a little higher now, but he has some breathing room for a season of revamping.
Record With Team: 4-2
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Colorado Preview | Schedule
5. Jonathan Smith, Oregon State
Yeah, the Beavers are more entertaining and more competitive, and beating Oregon last season was a big plus, but three straight losing seasons are three straight losing seasons. Yeah, going 2-5 in 2020 wasn’t okay, but again, the team put up a fight.
Record With Team: 9-22
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 5, 2018: 3
OSU Preview | Schedule
4. Nick Rolovich, Washington State
Year One gets blown off because of the COVID-19 season, but the offense has to become a factor again after sputtering in three blowout losses. He’s supposed to be the guy who knows how to wing it all over the yard – let’s go.
Record With Team: 1-3
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Wazzu Preview | Schedule
3. Herm Edwards, Arizona State
The Sun Devils have been fine under Edwards, but he wasn’t hired for the program to be just okay. There have been a few splashy wins, but there hasn’t been any consistency and now there’s a recruiting controversy to deal with. On the field, with the team Edwards has in place, the expectations should be set at Pac-12 South title or bust.
Record With Team: 17-13
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: 6, 2018: 1
ASU Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Pac-12 Predictions For Every Game
2. Clay Helton, USC
Has everyone chilled out on him yet? The hope was to get Urban Meyer, but that wasn’t happening and Helton stuck around after a disastrous 2018 and underwhelming 2019. Last year wasn’t easy, but the Trojans got to the Pac-12 Championship with a shot at going unbeaten. Even with the 2020 success, anything less than another Pac-12 South title might bring the change so many Trojan fans have been waiting for.
Record With Team: 45-23
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 1, 2018: 4
USC Preview | Schedule
1. Chip Kelly, UCLA
It took a little while, but the Bruins started to look the part in 2020. It’s been a wildly disappointing three years overall, but Kelly appears to finally have the right pieces in place to start producing. Anything less than a winning season and bowl appearance will be a disaster.
Record With Team: 10-21
Pac-12 Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 2, 2018: 9
UCLA Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
NEXT: SEC Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021
14. Nick Saban, Alabama
Yeah, in a pure pressure hot seat sort of way you could argue that no one has more ridiculous expectations to deal with – win the national title or the season is a disaster – but the greatest college football coach of all-time could go winless and get a pay raise.
Record With Team: 164-23
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 14, 2019: 14, 2018: 14
Alabama Preview | Schedule
13. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
No one is expecting anything in Lea’s first year – it’ll be a massive success if he comes up with two SEC wins. All new head coaches have to show a different direction and a little bit of hope. More than at just about any other Power Five gig outside of Kansas, a bad record won’t mean much.
Record With Team: 0-0
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Vanderbilt Preview | Schedule
12. Dan Mullen, Florida
The Gators were wildly fun throughout last year and pushed Alabama hard in a fantastic SEC Championship. After a great first three seasons with the offense rocking and the team taking the next step up, he could afford a bit of a slip and be more than fine.
Record With Team: 29-9
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 7, 2018: 5
Florida Preview | Schedule
11. Shane Beamer, South Carolina
There’s almost no pressure whatsoever in Year One. Will Muschamp was able to survive for a while on a flaming hot seat, and then it was all over before last year was done. There’s just enough talent to hope for a few big moments, but it’s a redshirt season.
Record With Team: 0-0
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
South Carolina Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason SEC Rankings
10. Kirby Smart, Georgia
Don’t assume a hot seat just means a coach has to win or get fired. Smart isn’t getting canned – and if he does, he’d be snapped up in a heartbeat – but the pressure is crushing to get back over the hump and into the College Football Playoff National Championship after a few years off. Not winning the East would be a disaster.
Record With Team: 52-13
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: 13, 2018: 13
Georgia Preview | Schedule
9. Ed Orgeron, LSU
2020 was supposed to be an all-timer of a rebuilding year, and it was every bit of that and more. After what Orgeron did in 2019 he can have a total dud of a year and still be fine, but LSU has to show it has reloading power like Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State.
Record With Team: 45-14
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 13, 2019: 5, 2018: 2
LSU Preview | Schedule
8. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
There’s obviously no shot of getting fired, but the pressure is on. Now that he showed just how close Texas A&M could come to being College Football Playoff good, it’s time to get into the tournament. This is why Fisher got the massive contract that gave him time to get everything in place. He appears to have pushed past the early struggles, and now the program is on the verge of taking off.
Record With Team: 26-10
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 12, 2018: 1
Texas A&M Preview | Schedule
7. Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Pittman is in a nice spot. The 3-7 first season was actually a success – the program looked and played like it was moving forward – and he’ll get another year or two to keep building it back up.
Record With Team: 3-7
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Arkansas Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN Preseason All-SEC Team
6. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
The pressure is there because 1) he’s Lane Kiffin, 2) the 2020 team showed a whole lot of promise, and 3) just about everyone is coming back. No one’s expecting an SEC championship, but if Kiffin really is that good, this has to be a huge season considering what he has in place.
Record With Team: 5-5
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Ole Miss Preview | Schedule
5. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
His name was thrown into the mix for bigger gigs over the last few years – Florida State was on the table after 2019 – but an underwhelming 5-6 2020 soured things a bit. He could still survive another losing season, but it would make 2022 extremely tense.
Record With Team: 49-50
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 13, 2018: 13
Kentucky Preview | Schedule
4. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
It’s Tennessee so there’s always intense pressure – especially from those who might have liked Hugh Freeze, or some other SEC name – but as long as Heupel can get the O going, all should be fine in his first year. Just go bowling and it’ll be a good season.
Record With Team: 0-0
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Tennessee Preview | Schedule
– 2021 CFN SEC Predictions For Every Game
3. Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri
Mizzou whacked favorite son Barry Odom after a 6-6 season hampered by NCAA sanctions, and then Drinkwitz came in and went 5-5. The relatively new guy will get a few more years to work, but the base will get a bit grouchy if there aren’t signs of major improvement.
Record With Team: 5-5
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Missouri Preview | Schedule
2. Mike Leach, Mississippi State
There was every reasonable excuse in the book for the lousy 4-7 season – few offenses need the timing and practice like Leach’s attack does – but he’s only allowed the one bomb. He’s got a great defense, and he’s had a full year to get the O up to speed.
Record With Team: 4-7
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Miss State Preview | Schedule
1. Bryan Harsin, Auburn
No, of course he won’t get fired with a bad year, but no new head coach has more instant pressure. Gus Malzahn wasn’t bad, he almost won a national title, and he got the occasional win over Alabama. All Harsin has to do is that, and right away. Harsin is a better get than many are giving Auburn credit for, but that won’t matter much if he doesn’t win NOW.
Record With Team: 0-0
SEC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: NA, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
Auburn Preview | Schedule
2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12
21 for 2021 Preview Topics (so far)
21. Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes for 2021
20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP
19: Teams That Will Rebound Big
18. Teams That Will Fall Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches
15. Expectations For 2nd Year Head Coaches