7 College Football Coaches On The Hot Seat After Week 4

It’s been close to a month since the 2024 college football season kicked off, and by this point, we have a pretty clear picture when it comes to the teams who have a shot at earning a spot in the College Football Playoff as well as those who are going to limp their way to the finish line based on how they’ve played so far.

Some of the head coaches tasked with overseeing the squads in that second category have ended up in an unenviable position, as the hot seat is only going to get hotter as things progress.

There’s still time for the teams who’ve failed to impress since the college football season kicked off to turn things around, but that is much easier said than done for programs that have not looked very good so far.

There’s no telling what the future holds for their head coaches, but there are more than a few guys who probably need to worry about their job security as things currently stand.

Mack Brown—UNC

It is a bit hard to imagine Mack Brown won’t be allowed to leave the University of North Carolina on his own terms based on his history with the Tar Heels, but it might be time for the 73-year-old to hang up his headset based on what transpired over the weekend.

UNC was absolutely embarrassed by James Madison in a 70-50 loss where the Dukes put up 50 points in the first half. Brown said he wasn’t resigning following a report that said he hinted at the possibility in the locker room after the game, but the writing may be on the wall.

Hugh Freeze—Auburn

Hugh Freeze got a second chance in the SEC after taking full advantage of his shot at redemption at Liberty, but you have to wonder how long he’ll be sticking around at Auburn.

The Tigers fell to 2-2 on the season with a 24-14 loss to an Arkansas team that headed into the contest as a 2.5-point underdog, and Freeze hasn’t inspired a ton of confidence during a tenure where he’s posted an 8-9 record so far.

Ryan Walters—Purdue

Ryan Walters had never worked as a head coach before he was hired to helm Purdue in 2023, and he hasn’t done much to show he deserves that gig since taking over.

Walters was 4-8 in his inaugural campaign, and the Boilermakers fell to 1-2 with a 38-21 loss at the hands of Oregon State a week after getting absolutely embarrassed by Notre Dame.

Based on an upcoming schedule that features a formidable slate of Big Ten opponents, Purdue will be lucky to get a couple of wins before the season ends, and it’ll be pretty hard for Walters to avoid being painted as the primary scapegoat.

Dave Aranda—Baylor

It looked like Baylor was going to leave Boulder with a win over Colorado on Saturday night, but the Bears fell victim to a Hail Mary before the Buffaloes put things away in overtime.

Dave Aranda entered his fifth year at Baylor on the hot seat while trying to prove he has what it takes to recapture the magic of his impressive 12-2 campaign in 2021, but the signs increasingly point to that season being an anomaly now that the team is sitting at 2-2.

Will Hall—Southern Miss

Southern Miss may not be as notable as some of the other programs on this list, but head coach Will Hall certainly hasn’t made a ton of strides when it comes to trying to change that reputation.

Hall took over for the Golden Eagles in 2021 and went 3-9 in his first year but helped them punch their ticket to a bowl game the following season.

Unfortunately, they went 3-9 yet again in 2023, and they’re trending in the wrong direction after falling to 1-3 with a 44-7 loss to Jacksonville State.

Billy Napier—Florida

Florida was able to improve to 2-2 with a 45-28 win over Mississippi State in a game they were expected to win, but that victory won’t do much to take the heat off of Billy Napier.

The Gators are staring down the barrel of a brutal stretch of games against a string of SEC opponents that appear to have the edge on paper as things currently stand, and at this point, it’s hard to imagine Napier will be able to save his job even though Florida would have to stomach a buyout that would cost over $26 million.

Mike Norvell—Florida State

At this point, Mike Norvell has to take some solace in winning games FSU is supposed to win, as the Seminoles covered the spread with a  14-9 win over a Cal team they were favored to beat by 2.5 points.

However, that victory was anything but decisive, and it’s hard to feel super optimistic about Florida State’s chances in an upcoming slate of ACC games where three opponents are currently ranked in the Top 25.

Norvell’s massive $65 million buyout may end up saving his job in the short term, but FSU may still opt to bite the bullet if he can’t stage a dramatic turnaround.