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

Mark Haines on October 18, 2024

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.

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

Mark Haines on October 9, 2024

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.

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The Hot Seat Burns: Purdue Parts Ways with Graham Harrell Amidst Offensive Struggles

Mark Haines on September 30, 2024

In the high-stakes college football world, where every play counts and every game matters, the pressure cooker environment can sometimes boil over. And in West Lafayette, Indiana, the temperature had been rising steadily.

The Fall From Grace

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What We’re Watchin Saturday – Week 4 Edition

Mark Haines on September 20, 2024

Preview of Six Marquee Matchups & Full Viewer Guide

Week 4 in college football isn’t just another Saturday on the calendar. It’s a crucible, a proving ground where pretenders are unmasked, and contenders emerge bloodied but unbowed.

Picture this: Twenty-two young men, their futures hanging in the balance, lined up on a field about to become their battleground. The air crackles with tension. In the stands, thousands hold their breath, their hopes and fears palpable.

This weekend, we’re in for a feast of gridiron drama. Six marquee matchups pit the Top 25 teams against each other in conference showdowns that could reshape the season’s landscape. The anticipation is palpable. These aren’t just games; they’re narrative-defining moments, each with the potential to launch or derail championship dreams.

But here’s the kicker: It’s not just about the rankings. It’s about the stories unfolding on that field—the quarterback fighting for redemption after last week’s crushing interception. The underdog team, written off by pundits, hungry to prove the world wrong. The coach on the hot seat, his career potentially riding on the next four quarters. These are the personal struggles that make college football so compelling.

As we enter Week 4, remember that every snap, decision, and moment of glory or failure in college football isn’t just changing the scoreboard. It’s changing lives.

So, which battles will define this weekend? Which teams will rise to the occasion, and which will crumble under huge expectations? The unpredictability of college football makes it so thrilling—strap in, folks. We’re about to find out.

Early Games

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Why Riley & Day Are Poised to Shatter Expectations (Or Crash and Burn)

Mark Haines on August 28, 2024

The Coaches on the (Supposed) Hot Seat: Lincoln Riley and Ryan Day
The college football season hasn’t started, and the “hot seat” talk is already in full swing. Pundits and fans are sharpening their pitchforks, ready to skew any coach who doesn’t deliver immediate, flawless results. Lincoln Riley at USC and Ryan Day at Ohio State are two names that keep popping up. Let’s examine whether these coaches genuinely feel the heat or it’s just the usual preseason hype.

Lincoln Riley: The USC Savior or a Trojan Horse?
On the surface, it seems absurd to suggest Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat. He led USC to a Pac-12 Championship appearance and coached Caleb Williams to a Heisman Trophy in his first season. But the Trojans stumbled to an 8-5 record in 2023. While still potent with Williams at the helm, the defense was a sieve, and the offense couldn’t overcome the defensive woes. The sting of losses to Notre Dame and UCLA still lingers (how do you not have your team “hyped” to play your two biggest rivals?), and some question whether Riley is the right man for the job.

So, is Riley’s seat hot?
Not really. Let’s be honest; he inherited a program in shambles. Rebuilding takes time, and Riley has made significant progress. The move to the Big Ten is a new ballgame, and he deserves a chance to adapt. His track record speaks for itself – the man knows how to develop quarterbacks and attract top talent. USC’s administration didn’t shell out millions for a quick fix; they’re invested in Riley’s long-term vision.

But, there’s always a ‘but’…

Winning cures all. Riley’s current winning percentage is .704, barely above the acceptable USC minimum of .691(calculated by Coaches Hot Seat.)
USC isn’t just about winning; it’s about tradition. Riley needs to embrace the legacy of coaches like Jones, McKay, Robinson, and Carroll. They set the standard at USC.
Recruiting matters. Southern California is a goldmine of talent. Riley must focus on locking down the local kids, not chasing pipe dreams nationwide.
The Notre Dame rivalry is sacred. Riley’s talk of ditching it and being “more like Alabama” is blasphemy to Trojan fans. USC has its own unique identity, and Riley needs to respect that.
• It’s the little things, too. Assigning jersey numbers with history, opening up to the media, and stop whining about the schedule. Act like you’re a $10 million coach at USC.

Ryan Day: The Buckeye Burden
Ryan Day’s resume at Ohio State is stellar: a 55-8 record and two Big Ten championships. But those three consecutive losses to Michigan? They’re a scarlet letter on his otherwise impressive tenure. The Buckeye faithful crave dominance, especially against their arch-nemesis. The pressure to beat Michigan and win a national championship is immense.

Is Day’s job in jeopardy?
Not yet. He’s consistently delivered success, and the team is primed for another strong season. The expanded College Football Playoff gives them more chances to contend for a title, even if they slip up against Michigan. Day’s track record and the program’s strength suggest he’s not on the hot seat…yet.

But the pressure is mounting…

Losing to Michigan again would be catastrophic. It’s not just about the rivalry; it’s about maintaining the program’s aura of invincibility.
Missing the playoffs, even with the expanded format, would be a major letdown after a hyped offseason.
A blowout loss in a big game could raise questions about Day’s leadership and ability to make adjustments.
Any signs of player discontent or locker room issues could snowball into a full-blown crisis.
A significant decline in performance, with multiple losses and a lack of competitiveness, could seal Day’s fate.

The Bottom Line
Both Riley and Day are under the microscope. But for now, their seats are lukewarm at best. They have the talent, the resources, and the support to turn things around. The 2024 season will be a defining one for both coaches. Will they rise to the occasion, or will the hot seat rumors become a self-fulfilling prophecy? Only time will tell.

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Blog Article

Comcast’s Big Ten Blackout: A Major Fumble on the Goal Line

Mark Haines on August 27, 2024

We’ve got a real head-scratcher on our hands, courtesy of Comcast Xfinity and their handling of the Big Ten Network’s new additions.

John Canzano over at the Bald Faced Truth Newsletter has been digging into this, and it’s not pretty.
The Bottom Line: Comcast is blacking out Big Ten Network games featuring Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC. Yes, you read that right. The very schools that jumped ship from the Pac-12, partly for better TV distribution, are now facing blackouts in their inaugural Big Ten season.

The Fumble: Comcast and the Big Ten Network are at odds over whether live games should be part of the basic cable package or require an upgraded sports tier. Comcast wants that extra $10 a month. The Big Ten Network? Not so much.

The Fallout: Fans are understandably furious. Many shelled out the extra cash based on Comcast’s assurances, only to find live games are MIA. We’re talking football, soccer, volleyball – the whole shebang.

The Bigger Picture: This isn’t just about a few missed games. It’s about broken promises, poor communication, and a major fumble on Comcast’s part. Remember those Pac-12 distribution woes that haunted fans for years? Yeah, this feels a bit like déjà vu.

The Silver Lining: Other providers like Hulu, YouTube TV, etc., aren’t having any issues. So, if you’re fed up with Comcast’s shenanigans, you’ve got options.

The Takeaway: Comcast needs to get its act together. Fast. This isn’t how you welcome new teams and their fans to the Big Ten family. Let’s hope they resolve this mess before the first football games kick off. Otherwise, they risk alienating a massive chunk of their customer base.

Stay tuned: We’ll keep you updated on this developing story. In the meantime, let’s hope Comcast sees the light and does right by its customers.

B1G Ten Network Access Issues

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