Don’t expect anything too shocking this time around, but it should still be interesting.
There are two coaches in these conferences that are definitely on the hot seat.Big XII
Baylor 4-1 (1-1) – Guy Moriss (3rd year)
Chance of getting fired: 1%
Baylor is a couple of minutes against TAMU from being 5-0 (2-0). I do not know what else to say.
Colorado 4-1 (2-0) – Gary Barnett (7th year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
I hate Barnett, but he is safe. He should not be after what he said a year and a half ago, but unfortunately, he is. I won’t say any more.
Iowa State 3-2 (0-2) – Dan McCarney (11th year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
Not yet at “legend” status. After all the expectations, something could start brewing if they finish with a losing mark. Well, he’ll have a slight chip on his shoulders.
Kansas 3-2 (0-2) – Mark Mangino (4th year)
Chance of getting fired: 2%
Don’t think about it anytime soon. Kansas has an outside chance to go bowling for the second time in three years, or the fourth time in 15 years.
Kansas State 4-1 (1-1) – Bill Snyder (17th year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
NEXT!
Missouri 3-2 (1-1) – Gary Pinkel (5th, or final year)
Chance of getting fired: 50%
His team has underachieved last year and is on its way to underachieving this year. And that is after not really achieving for his first couple of years. He needs to make at least a bowl game.
Nebraska 4-1 (1-1) – Bill Callahan (2nd year)
Chance of getting fired: 15%
The 4-0 start really ended any realistic chance of him losing his job. But if they collapse and miss a bowl game, I’m not so sure he’ll be back. But that’s unlikely….
Oklahoma 2-3 (1-1) – Bob Stoops (7th year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
The only question is “What the hell is going on?” Is Oklahoma really that mediocre? We’ll find out….
Oklahoma State 3-2 (0-2) – Mike Gundy (1st year)
Chance of getting fired: 2%
OSU is very mediocre. Gundy has his work cut out for him to keep this program up and running after decades of being dismal.
Texas 5-0 (2-0) – Mack Brown (8th year)
Chance of getting fired: 1%
They beat OU and started 5-0. They’d have to lose out AND he’ll have to get caught sleeping with the AD’s wife. Not happening….
Texas A&M 3-2 (1-1) – Dennis Franchione (3rd year)
Chance of getting fired: 10%
Not likely, but TAMU has been greatly underachieving this year. Franchione might have a bit of pressure to win next year.
Texas Tech 5-0 (2-0) – Mike Leach (6th year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
If you had told me that Spike Dykes’s replacement would have done this well, I’dve scoffed. Leach will be at Tech as long as he wants to be at Tech.
Pinkel is definitely on the hot seat, but nobody else is. Callahan and Franchione better pick up the pace soon, or else they might be on the hot seat next year. Guy Moriss miraculously took UK to a winning mark before jumping ship to Baylor. He has done one of the best coaching jobs in the country this year to shore up a couple of more years in town. Nobody else should feel threatened.
MWC
Air Force 2-4 (1-3) – Fisher DeBerry (22nd year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
It’s only 5% because of two things: he is about to suffer his second consecutive losing mark after never doing so before and his comments this summer that he thought prayer before games should be mandatory. This is the first time in years that this number is above 1%.
Brigham Young 2-3 (1-2) – Bronco Mendenhall (1st year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
It’s his first year and he is not Lavell Edwards’s direct successor. He’ll be back, even if they finish 2-9..
Colorado State 3-2 (2-0) – Sonny Lubick (13th year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
Well, since we are speaking of man-crushes, I almost have a man-crush on Sonny Lubick. Oh, and he’s never going anywhere, unless he chooses to do so.
UNLV 2-4 (1-2) – Mike Sanford (1st year)
Chance of getting fired: 2%
Doing the best he can in a competitive conference with nothing. As noted above, it is only his first year on the job.
New Mexico 3-3 (1-2) – Rocky Long (8th year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
Not likely. He has done much for this program and has done a very good job as coach. I’d be surprised if he got fired.
San Diego State 2-4 (1-2) – Tom Craft (4th, or final year)
Chance of getting fired: 60%
Things are not looking good for Craft, especially after how abysmal last year was in spite of lofty projections. He may have a chance to get one more year.
Texas Christian 5-1 (4-0) – Gary Patterson (5th year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
TCU beat Wyoming to take control of the MWC in its first year and drop Patterson from 2% to 0%. He’s safe for a few years to come.
Utah 3-3 (1-2) – Kyle Whittingham (1st year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
The Utes are performing to their abilities. The team lost a lot, including their QB to the #1 pick in the draft. I’m not surprised that they are mediocre.
Wyoming 4-2 (2-1) – Joe Scott (3rd year)
Chance of getting fired: 0%
I love Joe Scott. I loved him at Montana and now I love him at Wyoming. He’s a great coach and quickly turned around the joke Vic Koenning turned this program into.
Tom Craft will most likely lose his job after or during the season. With three first year coaches and the other coaches stable, there should not be any other turmoil for a while in the MWC.
Part III of the Sun Belt
Louisiana-Lafayette 1-4 (0-1) – Rickey Bustle (4th year)
Chance of getting fired: 35%
He’s not rebuilt this program and he is in his fourth year. Since conference play only just started, I can’t make a prediction yet on how this team will fare. Thus he is at 35%. The Ragin’ Cajuns need to go at least 4-3 in conference to ensure his job safety.
Louisiana-Monroe 2-4 (2-0) – Charlie Weatherbie (3rd year)
Chance of getting fired: 5%
Weatherbie lasted 10 years at Navy. If he leads UL-M to a Sun Belt title, he may just last 10 years here too!
Up next: PAC-10, WAC, and MTSU
Followed by: Big East, Conference-USA, Indies, and UNT, Troy
Well, there you have it for Part III. As always, comments and opinions are appreciated.
And may my deepest sympathies be sent out to the family and friends of UPenn RB Kyle Ambrogi, who committed suicide on Monday while battling depression. It’s a shame when a life ends so young.
