Hot Seat Watch: 10 college football coaches feeling the heat in 2019

3. Bob Davie, New Mexico

Davie seemed to finally have things on a good track in Albuquerque, with a 7-6 record in 2015 and a 9-4 mark with a bowl win in 2016. But if back-to-back 3-9 seasons isn’t enough to heat up his seat going into next season, then troubling allegations he assaulted players, obstructed a rape investigation and frequently used racist comments, resulting in a school investigation and an essentially meaningless 30-day suspension almost a year ago should do the trick.

Davie is now only 33-54 over seven seasons at New Mexico, so the winning seasons in 2015 and 2016 stand as the exception among a litany of three and four-win seasons. If his name sounds familiar it should since Davie succeeded Lou Holtz at Notre Dame and went 35-25 over five seasons (1997-2001) as head coach in South Bend. During that long stretch between coaching stints, Davie worked as an analyst for ESPN/ABC.

The integrity of it aside, good on-field results make it easier to ignore a coach’s shortcomings in other areas (shy of criminal activity). Davie is toeing both lines right now, with a sub-.400 winning percentage at New Mexico and the off-field trouble that came to light lingering over him. A return to a bowl game feels like a minimum requirement for his continued employment beyond next season, and if things remain off the rails Davie could be fired in-season or it wouldn’t be a shock if he stepped down.