Another One Bites the Dust: Will Hall and the Southern Miss Saga

Man, the coaching hot seat is scorching right now. First Mike Houston at ECU, and now Will Hall at Southern Miss? It’s a brutal reminder that winning is the only thing that matters in college football.

Hall came to Hattiesburg with a ton of promise. Deep ties to Mississippi and a successful stint at Tulane – it felt like a perfect fit. But sometimes, even the best-laid plans go up in flames.

A 1-6 start? Ouch. That’s not just a slump; that’s a full-blown meltdown. And when your only win comes against an FCS team? Well, let’s say the writing was on the wall.

Look, I’m not here to pile on. Coaching is a tough gig, especially in today’s pressure cooker environment. But the reality is, results matter. Fans demand them, and athletic directors expect them. When those results don’t come, something’s got to give.

It’s easy to point fingers at the offense, the defense, or the players. But at the end of the day, the head coach is the one who takes the fall. That’s the burden of leadership and a heavy one to bear.

So, what’s next for Southern Miss? They’ve got an interim coach in place, and the search for a new leader is on. It’s a chance for a fresh start, a new vision, a renewed sense of hope.

But for Will Hall, it’s a tough lesson learned. In this game, you’re only as good as your last season. And sometimes, that’s just not good enough.

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

The Ship Has Sailed: Mike Houston and the Harsh Realities of College Football

Let’s be honest: college football is a ruthless business. It’s a world where expectations are sky-high, patience wears thin, and yesterday’s hero can quickly become today’s casualty.  Mike Houston just learned that lesson the hard way.

He arrived at East Carolina with a vision, ready to rebuild a program yearning for success. And for a while, it seemed like he was building something special. Back-to-back winning seasons and a bowl game victory were tangible signs of progress. But as anyone who’s ever played the game knows, momentum can shift instantly.

The 2023 season was a brutal turning point.  A dismal 2-10 record exposed cracks in the foundation, and the pressure started mounting.  Despite a glimmer of hope early in 2024, that crushing loss to Charlotte felt like a knockout punch.

Losing stings. But in this game, losing to your in-state rivals? That stings even more.  An 0-7 record against North Carolina FBS schools? That’s a tough pill to swallow for any fanbase.

Let’s not forget the ever-spinning carousel of talent. College football today is a different beast. The transfer portal, NIL deals—it’s a constant battle to keep your roster stocked with playmakers. Houston struggled to navigate those choppy waters, ultimately costing him.

Now, the Pirates are left picking up the pieces, searching for a new captain to steer the ship.  It’s a reminder that in this world, you’re only as good as your last season.

So, who’s next on the chopping block?  Let us know your thoughts in our forum. The coaching hot seat is heating up, and the drama is just getting started. This is college football in 2024.

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

Hot Seat Saturday: Where Every Snap Could Be a Coach’s Last

This is Hot Seat Saturday, and the gridiron isn’t just a battleground for players; it’s a high-stakes arena where coaches fight for their careers. Across the nation, embattled coaches face must-win situations, their every decision scrutinized under the intense pressure of the hot seat. From the SEC to the Big 12, programs are teetering on the brink of change, and this weekend could be the tipping point. Join us as we delve into the most compelling Hot Seat matchups, where a single play could make or break a coach’s destiny.

Auburn @ Missouri: Can Drinkwitz Turn Up the Heat on Freeze?

Time: Noon Easter/9:00 AM Pacific

Network: ESPN

The Tigers clash in Columbia this Saturday, but the real story lies on the sidelines. Eli Drinkwitz, with his Missouri Tigers at 5-1 and sniffing a playoff berth, has a chance to turn up the heat on Hugh Freeze and his struggling Auburn squad. Freeze, already on shaky ground at 2-4, can ill afford another loss, especially one against a team Auburn should, on paper, be competitive with. Missouri’s offense, while not flashy, has been efficient, and their defense will be looking to feast on Auburn’s turnover-prone quarterback, Payton Thorne. If Drinkwitz can orchestrate a convincing win, it could send Freeze further down the hot seat and solidify Drinkwitz’s status as a rising star in the SEC.

Tulsa @ Temple: Drayton’s Last Stand? Fry’s History Suggests So.

Game Time: 2:00 PM Eastern/11:00 AM Pacific

Network: ESPN+

This Saturday’s clash between Temple and Tulsa isn’t just a battle of two winless AAC teams; it’s a potential last stand for Owls head coach Stan Drayton, and the man in the stands, new university president John Fry, might be the one to seal his fate. With Temple sitting at a dismal 1-5, Drayton’s seat is scorching hot. A loss to a similarly struggling Tulsa team could be the final straw, especially considering Fry’s history.

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

The $110 Million Question: Is Lincoln Riley’s USC Experiment Unraveling?

Picture this: It’s 2021, and USC just dropped a cool $110 million on Lincoln Riley, college football’s offensive wunderkind. The champagne’s flowing, the Spirit of Troy – the greatest marching band in the history of the universe – is playing “Conquest,” and Trojan fans are waving the “victory” sign while simultaneously dreaming of national titles.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the Trojans are stumbling into the Big Ten with offensive and defensive lines as sturdy as a Hollywood movie set. Fans wonder if they’ve bought tickets to a blockbuster or a B-movie flop.

What’s going on? Let’s break it down, play by excruciating play.

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.
VISIT OUR SHOP [COMING SOON]

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

JOIN THE COACHES HOT SEAT FORUM

Trent Dilfer’s UAB Tenure: A Program-Killer in the Making?

Is this a program-killer in the making?

Picture this: It’s a crisp autumn Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. The stands at Protective Stadium are sparse, and the energy is subdued. On the sideline, a man with a Super Bowl ring on his finger and a deer-in-headlights look in his eyes watches as his team gets steamrolled.

This isn’t some fever dream. This is the reality of UAB football under Trent Dilfer.

Now, I’ve seen my fair share of coaching hot seats. But Dilfer’s? It’s not just hot. It’s supernova hot. We’re talking “center of the sun” hot. And here’s the kicker: It’s all happening faster than you can say “freakin’ Alabama.”

The Unlikely Experiment Gone Wrong

In the high-stakes world of college football, UAB decided to roll the dice on a former NFL quarterback turned high school coach with zero college experience. It was the kind of move that either ends up in the genius column or… well, let’s say it’s currently trending towards the “What Were They Thinking?” file.

As Joseph Goodman, the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group puts it: “There was always a chance at UAB with Trent Dilfer that things could go horribly wrong in a hurry. Well, we’re here after six weeks of his second season on the Southside.”

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

GRIDIRON ARMAGEDDON: SEC Titans Clash, Big Ten Behemoths Collide, and Big 12 Underdogs Rise in a Weekend That’ll Shatter College Football’s Status Quo

Here we go, football fanatics. We’re about to witness GRIDIRON ARMAGEDDON: SEC Titans Clash, Big Ten Behemoths Collide, and Big 12 Underdogs Rise in a Weekend That’ll Shatter College Football’s Status Quo. This isn’t just another Saturday of college football. It’s a seismic event that’s about to rock the very foundations of the sport. From the thunderous roar of SEC stadiums to the electric atmosphere of Big Ten showdowns and the uprising of Big 12 underdogs, every snap, every tackle, every touchdown could rewrite the playoff narrative. Forget everything you think you know about rankings and reputations. When the dust settles on this epic slate of games, the landscape of college football will never be the same. Are you ready?

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

Finally-A-Friday, Week 7, Tonight’s Showdown in the Desert, Utah at Arizona State

Game: 16 Utah at Arizona State

Game Time: 10:30 PM Eastern, 7:30 PM Pacific

The stage is set for a classic Big 12 showdown under the Friday night lights. Still licking its wounds from a humbling loss to Arizona, Utah heads to Tempe to face an unexpectedly potent Arizona State squad. It’s a clash of styles, a battle of wills, and a pivotal moment for both teams in the conference race.

The Utes: Wounded But Dangerous

Utah, known for its stifling defense and physicality, has been hit hard by injuries. The availability of star quarterback Cameron Rising remains a mystery, shrouded in the typical Whittinghamian secrecy. If Rising can’t go, it’ll be up to freshman Isaac Wilson to navigate a hostile environment and avoid the red zone woes that plagued him against Arizona.

The Sun Devils: A Desert Mirage or the Real Deal?

Arizona State, led by freshman quarterback sensation Sam Leavitt, has defied expectations with a 4-1 start. But their schedule has been soft, and Utah represents a significant step up in competition. Can Leavitt handle the pressure of a primetime matchup against a top-tier defense?

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

What’s up with Purdue?

In the crisp autumn air of West Lafayette, Indiana, a story of ambition, miscalculation, and the unforgiving nature of college football is unfolding. At its center stands Ryan Walters, a 37-year-old wunderkind of defensive coaching. Now facing the greatest challenge of his young career, fans are asking, “Is Ryan Walters heading to the top of the Coaches Hot Seat rankings?”

Two years ago, Walters was the toast of the Big Ten. As the defensive coordinator at Illinois, he had engineered a turnaround that transformed the Illini from a conference punching bag to a genuine contender. His defenses were smart, aggressive, and, most importantly, effective. When Purdue came calling with a head coaching offer, it seemed like the natural next step in a meteoric rise.

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

The $87 Million Question: Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s Football Gamble

Auburn University finds itself at a crossroads in the gladiatorial college football arena, where millionaire coaches pace sidelines and billion-dollar TV deals fuel an insatiable machine. The whispers have already started. The faithful readers of CoachesHotSeat.com, those amateur Nostradamuses of the gridiron, are asking the question that sends shivers down the spine of every Auburn fan: Could Hugh Freeze be fired this year?

It’s a question that isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about cold, hard cash—$87 million of it, to be exact.

That’s the jaw-dropping sum Auburn has either already spent or might have to spend on coaching changes. $67 million shelled out since 2000 to make coaches go away, and potentially another $20 million waiting in the wings for Freeze. It’s a number that would make Wall Street blush and leave most university presidents reaching for the antacid. And now, less than two years into his tenure, Hugh Freeze might be the next name on that expensive list.

Let’s examine the situation at Auburn and see if Freeze will pack his bags before the leaves change color next fall.

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES

Week 7 – Hot Seat Rankings Overview

In college football’s high-stakes arena, where multimillion-dollar decisions hinge on the outcome of a single play, a silent countdown ticks away. We’re approaching the season’s midpoint, that critical juncture where athletic directors start crunching numbers that have nothing to do with touchdowns or field goals.

Welcome to this week’s Coaches Hot Seat Rankings, where we peel back the curtain on the beautifully absurd world of college football economics.

Forget win-loss records for a moment (though they’re the fuel that feeds this fire). Forget rivalry games and conference standings (the kindling, if you will). Today, we’re diving headfirst into the labyrinthine world of contract buyouts—those golden parachutes that can turn a simple firing into a financial apocalypse.

We’ve identified the top 5 coaches whose seats aren’t just hot—they’re scorching. But here’s the twist: their fates aren’t sealed by X’s and O’s alone. No, these men are trapped in a game where the final score is tallied not on a scoreboard but in a boardroom.

READ THE ENTIRE POST WITH A FREE PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

Join today to get access to all posts and forums.

Name*
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Membership

Already A Member? LOG IN HERE

No related posts found.

LOAD MORE BLOG ARTICLES