Coaches Hot Seat

Last season proved that you don't have to be a losing coach to get fired by a school.  Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, and Jim Leavitt all won big at their respective schools but were all fired due to the way they treated their players.  Society has changed and so has the requirements that Universities set for their football coaches.  Winning, graduating players, building good alumni relationships, and treating student athletes properly are the ways to stay off this list. 

1. Rich Rodriguez(8-16 at Michigan)- Sometimes coaches just don't fit certain schools, this is exactly the situation at Michigan.  Rodriguez has attempted to change Michigan Football and in 2 seasons it hasn't worked.  For the first time since 1962 & 1963 the Wolverines are going through back to back losing season and Rich Rod has the worst 2nd year record in Michigan history

2.  Dan Hawkins(16-33 at Colorado)- Hawkins took over a very difficult situation at Colorado following a recruiting scandal, but he has never come close to what he was able to accomplish at Boise State.  His 4 Colorado teams have yet to have a winning record and Hawkins hasn't won over many by playing his son Cody at QB.  If not for financial concerns, Hawkins might already be out in Boulder.  The Buffs haven't had 5 straight losing seasons since the early 80s.

3. Ron Zook(21-39 at Illinois)- If FireRonZook.com hasn't been sold to an Illinois fan as of yet, then it should.  Zook has been able to assemble talent at Illinois, but outside of a Rose Bowl birth 3 season ago the Illini have failed to produce many wins.  In the offseason Zook made some staff changes in hopes of shaking things up in the Big 10. The biggest hire was stealing Paul Petrino from Arkansas.  If these hires produce another losing record then Zook will be out at Illinois and become a great assistant for a program due to his recruiting abilities.

4. Steve Roberts(41-55 at Arkansas State)- Rumors started last December that Roberts might not be in Jonesboro to start 2010, but he will be back for season number nine at ASU.  Roberts hasn't done a terrible job, but after a dissapointing 4-8 finish in 2009 the program is starting to become stale.  Roberts high mark was in 2005 when he led the Red Wolves to their first ever bowl appearance.  Another losing record in 2010 could signify the end to the Roberts era.

5. Greg McMackin(13-14 at Hawaii)- McMackin might not be on the hotseat if not for a slur aimed at Notre Dame during last year's off season.  After taking over a 12-1 football team from June Jones, McMackin hasn't done much on the field or off the field to impress the Warriors' fans. Last year Hawaii had only their 2nd losing season in the last 9 years.

6. Bill Lynch(14-23 at Indiana)- Lynch took over a tough situation in 2007 following the death of Coach Terry Hoeppner.  Lynch's first Indiana team went bowling, but the program has gotten worse since.  In the last 2 seasons the Hoosiers have gone 7-17 and only 2-14 in Big 10 games.

7. Ralph Friedgen(66-46 at Maryland)- Overall Friedgen has done a very good job at Maryland.  The problem is that the "Fridge" has never been able to repeat his first 3 years of success.  Since 2004 Maryland is a mediocre 35-38.  2009 was the first 10 loss season in Maryland history.

8. Bob Toledo(9-27 at Tulane)- Toledo took over a program trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina, but hasn't progressed the program.  The Green Wave are a horrible 5-21 in Conference USA Games.  Last season Tulane was shutout twice and outscored by a total of 440-193.  Will Tulane be willing to conduct a football coaching search the same year that it hired a new basketball coach?

9. Mike Price(34-38 at UTEP)- Price was hired at Texas-El Paso following a short stint in Tuscaloosa that never saw him coach a game.  UTEP looked like they were on the way to becoming one of the best Non BCS programs in the country when they went 8-4 in 04 and 05, but since then the Miners have a mediocre 18-30 record.  The defense has been terrible for UTEP the last 3 seasons allowing 400 or more points each year.

10. Mike Locksley(1-11 at New Mexico)- Typically coaches aren't on the hot seat after only 1 season, but most coaches don't get reprimanded for punching assistants.  Locksley avoided a season without any wins with a 29-27 win over Colorado State in week 11, but his off the field conduct earns him the last spot on this year's preseason hotseat.