13 College Basketball Coaches On The Hot Seat And Their Estimated Buyouts

The 2025-26 college basketball is nearly finished. Soon, the postseason will begin. Those fortunate enough to be included should carry some stability into the offseason.

Those that don’t will have decisions to make.

A few Division I coaches have already been fired, with Kansas State’s Jerome Tang leading the way. Despite boasting an Elite Eight appearance, he was shown the door amid a miserable 2025-26 campaign.

He will not be the only coach looking for a new job next year.

13 College Basketball Coaches On The Hot Seat

These coaches have been with their programs long enough to produce positive results. For one reason or another, success hasn’t been achieved.

As a result, fanbases are calling for jobs. Administration will have to decide if spending money to fire these leaders is the right choice.

Penny Hardaway (Memphis)

Hardaway is in his eighth season with the Tigers. He’s posted seven campaigns of 20 wins or more. Barring an incredible finish, he will not see an eighth in 2026.

Memphis is 12-15 through 27 contests. They are likely to miss out on the postseason. Hardaway’s buyout if fired this year sits at around $7 million.

The head coach has won 68% of his games while making three NCAA Tournament appearances. That includes a 29-win campaign in ’25.

He is probably safe this offseason no matter the final result. If so, he’ll be expected to produce in Year 9. Another poor performance could lead to a split.

Wes Miller (Cincinnati)

A couple weeks ago, Miller’s seat was scorching. Feeling that pressure, the head coach made a plea to the fanbase while pitching his case to return in 2026-27.

Since, there’s been a turnaround. Following an 11-12 start to the season, the Bearcats are winners of four of their last five games, highlighted by a 16-point upset of Kansas.

Miller is in his fifth season with the program. He’s yet to make an NCAA Tournament. He will likely miss out again in 2026.

His buyout, if fired this year, sits just under $10 million.

Kim English (Providence)

English is in Year 3 with the Friars following a two-year stint at George Mason. He racked up 21 wins in his debut season. Production has slipped since.

Providence went 12-20 last year. This season is trending towards another sub-.500 record with the team sitting at 13-15.

English has been provided with a significant NIL budget. It has not translated to wins. His buyout is believed to be between $9-11 million.

Jeff Capel (Pitt)

Capel has been at Pitt for nearly a decade. His eighth season has been a forgettable one.

The Panthers are just 10-18 and trending towards their fifth losing season in Capel’s tenure. The program has made the NCAA Tournament just once in that time.

Capel produced strong seasons while coaching at VCU. He was up and down across a five-year stint at Oklahoma before taking over in Pittsburgh.

The coach signed an extension in 2024. ESPN reports that his buyout is north of $10 million.

Jake Diebler (Ohio State)

Diebler’s situation isn’t quite as dire as others on this list. He will likely be given one more chance in 2026-27. With that said, production will be expected.

A few things are working in Diebler’s favor. One, he appears to have the support of his administration. Two, he’s in just his second full season, which has been his best to this point.

Diebler is 42-29 as a head coach in Columbus. He went 8-3 as a midseason replacement in 2024 before posting a 17-15 record last year.

This season, the Buckeyes are 17-11. They could still make the NCAA Tournament to remove some heat from their coach’s seat.

His biggest criticisms to this point are linked to recruiting. It seems he’ll get another shot to build a roster this coming offseason with his buyout sitting just under $5 million.

Bobby Hurley (Arizona State)

Hurley is in Year 11 with the Sun Devils. His tenure in Tempe has been up and down.

The coach has four 20-win seasons and three March Madness appearances. He also has six campaigns under .500. This year could end up being his seventh.

Arizona State is 14-14 through 28 games. They will not make the Big Dance barring a run through the Big 12 Tournament.

Hurley’s contract expires after the season. He will not be owed a buyout if the program chooses not to renew his employment.

Micah Shrewsberry (Notre Dame)

Shrewsberry is in his third season with the Fighting Irish. He appears on track for his third straight losing campaign.

The team is 12-16 through 28 games. The latest loss came in embarrassing fashion with a 44-point shellacking vs. Duke.

Shrewsberry came over to Notre Dame after a two-year stint at Penn State where he led the Nittany Lions to an NCAA Tournament. He’s yet to make the postseason at his current stop.

The coach is signed through the 2029-30 season though details of his buyout are not public.

Porter Moser (Oklahoma)

Moser was a hot commodity on the coaching market after a strong stint with Loyola that included a Final Four run. He’s yet to produce that same success with the Sooners.

In Year 5, he’s posted an 88-73 overall record. He did lead Oklahoma to an NCAA Tournament last season but has failed to continue momentum.

The Sooners are 14-14. Should they choose to move on after the season, Moser would be owed a little over $5 million.

Earl Grant (Boston College)

Grant is in his fifth season with the Eagles and is headed towards his fourth losing campaign. Boston College is 10-18 with an abysmal 3-12 mark in conference play.

After a seven-year run at College of Charleston, the coach has posted a 71-90 record. He has not made the NCAA Tournament with his current school.

Grant’s contract runs through 2028-29 thanks to a recent extension. His buyout details are not public, but he is owed about $7.5 million on his deal based on his $2.4 million salary.

Lamont Paris (South Carolina)

Paris took over his second head coaching gig at South Carolina following a five-year run at Chattanooga. He’s gone 61-65 in four seasons with the Gamecocks.

The coach did lead the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance in Year 2. Success has not been sustained.

South Carolina is 24-36 since, including a 12-16 mark this year that’s put them in the cellar of the SEC standings.

Despite the lacking results, Paris is likely safe for one more season. He is owed $14 million if fired this year due to a contract extension signed after being named conference coach of the year in 2024.

Matt McMahon (LSU)

McMahon thrived as head coach at Murray State, leading the Racers to five regular season conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

He’s failed to produce in Baton Rouge. With LSU, McMahon is just 60-66 across four seasons. He has not made the postseason. The Tigers are 15-13 in 2026.

The coach’s contract runs through 2029. He is owed more than $7 million if fired this year.

Red Autry (Syracuse)

Autry is only in Year 3 leading the Orange, but he’s completely lost the fanbase. Parents of players have been critical. Success has proven evasive.

The head coach won 20 games in his first season but still missed the NCAA Tournament. He went 14-19 last season and is looking to avoid another sub-.500 season with Syracuse currently 15-13.

Autry’s current deal runs through 2030. Specifics of his buyout are not public, but Sporting News suggests it could be north of $10 million.

Damon Stoudamire (Georgia Tech)

Stoudamire’s seat is one of the hottest on this list. The leader of the last place Yellow Jackets has yet to produce a winning season in Atlanta.

The coach is in Year 3 with the program. It appears it will be his worst.

Last season, Georgia Tech went 17-17 under Stoudamire’s leadership. The year prior, they were 14-18. In 2026, the team is 11-17 with an ugly 2-13 mark in ACC play.

There are still two years remaining on Stoudamire’s deal. His buyout, if fired this offseason, is believed to be less than $3 million.