Coaches Hot Seat

Our coaches hot seat rankings have been updated from the preseason. After a 3-0 start Dabo Swinney is off our list, but a few new coaches are on it.

1. Houston Nutt Ole Miss(23-18 at Ole Miss 1-2 in 2011)- Nutt's career started nicely at Ole Miss, but has turned ugly the last 2 years. A 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt in week jumps Nutt 9 spots in our hot seat listing from our preseason list. A group calling itself "Forward Rebels" has demanded a change from the top at Ole Miss with 5 newspaper ads that was put out this week.

2. Mark Richt Georgia(97-36 at Georgia 1-2 in 2011)- Georgia fans certainly aren't happy with Richt's early start with the Dogs losing 2 of its biggest games of the year against South Carolina and Boise State. Richt certainly could get off this list with a good showing in the end of the year. The toughest part of the schedule is over and I still think Richt can save his job with a strong finish.

3. Mike Locksley New Mexico(2-25 at New Mexico 0-3 in 2011)- New Mexico should've never fired Rocky Long. The Lobos looked decent in a week 1 loss to Colorado State, but were beat by a combined score of 111-13 to Arkansas and Texas Tech. This team isn't likely to win anymore than 2 games this season and that would likely be the end of Locksley.

4. Rick Neuheisel UCLA(16-25 at UCLA 1-2 in 2011)- UCLA should never be this bad. There is to much talent in Southern California for UCLA to be a losing program. Neuheisel is a former UCLA QB, but another losing season and he's likely out.

5. Larry Porter Memphis (2-13 at Memphis 1-2 in 2011)- Porter has only been at Memphis for two years, but the Tigers are likely the worst team in the FBS. 2 weeks ago Porter and Memphis lost 47-3 to a bad Arkansas State team. There are already some rumblings in Memphis that Porter could be let go by December.

6.Neil Callaway UAB(15-35 at UAB 0-2 in 2011)- Winning at UAB isn't easy, but Watson Brown was doing a better job with the Blazers. Callaway's team was just blown out by Tulane and should at least make a bowl game once every 5 years. This was supposed to be an improved UAB team, but I don't see it.

7. Frank Spaziani Boston College(16-14 at BC 0-3 in 2011)- One of the nation's biggest disappointments this year is Boston College. The Eagles weren't BCS contenders, but they certainly were thought to have been a bowl team. Instead, the Eagles could be looking at a 1-11 season this year following a blowout loss to Central Florida in week 2 and an upset loss to Duke this past weekend.

8. Bob Toledo Tulane(15-36 at Tulane 2-1 in 2011)- Toledo started the year #2 on our list, but has dropped to #9 after a nice 2-1 start. If he could get Tulane into a bowl then he would certainly save his job for another year, even 5 wins might earn another year. Still, the 2 wins to start this year were against UAB and Southeast Louisiana and the toughest part of the schedule is coming.

9. Paul Wulff Washington State(7-34 at WSU 2-1 in 2011)- Like Toledo Wulff has had a good start, but the career numbers just aren't there for Wulff to stay on another year. WSU still has to enter the PAC 12 and it isn't likely they end the year with a winning record. If the Cougs could go bowling then certainly Wulff stays on another year.

10. Patt Hill Fresno State(109-73 at FSU 1-2 in 2011)- Some will be shocked to see this name on the list, but don't be. Compare Fresno's situation to Southern Miss' a few seasons ago under Jeff Bower. Like Bower, Hill started his career hot at Fresno State and knocked off some of college football's giants. Southern Miss let Bower go though because the program had grown stale and Bower couldn't get the program to the next level. Hill's last few Fresno State teams haven't been like the ones from the earlier part of his career. The Bulldogs are no longer as threatening to BCS Conference teams like they once were and they have failed to win a WAC Championship in the last 12 years. Fresno moves to the Mountain West Conference in 2011 and a new coach could bring new energy to a stale program.
Matt Barber
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