It’s a strange season for college football, but the hot seat remains for many coaches fighting for their jobs this year.
We’ve already had one college football coach lose their job after the opening week as Jay Hopson resigned from Southern Miss after Week 1. While the unique season was thought to give head coaches a bit of a reprieve from the hot seat, that’s just not going to happen.
More teams get underway this week, as the ACC and Big 12 are added to the fold. While it’s an unprecedented time in the world, some conferences are marching on and that means the hot seat will be there in the end as well.
It may be a strange year ahead for many programs as they try to navigate the landscape through a season with plenty of uncertainty. However, there is no time for poor performances and there are coaches that need a big year and most importantly a first week of the schedule.
For some, it’s washing away the taste of the previous season and for another, it’s not letting his offseason become a distraction that pours into his first season with a program. Here are the coaches on the hot seat to watch this week.
One coach has already lost his job, and the college football hot seat watch really heats up in Week 2 with a trio of ACC football coaches needing a big win.
Manny Diaz – Miami
The first season for Manny Diaz at Miami was subpar and ended on a sour note. The Hurricanes lost 14-0 in the Independence Bowl to Louisiana Tech. It’s the Independence Bowl! How do you not come away with at least a pity field goal?
While no one should put a ton of stock into a bowl performance these days, especially the Independence Bowl of all things, that was just flat out embarrassing and the cherry on top to a mediocre season.
Diaz needs his program scoring points and getting off to a hot start the first week of the season. Miami will take on UAB. A loss to begin the season would be a stumble for a head coach that certainly doesn’t want one to begin the year. How about at least a field goal or seven?
Geoff Collins – Georgia Tech
Geoff Collins had a tough task in his debut season with Georgia Tech. Collins went 3-9 and had to get acclimated to life in the ACC.
Now, no one should personally consider Collins in immediate danger of losing his job, especially in a year where the offseason was different than most. That being said, his team needs to be competitive in games and a surprise win here or there wouldn’t hurt.
The Yellow Jackets begin the season against Florida State on the road. Life in the ACC might be just as unforgiving this year. Maybe, patience and time are what Collins needs.
Mike Norvell – Florida State
Let’s get this out of the way early — The Seminoles aren’t firing Mike Norvell this week or anytime soon really. So why is he on the hot seat watch? Well, the distrust of his players and the fact the Seminoles have seen a coaching hire go south in a hurry real fast with their last regime.
Receiver Warren Thompson went public with concerns over the handling of the coronavirus and that irked his coach at the time. The two since have been on good terms, but it’s always interesting to see tension with a new hire early into his tenure.
While it’s much ado about nothing, for now, small things can become big things if results aren’t there on the football field. What would be disastrous is a loss to Georgia Tech at home to begin the season.
After Willie Taggart struggled in Tallahassee, the Seminoles need Norvell to be good and right away. They don’t need to be playoff contenders in year one, but they need to show signs of getting back on the right track in the ACC.