Blog Article

Is Blake Anderson a Good Hire for Southern Miss? Yes. Is He a Great Hire? Probably Not.

Mark Haines on January 29, 2026

When Charles Huff bolted for Memphis after just one season, Southern Miss had a choice to make.

Swing big on another rising star. Roll the dice on an unproven coordinator. Or promote the 56-year-old offensive coordinator who already had the keys to the building.

Athletic Director Jeremy McClain chose door three. Three days after naming Blake Anderson interim coach, he removed the interim tag entirely.

The message was clear: stability over splash.

But does the data support that decision?

Anderson’s résumé is exactly what G5 programs dream of.

Ten seasons as an FBS head coach. A 74-55 overall record. Three conference championships—two Sun Belt titles at Arkansas State (2015, 2016) and a Mountain West title at Utah State (2021). Nine bowl appearances. A .663 winning percentage in conference play.

That last number matters. Conference record is where coaches prove they can win the games that define their programs, not just schedule soft non-conference opponents and pad their overall numbers.

Anderson knows how to win league games.

He also knows Southern Miss.

This is his second stint in Hattiesburg – he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2008-11 under Larry Fedora. When McClain announced the hire, he cited Anderson’s “respect of the players and the staff throughout the Duff Center” as a key factor.

Translation: the locker room wanted this. That matters more than people think in the transfer portal era.

Here’s where things get interesting.

We ran Anderson through our Splits Profile – a scoring system that measures how coaches perform across different game contexts. The breakdown:

CategoryBlake AndersonCharles Huff
Overall W–L74–55 (.574)39–25 (.609)
Home W–L40–30 (.571)25–17 (.595)
Away W–L31–18 (.633)13–6 (.684)
Neutral W–L3–6 (.333)1–2 (.333)
Late season W–L24–18 (.571)13–8 (.619)
vs Ranked W–L2–8 (.200)1–2 (.333)
Bowls W–L4–6 (.400)1–2 (.333)
Splits Profile8.0/108.0/10

Same score.

On paper, Anderson and Huff grade out as the exact same type of coach. Both strong in overall and road performance. Both weak in big-stage games against ranked opponents. Both solid late-season closers.

The difference is sample size. Anderson’s numbers come from 129 games over a decade. Huff’s come from 64 games over five years. Anderson’s track record is deeper—but it also shows more clearly where his ceiling might be.

That ceiling question is the crux of this hire.

At Utah State, Anderson won 11 games and a conference title in his first season (2021). Then the Aggies went 6-7 in 2022. And 6-7 again in 2023. Classic Year One spike, followed by regression to the mean.

Anderson didn’t leave Utah State because of those 6-7 records.

He was fired in July 2024 over Title IX policy violations – the university alleged he improperly handled a domestic violence situation involving a player. Anderson disputes the findings and has filed a $15 million wrongful termination lawsuit.

That’s separate from his on-field performance. But it does explain why a three-time conference champion was available to be an offensive coordinator in 2025.

And as Southern Miss’s OC, Anderson delivered.

His passing offense ranked first in the Sun Belt. The Golden Eagles went from 1-11 in 2024 to 7-6 in 2025—a six-win turnaround that included a five-game winning streak and a Sun Belt title game that came down to the final week.

Yes, Huff built the roster. But Anderson ran the offense that made it work.

The immediate challenge is significant.

Southern Miss had 31 seniors on the 2025 roster. Key contributors like linebacker Corey Myrick (91 tackles, 2 INTs) and defensive end Zae Ponder have already entered the transfer portal. Wide receiver Tychaun Chapman—third on the team in receiving yards—is gone too.

Anderson is essentially inheriting a shell of the team that won seven games.

His staff tells you how he plans to rebuild.

Kyle Cefalo comes in as offensive coordinator—he’s worked with Anderson for nine years across Arkansas State, Utah State, and now Southern Miss. Joe Bolden gets promoted to defensive coordinator after one season as special teams coordinator. Bobby Dodd arrives from Pittsburgh to run special teams.

It’s not a splashy staff. But it’s an experienced one. Cefalo’s offenses at Utah State ranked sixth nationally in total yards last season. Bolden has stops at Ohio State, USC, and Michigan on his résumé.

Anderson is betting on continuity over chaos.

Here’s the honest assessment.

This hire makes sense for what Southern Miss is trying to accomplish right now: protect the floor Huff built, maintain locker room stability during a brutal roster transition, and give Anderson a chance to prove his Utah State results weren’t a fluke.

Anderson has rebuilt programs before.

At Arkansas State, he took over a team that had just lost Gus Malzahn to Auburn and immediately won nine games. At Utah State, he inherited a 1-5 pandemic-shortened roster and won 11 games the next season.

He knows how to take over a broken situation and win quickly.

But Southern Miss isn’t broken anymore.

The question is whether Anderson can take a functioning program and make it better—or whether he’ll settle into the 6-7 to 7-5 range that defined his final years in Logan.

The splits say he’s an 8.0/10 coach. That’s good. That’s bowl-eligible most years with an occasional division title shot when the roster peaks.

But it’s not Huff-level upside. Huff was a rising star who turned Marshall into a conference champion and then repeated the formula at Southern Miss in a single season. Anderson is a known commodity—a veteran who’s done this before and will probably do it again, just not necessarily better than before.

The Verdict

Is this a good hire for Southern Miss? Yes.

Is it a great hire? Probably not.

Southern Miss needed someone who could stabilize the program, retain players through a chaotic transition, and compete in the Sun Belt next season. Anderson checks all three boxes.

But fans hoping for a continuation of the Huff trajectory should recalibrate expectations.

This is a floor-protection hire, not a ceiling-raising one.

Anderson will almost certainly keep Southern Miss bowl-eligible. He’ll probably win the Sun Belt West at least once. And he’ll do it without the drama of chasing the next hot coordinator who might leave after one season anyway.

For a program that went 1-11 just two years ago, that’s not nothing.

It’s just not everything.

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Charles Huff Took Southern Miss From 1-11 to 7-5 In One Season. Now He’s At Memphis—His Third Job In Three Years.

Mark Haines on January 14, 2026

Charles Huff fixes broken programs.

That’s the value proposition Memphis is buying. Not a recruiter who needs five years to build his guys. Not a developmental coach who grows freshmen into seniors. Huff is a fixer — a guy who walks into a disaster, flips the portal, resets the culture, and delivers wins fast.

The pattern is clear now.

And if you’re trying to understand what Memphis is getting (and what they’re risking), you need to see how the pattern repeats.

The Southern Miss Fix: 1-11 to 7-5 In One Year

Huff inherited a catastrophe.

  • Zero Sun Belt wins in 2024.
  • Out of most games by halftime.
  • A program with no pulse.
  • One year later: 7-5, bowl eligible, in division-title contention deep into November.
  • That six-win jump was one of the largest single-season improvements in FBS.

Here’s how he did it:

Turnover Margin

Through 10 games, Southern Miss forced 25 turnovers while committing only 12. That’s a +1.30 margin per game — top three nationally. Those takeaways produced 61 points and shortened the field for an offense still finding its footing.

Portal reconstruction.

Huff didn’t try to develop the 1-11 roster. He replaced it. New faces, new expectations, new standards. The veterans who stayed had to buy in or get out.

Defensive identity.

Coordinator Jason Semore’s unit was top-tier in red-zone defense and strong against the run. The offense didn’t need to be special. It just needed to not lose games.

Close-game composure.

The 2024 team was routinely outclassed and out of games early. The 2025 team finished. Multiple tight conference wins late in the year.

  • Huff talked about confronting the “scar tissue” of the previous season.
  • His team played like they believed him.
  • But here’s the tension in the splits:
  • Late-season record at Southern Miss: 1-3 (.250).
  • The turnaround was real. The finish wasn’t. After starting 6-2, Southern Miss dropped three of their last four.

And then Huff left.

The Marshall Fix: 32-20 With A Top-10 Upset

Southern Miss wasn’t the first time.

Huff arrived at Marshall in 2021 with a Saban pedigree and a recruiting reputation. Four years later, he left with a 32-20 record, a Sun Belt title, and the signature win of his career: a road upset of #8 Notre Dame in 2022.

The splits tell the story of a coach who built something real:

  • Late-season record: 12-5 (.706)
  • Road record: 13-6 (.684)
  • Bowl record: 1-2

Marshall under Huff wasn’t elite. Advanced metrics rated them as respectable but not dominant at the G5 level. But they were consistently competitive, consistently bowling, and occasionally dangerous.

  • The late-season finishing that disappeared at Southern Miss? It was there at Marshall.
  • The difference: he had four years to build it.

Then he left for Southern Miss.

The Memphis Play: Same Playbook, Bigger Stage

This is a different setup than Marshall or Southern Miss.

Huff isn’t walking into a crater. Memphis went 8-4 in 2025, climbed as high as #22 in the polls, and returns a relatively healthy roster. Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas. Reggie Howard handled the bowl.

The bones are there.

Huff is attacking it the same way anyway.

The portal haul is already significant:

  • Air Noland (QB, South Carolina) — former blue-chip, 3,500-yard passer, projected starter
  • Dallan Hayden (RB, Colorado) — ex-Ohio State signee with Big Ten/Big 12 experience
  • J’Mond Tapp (EDGE, Southern Miss) — All-Sun Belt, 70 tackles, 7.5 sacks
  • Michael Montgomery (LB, Southern Miss) — All-Sun Belt, knows Semore’s system
  • Ian Foster (DB, Southern Miss) — All-Sun Belt, ball production in the secondary

He’s importing proven production to raise the talent ceiling immediately.

Same playbook. Same urgency.

The staff reflects it too. Kevin Decker comes from Old Dominion, where his offense averaged 460+ yards per game with tempo and spread concepts. Jason Semore followed from Southern Miss to run the defense. Ben Ashford, Huff’s long-time strength coach, is the culture anchor.

Everything is built for Year 1 impact.

The Risk: Three Jobs In Three Years

Here’s what Memphis is betting against:

Charles Huff has never stayed anywhere long enough to see what happens after Year 4.

This is his third head job in three years. Marshall to Southern Miss to Memphis — each time chasing a bigger opportunity, each time leaving before the program had to answer harder questions about depth, development, and sustained excellence.

The turnaround pattern is proven.

The sustainability pattern doesn’t exist yet.

At Marshall, he built something and left before the conference-title team had to defend it. At Southern Miss, he engineered a miracle year and left before finding out if it was a mirage. Now at Memphis, he inherits an 8-4 roster and a program with CFP aspirations in a realigning AAC.

The questions he has to answer:

  • Can he win when he’s not the underdog?
  • Can he develop a roster instead of just replacing one?
  • Can he stay?

The splits say Huff is a .609 coach who wins on the road, finishes strong at his longer stops, and hasn’t proven much against ranked opponents or in bowl games.

The narrative says he’s an elevator.

But elevators go both directions.

Memphis is betting he keeps going up.

They’re also betting he doesn’t get off at the next floor.

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Tulane Just Made The College Football Playoff. Then They Hired A Coach Who Went 14-30 And Was Fired Mid-Season.

Mark Haines on December 11, 2025

Is This a Good Hire?

The Short Answer: No.

Tulane just went from one of the best Group of Five coaching situations in America to hiring a coach who was fired mid-season after going 14-30 at Southern Miss.

Let that sink in.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Will Hall’s FBS head coaching record is brutal:

Southern Miss (2021-2024)

  • Overall: 14-30 (.318)
  • Home: 8-19 (.296)
  • Away: 5-16 (.238)
  • vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-4 (.000)
  • Late Season: 5-9 (.357)

The only bright spot? A 7-6 season in 2022 that included a LendingTree Bowl win. Everything else was a disaster. Hall was fired seven games into 2024 after a 1-6 start.

Now compare that to Jon Sumrall’s career:

Sumrall Career Record: 32-10 (.762)

  • At Tulane: 9-5 (.643)
  • Home: 17-5 (.773)
  • Away: 14-3 (.824)
  • Late Season: 11-4 (.733)

The drop-off isn’t subtle. It’s a cliff.

The “Continuity” Argument

Here’s what Tulane is selling:

Hall knows the building. He was the offensive coordinator under Willie Fritz in 2019 when Tulane set multiple school records. He’s back on staff as pass-game coordinator. He won’t bolt after one good season. He’ll keep the system running.

There’s some logic here.

Back-to-back coaching departures (Fritz to Georgia Tech, now Sumrall to Florida) have created genuine instability. An internal hire preserves scheme, culture, and recruiting relationships during a CFP run. Hall genuinely does have Tulane ties and likely is less likely to leave than a hot external name.

But here’s the problem:

Being loyal and being good aren’t the same thing.

What the Record Shows

Hall’s 2019 Tulane offense was legitimately excellent, top-25 nationally in rushing and total offense, school records falling left and right. He can clearly call plays and develop quarterbacks at the coordinator level.

But FBS head coaching is a different job entirely.

At Southern Miss, Hall couldn’t:

  • Win on the road (5-16)
  • Compete against ranked teams (0-4)
  • Close out seasons (5-9 late)
  • Build any sustainable momentum after 2022

The one outlier season (7-6) looks more like a blip than proof of concept. The year before was 3-9. The year after was 3-9. Then 1-6 before the firing.

Fan Sentiment Is Brutal

This isn’t a case where analytics nerds are upset, but the fanbase is excited.

The Tulane fanbase is angry.

The dominant reaction across social media, message boards, and podcasts is “deflated and confused.” National observers are calling it “the worst hire of the cycle.” Fans are openly questioning whether AD David Harris made a cheap, small-time decision at the exact moment Tulane finally had leverage.

The optics are terrible:

  • AAC champions
  • First-ever CFP berth
  • Program at an all-time high
  • Hire a guy who was fired mid-season with a .318 winning percentage

That’s not how you capitalize on momentum.

The Process Grade

Here’s how this breaks down for Coaches Hot Seat purposes:

CategoryGradeExplanation
RésuméD14-30 at Southern Miss, fired mid-season. The FBS head coaching track record is disqualifying.
FitB+Knows Tulane, knows the system, knows the city. Won’t leave. The continuity case is coherent.
ProcessCInternal hire looks budget-conscious, not ambitious. Fanbase is booing on Day 1.
CeilingTBDHas never proven he can sustain success at FBS level. Coordinator success doesn’t guarantee HC success.

Overall: C-

The Bottom Line

Tulane made a continuity bet that looks dramatically misaligned with where the program actually is.

This is a school that just made the College Football Playoff. That’s a program with real leverage—the ability to attract a rising coordinator from a Power Four school, a hot Group of Five name, someone with actual FBS head coaching wins.

Instead, they promoted a coach with a .318 FBS head-coaching record who was literally unemployed two months ago after Southern Miss fired him.

The fit case is coherent. The résumé case is mind-boggling.

Tulane’s AD spent a considerable chunk of goodwill to hire a coach his own fans are booing on Day 1. That’s not how you build on historic success. That’s how you risk giving it all back.

Hall’s Pressure Status

Starting Pressure Level: HIGH

He inherits a CFP roster but enters with:

  • Zero credibility cushion from his FBS head coaching record
  • A skeptical-to-hostile fanbase
  • Immediate expectations to maintain what Sumrall built
  • Questions about whether he can close games, win on the road, or beat good teams

Year 1 needs to be 8+ wins minimum to quiet the noise. Anything less, and the “we told you so” chorus will be deafening.

The margin for error here is essentially zero.

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Southern Miss Football 2025: Charles Huff Just Copy-Pasted a Championship Program

Mark Haines on August 12, 2025

Here’s what everyone is missing about the Southern Miss hire.

Charles Huff didn’t just take a new job. He literally copy-pasted an entire championship program from Marshall to Hattiesburg. Most coaching hires involve one person switching schools. This is different. This is importing a proven system, proven players, and proven results wholesale.

And if you understand what actually happened here, you’ll realize Southern Miss just pulled off the most aggressive program rebuild in modern college football.

This Isn’t a Coaching Change. It’s a Hostile Takeover.

Let me paint the picture:

Marshall goes 10-3, wins the Sun Belt championship, and destroys Louisiana 31-3 in the title game. Their quarterback throws 19 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. Their offense averages 382.8 yards per game. Their defense allows just 23.1 points per game.

Southern Miss goes 1-11, scores 15.3 points per game, allows 37.8 points per game, goes winless in conference play.

Normal world: Southern Miss hires a good coach and hopes he can slowly rebuild.

What actually happened: Southern Miss hired the good coach AND most of his championship team.

Key players who switched uniforms:

  • Braylon Braxton: Marshall’s quarterback with the 19-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio
  • Carl Chester: 20 catches, 342 yards, 3 touchdowns at Marshall
  • Tychaun Chapman: Multi-use weapon with rushing and receiving TDs
  • Bralon Brown: Explosive receiver from Marshall’s championship squad
  • Elijah Metcalf: Proven target with multiple touchdown catches
  • Josh Moten: Cornerback with 5 interceptions

That represents approximately 20 key contributors from Marshall’s championship team now wearing Southern Miss uniforms, creating an unprecedented roster transformation in modern college football.

This isn’t roster building. It’s roster importing.

The numbers only underscore just how dramatic this turnaround is poised to be.

The Numbers Don’t Lie (And They’re Brutal)

Here’s the gap Huff is bridging.

Quarterback play:

  • 2024 Southern Miss QBs: 7 touchdown passes, 17 interceptions
  • Braylon Braxton at Marshall: 19 touchdown passes, 2 interceptions

Offensive production:

  • Southern Miss 2024: 283.5 yards per game
  • Marshall 2024: 382.8 yards per game

Scoring differential:

  • Southern Miss: -22.5 points per game
  • Marshall: +8.7 points per game

Conference results:

  • Southern Miss: 0-8 in Sun Belt play
  • Marshall: 8-1 in Sun Belt play

Same conference. Same level of competition. Completely different results.

The question isn’t whether Southern Miss will improve. The question is how much.

But understanding the statistical transformation requires examining the strategic genius behind it.

Why This Strategy Works

Most people think college football rebuilds take 3-4 years because you have to recruit high school players, develop them, install systems, and build culture.

Huff skipped all of that.

Traditional rebuild vs. Huff’s method:

  • Recruit 18-year-olds and hope they develop → Brought 22-year-olds who already know his system
  • Install new offensive and defensive schemes → Brought the same coordinators who installed those schemes at Marshall
  • Build championship culture → Imported players who already lived it

This is what smart business leaders do when they take over struggling companies. They don’t start from scratch.

They bring their proven team and proven processes.

The scope of this organizational transplant becomes even clearer when you examine the coaching staff changes.

The Coaching Staff Migration Tells the Real Story

Jason Semore, Marshall’s defensive coordinator who held Sun Belt offenses to 23.1 points per game? He’s now Southern Miss’s defensive coordinator.

Johnathan Galante, who coached Marshall’s top-15 nationally ranked special teams? Southern Miss special teams coordinator. Telly Lockette, who directed Marshall’s 201.7 yards per game rushing attack that ranked 19th nationally? Running backs coach at Southern Miss.

This isn’t just Charles Huff getting a new job. This is an entire championship operation relocating.

The transfer portal skeptics completely miss why this approach represents the future of college football rebuilding.

What Everyone Gets Wrong About Transfer Portal Era

Critics say the transfer portal ruins college football because players just chase money and change schools constantly.

They’re missing the point.

The transfer portal allows proven coaches to bring proven systems and proven players to new programs instantly. It allows smart programs to skip the traditional 3-4 year rebuild cycle. Southern Miss just demonstrated the blueprint: Don’t recruit and develop.

Import and deploy.

Now the practical test begins with Southern Miss’s 2025 schedule, where this transplanted championship core will face familiar competition.

The 2025 Schedule Reality Check

Southern Miss opens against Mississippi State on August 30.

That’s a measuring stick game against an SEC opponent. The Sun Belt schedule includes home games against Appalachian State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas State, and Troy. Road tests at Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Arkansas State, and South Alabama.

Here’s what’s different: Last year, these same Marshall players went 8-1 against Sun Belt competition. Now they’re playing the same conference schedule wearing different uniforms.

The logical outcome isn’t 1-11. It’s bowl eligibility, and potentially much more.

Traditional rebuilding timelines simply don’t apply when you’re importing championship-level talent and systems.

Why Traditional Rebuilding Wisdom Is Dead

Old model: Hire coach, recruit players, install system, develop culture, hope for improvement in year 3-4.

New model: Import championship coach, championship players, championship system, championship culture. Compete immediately.

Southern Miss just proved the new model works faster.

The evidence is overwhelming when you step back and assess what actually happened in Hattiesburg.

The Bottom Line

Charles Huff brought a 10-3 Marshall team to Southern Miss and changed the uniforms.

The quarterback who threw 19 touchdown passes with 2 interceptions is the same quarterback who will take snaps for Southern Miss. The receivers who caught those touchdown passes are the same receivers running routes in Hattiesburg. The defense that allowed 23.1 points per game at Marshall is largely the same defense taking the field for Southern Miss.

This isn’t hope and potential. This is proven production with a change of address. Southern Miss didn’t just hire a good coach.

They acquired a championship program.

Expect to see Southern Miss fighting for bowl eligibility in 2025—and if this blueprint works as designed, they’ll be competing for much more than that.

Want to know which other “under the radar” coaches are about to be on the hot seat?

I track the real hot seats (not just the obvious ones) every Friday in my free newsletter.

Join thousands of readers who get the stories before they become headlines: Coaches Hot Seat Insider.

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Coaches on Fire? Readers Respond to the Hot Seat Rankings

Mark Haines on October 25, 2024

Welcome back to the Coaches Hot Seat, where we dissect the volatile world of college football coaching and track those whose seats are getting too toasty for comfort. Today, we’re tackling our readers’ fiery feedback and passionate perspectives. Because let’s face it, college football fandom is a crucible of emotions, and sometimes those emotions boil over. So hang on – we’re about to explore the highs and lows, the agreements and disagreements, and the raw, unfiltered takes from the passionate community that makes college football what it is.

A Fan’s Take: Will Hall’s Legacy and the Future of Southern Miss Football

“Will Hall is a good man who did many great off the field teams for the program. But, on the field, it just didn’t work out. His “last season” (2023) was 3-9, replicating his first season, and now this 1-6 start that finally led to the plug being pulled. Southern Miss not many years ago under Jeff Bower and Larry Fedora, consistently had winning records and made bowl games. Jay Hopson had winning teams every year, until resigning after the first game of 2021 after losing to South Alabama.

In the landscape of NIL and up and rising programs like South Alabama that have cut into their recruiting pool, it is going to take a home run hire to bring USM back to relevance in my opinion.”

You bring up some great points about the challenges facing Southern Miss football. It’s a brutal landscape, with the rise of NIL and programs like South Alabama making it harder to recruit top talent.

Will Hall indeed had some success off the field, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Ultimately, wins and losses matter most in college football, and unfortunately, those weren’t consistently enough during his tenure.

As you mentioned, Southern Miss has a proud football tradition with a history of success under coaches like Jeff Bower and Larry Fedora. The fans in Hattiesburg are hungry to get back to that level, and it will take a dynamic leader and a strong recruiting effort to make that happen.

We’re excited to see who Southern Miss hires as its next head coach. It’ll be interesting to follow their search and see what direction they decide to take. Hopefully, they can find someone to bring the Golden Eagles back to prominence in the Sun Belt!

“Do Some Research!”: Fans Demand Huff’s Hot Seat Status

How do you not list Charles Huff in your Coaches Hot Seat Rankings? 20 coaches with a hotter seat is complete BS!! He almost got fired last year and still sucks!!! He blew a 23-3 in the 4th quarter and almost blew another lead against Georgia State. We know you don’t care about the smaller schools. The fact that nobody has Huff on the hot seat at this point in the season is ridiculous!! Do some research, probably don’t even know the Sun Belt exists. At least pretend to care about smaller schools like Marshall.

Look, I get it. It’s infuriating. You’ve got a coach who, in your eyes, just isn’t cutting it. The team’s underperforming, and to add insult to injury, nobody seems to notice or care. It’s like Marshall football exists in its own little bubble, right?

Believe me, I understand that frustration.

But here’s the thing: you’re not alone. We see those smaller schools grinding it out, battling every week. Look at our Hot Seat rankings – we’ve got coaches from smaller programs all over the list. Did we miss Marshall this time? Absolutely. And that’s on us. We’re not perfect.

But here’s where you come in. This isn’t just my list. It’s a conversation. Our community, our members – you guys – you have a voice. You provide the insights and the on-the-ground perspective that we need. And guess what? Starting next week, you’re going to have even more say. We’re putting the power in your hands with community voting.

So speak up. Let your voice be heard. This is how we build a truly comprehensive and insightful Hot Seat ranking – together.

Fan Reaction to Riley’s Reign

This is year 3, and “coach” Lincoln Riley can collect $12,000,000 per year for the rest of the decade.

The stadium was 1/3 full on Saturday. Will Jennifer Cohen be handing tickets out at the border before the ND game to fill seats? Lincoln better be #1 on the hot seat list. He was there last year.

“Better be?” “1/3 full?” Okay, let’s dive into this.

First, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: Lincoln Riley is making money. A reported $10 million a year (not 12) is a lot of cheddar, and with that comes a certain expectation. USC expects to win, and they expect to win big.

He’s also got a reported $87 million buyout. Do you want to know why he’s not #1? There are 87 million reasons why.

Wisconsin and Penn State were sellouts. So are Nebraska and Notre Dame.

I’ve been critical of certain aspects of Riley’s program at USC, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

So, let’s hold off on the “better be’s” and the panic buttons. It’s more likely that he decides to leave on his own rather than USC buying him out.

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

Mark Haines on October 21, 2024

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.

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Week 7 – Hot Seat Rankings Overview

Mark Haines on October 8, 2024

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.

1. Dave Aranda – Baylor

The whispers in the autumn air swirled like fallen leaves in Waco, carrying the weight of a season teetering on the brink. Twenty million dollars. That’s what the murmurs said it would cost Baylor to part ways with their enigmatic head coach, Dave Aranda, had they yielded to the mounting pressure after last season’s disappointment. Of course, Baylor shrouded in the Baptist mists of private university secrecy, keeps its coffers as close to the vest as its playbook. But let’s just say, with a contract stretching all the way to 2029, sixteen million – at the very least – is a reasonable guess.

Now, picture this: a coach, lauded as a defensive genius, finds himself at 2-4, staring down the barrel of a must-win scenario. Six games remain, and the magic number is six wins to secure bowl eligibility, a seemingly simple feat for a man who once orchestrated defenses that could suffocate the life out of the most potent offenses. But the gridiron gods are fickle, and the past two seasons have been a harsh reminder that even the best-laid plans can crumble beneath the weight of expectation.

The word on the street, from those who claim to know the inner workings of the Baylor machine, is this: a bowl game is no longer just a desire, it’s a necessity. Aranda, the stoic philosopher-coach, stands at a crossroads, his back against the wall with the clock ticking relentlessly. Can he summon the magic that once propelled him to the mountaintop, leading the Bears to a Big 12 Championship and a Sugar Bowl victory in 2021? Or will the weight of that hefty contract and the mounting pressure of a 2-4 record prove too much to bear?

The answer, my friends, lies hidden in the swirling chaos of the remaining six games. And like any good mystery, we’ll all be watching with bated breath, wondering if Aranda can pull off a miracle in Waco or if this is the beginning of the end.

2. Billy Napier – Florida

The air in Gainesville crackles with the electricity of a fanbase on the verge. It’s not just the humidity; it’s the palpable tension surrounding Billy Napier and his Florida Gators. A 2-3 start, a record as muggy and unpredictable as a Florida summer, has the Swamp simmering with a potent mix of frustration and fear. Napier, the supposed architect of a Gator renaissance, now finds himself staring down the jaws of a $28 million buyout, a figure that could make even the most die-hard booster reach for the smelling salts.

Jimmy Sexton, Napier’s agent and a man who could negotiate a raise out of a pauper, crafted a deal that would make Scrooge McDuck blush. Eighty-five percent of the remaining contract value, a cool $27,996,875 to be exact, is owed to Napier should the Gators decide to cut bait. And let’s be clear: in the win-or-else world of SEC football, where patience is as rare as a sober Saturday night in the Swamp, that kind of financial commitment can feel like an anvil around the neck of a struggling program.

Now, picture this: a coach, once hailed as the next big thing, wading through the murky waters of mediocrity. The ghosts of Spurrier and Meyer loom large, their championship rings glinting like hungry alligator eyes, reminding everyone of a bygone era of Gator dominance. But the present reality bites: 14-18 under Napier, with the echoes of those agonizing losses reverberating through the stadium.

The whispers in the Swamp are reaching a fever pitch, fueled by the anxiety of a fanbase yearning for a return to glory. “Twenty-eight million,” they murmur, the number hanging like Spanish moss. It’s a fortune, a sum that could buy a whole lot of orange and blue Kool-Aid, enough to drown out the sour taste of another lost season. But is it worth it? Is Napier’s methodical approach and unwavering faith in “the process” the right man to lead the Gators back to the promised land? Or is this another expensive experiment gone wrong, a cautionary tale of misplaced hope and exorbitant buyouts?

Seven games remain. Seven chances for Napier to rewrite the narrative, to silence the doubters, and to justify that eye-popping price tag. Once a cauldron of unbridled enthusiasm, the Swamp now simmers with a volatile mix of anticipation and dread. Will Napier rise to the occasion, or will he become another victim of the relentless meat grinder that is SEC football? The clock is ticking, the stakes are high, and the fate of the Gators hangs in the balance.

3. Will Hall – Southern Mississippi

The air in Hattiesburg is thick with tension, heavier than the humidity that hangs over the Mississippi pines. Will Hall, the hometown hero supposed to lead Southern Miss back to the promised land, finds himself on the precipice. A dismal 1-4 start has the Golden Eagles teetering on the brink of another lost season, and with just six games left on the schedule, Hall’s coaching career at his alma mater hangs by a thread.

Remember the fanfare when Hall arrived? He is a conquering hero with a shiny new contract and a 60% raise over his predecessor. Hope and optimism filled the air, a belief that this Southern Miss boy could restore the program to its former glory. Now, that contract is about to expire, and the only thing shining brighter than Hall’s initial promise is the exit sign.

$800,000 a year. That’s what Southern Miss invested in Will Hall—a significant sum for a program trying to claw its way back to relevance. But in the ruthless world of college football, where wins are the only legal tender, that salary is starting to look like a sunk cost.

And here’s the cold, hard truth: there’s no safety net. No hefty buyout to cushion the fall. If Southern Miss decides Hall isn’t the man for the job, they can show him the door at the end of the season, no strings attached. No messy divorce, no multi-million dollar payout. Just a handshake and a “thanks for your time.”

The whispers in the stands are getting louder with every loss. “One and four,” they murmur, the words echoing through the empty seats at M.M. Roberts Stadium. “Can he even make it to the end of the season?” they wonder, their voices filled with pity and resignation.

Six games. Six games to save his job. There are six opportunities for Will Hall to rewrite the narrative and prove he’s not just another overhyped coaching casualty. Six chances to silence the doubters and earn a contract extension, or pack his bags and head back to the drawing board. The clock is ticking, the pressure is relentless, and the future of Southern Miss football hangs in the balance. Can Will Hall pull off a miracle and salvage his career in Hattiesburg, or will these be his final six games leading the Golden Eagles? The answer, my friends, is blowing in the Mississippi wind.

4. Sonny Cumbie – Lousiana Tech

The buzz around Sonny Cumbie’s arrival in Ruston has faded faster than a Louisiana sunset. The high-flying offensive guru, lured to Louisiana Tech with a five-year, $4.85 million contract, finds himself grounded with a disappointing 1-3 start. Eight games remain in the season, and the whispers are starting to swirl: is Cumbie already on the hot seat?

$900,000. That’s what Louisiana Tech is shelling out for Cumbie this year, a figure that escalates to a cool million over the final three years of his deal. They even sweetened the pot with a $1.4 million pool for his assistants, hoping to build a coaching powerhouse in the heart of Cajun country. But with the Bulldogs sputtering out of the gate, that investment is starting to look like a risky proposition.

Cumbie’s contract is littered with incentives – bonuses for conference championships, bowl game appearances, and even boosting the team GPA. But right now, those incentives seem about as attainable as a snowball fight in July. The Bulldogs need a dramatic turnaround, and they need it fast, or those hefty bonuses will remain untouched like a forgotten bowl of gumbo.

And what about that buyout? If Louisiana Tech decides to cut ties with Cumbie, they’re on the hook for 75% of his remaining salary. It’s a hefty sum, but not impossible, especially if the Bulldogs continue their downward spiral. Will the administration pull the trigger or give Cumbie more time to prove himself?

The pressure is mounting in Ruston. The fans, accustomed to winning seasons and bowl game appearances, are growing restless. “One and three,” they mutter, the words hanging heavy in the humid air. “Is this all we get for $4.85 million?” they wonder, their voices filled with disappointment and frustration.

Eight games. Eight games for Sonny Cumbie to turn things around, silence the doubters, and justify that hefty price tag. Eight opportunities to prove he’s the offensive mastermind Louisiana Tech thought they were getting, or become another casualty in the high-stakes world of college football. The clock is ticking, the stakes are high, and the future of the Bulldogs hangs in the balance. Can Cumbie orchestrate a comeback, or will his time in Ruston be cut short? Only time will tell.

5. Trent Dilfer – Alabama Birmingham

UAB - Auburn

Attendance was sparse at the last UAB football game on October 5, 2024

They say hindsight is 20/20, but in the case of Trent Dilfer and UAB, it felt more like a train wreck in slow motion. The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, with his ESPN pedigree and high school coaching success, was supposed to be the savior of Blazers football. Instead, he’s become a $3.6 million cautionary tale.

Remember the hype? Dilfer, the brash outsider with a big personality, would shake things up in Birmingham. He would bring national attention to a program that had clawed its way back from the dead. But now, two seasons in, the only thing he’s shaking up is the antacid aisle at the local pharmacy.

A dismal 1-4 start to the season, including a 71-20 drubbing at the hands of Tulane, has the Blazers faithful calling for Dilfer’s head. His off-the-field antics—comparing UAB to Alabama, criticizing NIL, and even taking shots at the volleyball team—haven’t endeared him to the fanbase either.

And then there’s that contract—$1.2 million a year, with a $3.6 million buyout if he’s fired after this season. That’s a lot of money to eat, even for a program that’s seen its share of financial struggles. But at this point, it might be cheaper to cut their losses and move on.

The whispers in the stands have turned into full-blown shouting matches. “Dilfer out!” they chant, their voices echoing through the half-empty stadium. “This experiment has failed!” they declare, their patience worn thinner than a cheap game-day t-shirt.

It’s hard to argue with them. Dilfer’s record at UAB is a dismal 5-12. He’s alienated the fans, the players, and even some folks on campus. His “springboard job” has turned into a quicksand pit, and he’s sinking fast.

So, what now? Does UAB bite the bullet and pay the $3.6 million buyout? Do they try to salvage something from this disastrous experiment and hope for a miraculous turnaround? Or do they simply let the season play out and send Dilfer packing with a handshake and a “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”?

The clock is ticking, the pressure is mounting, and the future of UAB football hangs in the balance. One thing’s for sure: the Trent Dilfer era in Birmingham can’t end soon enough.

See where your coach falls on the Coaches Hot Seat.

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The Coaching Carousel: A Wild Ride of Buyouts, Bargains, and Burnt Biscuits

Mark Haines on October 1, 2024

Hefty Buyouts Await 4 of Our Top 5

Let’s go on a whirlwind tour of the college football coaching carousel, where the stakes are high, the contracts are crazy, and the pressure is hotter than a two-dollar pistol. We’re talkin’ buyouts that could make your head spin, fan bases ready to revolt, and coaches clinging to their jobs like a possum to a persimmon tree.

First Stop: Gainesville, Florida

Picture this: The Swamp, home of the Florida Gators, where the humidity rivals the pressure to win, and the athletic department operates like it’s stuck in a time warp. We’re talkin’ Windows 95 computers, flip phones, and a fax machine that’s practically considered cutting-edge technology.

Now, enter Billy Napier, stage left, with a seven-year, $50 million contract and a dream to restore the Gators to their former glory. The problem is that dreams don’t always translate to touchdowns, especially when you’re battling more than just your opponents.

Napier, bless his heart, he’s got the pedigree. Came down from Louisiana with a winning record, a folksy charm, and a playbook thicker than a Faulkner novel. But the SEC? It’s a different animal. It’s where good coaches go to get chewed up and spit out, their reputations left to bake on the asphalt like a forgotten lovebug.

And right now, Napier’s feeling the heat. His record? A less-than-stellar 13-16 (.448) The boosters? They’re restless, pacing the sidelines like caged panthers, their wallets bulging with buyout money. We’re talking $27.7 million to show Napier the door. That’s enough to buy every player on the roster a personalized yacht with a Gatorade fountain on deck and maybe even upgrade the athletic department’s internet to broadband while they’re at it.

But here’s the catch: even if they send Napier packing with a golden parachute, it won’t fix the root of the problem. This isn’t just about the coach, folks. It’s about a whole system that’s stuck in the dark ages. It’s about an athletic department that’s more concerned with balancing the budget on an abacus than building a winning program.

So, what’s the play? Do the Gators cut their losses and write a check that’d make your eyes water? Or do they finally face the music and realize that a complete overhaul is needed, from the coaching staff to the IT department? Because in the SEC, honey, there’s no middle ground. You either evolve or get left behind, fossilized like a prehistoric gator in the swamp of mediocrity.

Next Up: Waco, Texas

Now, let’s move on over to Waco, Texas, where the Baylor Bears are facing a dilemma of biblical proportions. Their head coach, Dave Aranda, is a man of few words and even fewer wins lately. Remember that magical 2021 season? Big 12 champs, Sugar Bowl victors, the whole nine yards? Since then, it’s been more like “the whole nine losses,” and the fans are starting to sound like a swarm of angry bees.

Aranda, see, he’s a defensive mastermind. The kind of guy who can draw up a blitz package that’d make your head spin faster than a Texas tornado. But lately, his offense has been about as exciting as watching paint dry in the Waco sun. And those wins? Well, they’ve been harder to come by than a parking spot at the Silos on a Saturday afternoon. It is so hard to come by that the once-packed McLane Stadium is starting to look like a ghost town.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. As a private institution, Baylor keeps its finances tighter than a drum. So, we don’t know the exact details of Aranda’s contract. But rumor has it, his buyout is a cool $20 million. That’s enough to buy a lifetime supply of Dr Pepper for every student on campus and still have enough left over to build a replica of the Alamo… with heated seats.

But here’s the thing: it’s not just about the money. The Baylor faithful are losing their patience. They’re tired of watching their beloved Bears get mauled week after week. The grumbling in the stands has turned into a full-blown roar, and the pitchforks are practically at the door of Aranda’s office.

So, the question is: do the Bears bite the bullet and pay Aranda a king’s ransom to walk away? Or do they stick with him, hoping he can rediscover that 2021 magic and silence the angry mob? It’s a tough call, folks. Aranda’s a good guy and a solid coach. But in the cutthroat world of college football, nice guys often finish last… and get handed a hefty severance package on their way out the door, accompanied by the boos of a disgruntled fanbase.

The pressure’s on in Waco. Will the Bears double down on Aranda or cut their losses? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: this is one expensive game of Texas Hold’em, and Baylor’s holding a pair of deuces with a fanbase threatening to burn the whole casino down.

Rolling into Fayetteville

Next, we’re headed to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the Razorbacks are wrestling with a problem that’s stranger than a hog in a tuxedo. Their head coach, Sam Pittman, is a good ol’ boy with a heart of gold and a drawl thicker than molasses. He would invite you over for a barbecue, regale you with stories about his playing days, and then send you home with a Tupperware full of leftovers. But right now, those leftovers might be all he’s got left to give.

See, Pittman’s currently sitting at a 26-27 record (.491), which is about as comfortable as a pair of overalls in a sauna. And that record has got the whole state of Arkansas sweating bullets because it’s tied to this “goofy” buyout clause in his contract that’s got everyone scratching their heads. If the Razorbacks decide to give him the boot, the amount they owe him depends on whether that record tips above or below .500. Above? A cool $12.15 million. Below? A slightly less cool $8.1 million. It’s like a bizarre game show where the prize is getting fired, and the consolation prize is still a mountain of cash.

Now, Pittman started strong. In 2021, he had the Hogs squealing with delight, leading them to a 9-4 season and a Top 25 finish. But lately? The wheels have come off the tractor, and the Razorbacks are wallowing in mediocrity. They’re teetering on that .500 mark, like a tightrope walker with a fear of heights and a hefty life insurance policy.

So, what’s a university to do? Do they pay Pittman $12 million to hit the road, or do they gamble on him turning things around and potentially saving themselves a few million bucks? It’s a high-stakes poker game, folks, and the pot is sweetened with a side of Southern-fried absurdity.

The pressure’s on in Fayetteville. Will the Razorbacks ante up and send Pittman packing with a golden handshake? Or will they hold their cards and hope for a winning hand? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: this is one wild ride, and the only thing crazier than the buyout clause is that we’re all glued to our seats, waiting to see how it all plays out.

Down South with the Golden Eagles

Now, let’s dive headfirst into the chaotic world of Southern Miss football, where the Golden Eagles are flapping their wings a little too close to the flames. Their head coach, Will Hall, is a man with a fiery spirit, a four-year contract ticking down faster than a Mississippi minute, and an offense sputtering like a lawnmower on its last legs.

Hall inked that deal in 2020, promising him a cool $800,000 yearly. Not bad, right? But here’s where it gets interesting: this is the FINAL ACT, folks. The last year of that contract. Which means that buyout everyone was sweating about? It’s practically evaporated faster than a puddle of sweat on a Hattiesburg sidewalk.

Instead of millions, we’re talkin’ chump change. A couple of hundred grand, maybe even less. Suddenly, those Golden Eagles administrators look like they have stumbled onto a Black Friday sale on coaches.

But here’s the twist: this isn’t an ordinary clearance rack. This is Will Hall, a coach with the passion of a thousand suns but a colder record than a Mississippi winter. Turnovers? They’re happening faster than you can say “To The Top!” Third-down conversions? They’re about as rare as winning lottery tickets in Hattiesburg.

And the fans? They’re restless. They’re tired of watching their beloved Eagles lay eggs on the field. The grumbling in the stands is reaching a fever pitch, and Hall’s seat is the only thing hotter than the Mississippi humidity. With each loss, that four-year contract isn’t just a ticking time bomb; it’s a firecracker about to explode in his face.

So, what’s the play? Do the Golden Eagles say, “Hey, for this price, might as well let him ride it out,” or do they decide a change is needed NOW, consequences be damned? It’s a high-stakes poker game with the whole program’s future on the line.

Hall’s gotta win and win BIG to save his job. The Golden Eagles must decide if they will gamble on a Hail Mary or if it’s time to cut their losses and start fresh. Either way, this final act will be one hell of a show.

The Sonny Cumbie Quandary: Louisiana Tech’s $1 Million Gamble (Or Is It a Million-Dollar Headache?)

Let’s sashay over to Ruston, Louisiana, where the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs face a stickier predicament than a bowl of gumbo gone wrong. Their head coach, Sonny Cumbie, is a young gun with a five-year contract that, on paper, seemed like a steal. But with the Bulldogs barking up the wrong tree lately, that contract’s starting to look more like a financial albatross.

Cumbie signed on the dotted line back in 2021, agreeing to a $4.85 million deal that would pay him a cool $1 million in 2024. It’s not a bad payday for a coach trying to make his mark in college football. But here’s where it gets interesting: if Louisiana Tech decides to give him the boot, they’re on the hook for 75% of that remaining salary.

You might be thinking, “75% of a million bucks? That’s a hefty chunk of change!” And you’d be right. But here’s the twist: that million dollars is spread out over the remaining years of his contract, which runs through January 2027. So, we’re not talking about a single lump sum payment that’d break the bank. It’s more like a series of installments on a slightly overpriced used pickup truck.

But here’s the real kicker: Cumbie’s got this contract loaded with incentives. Win the Conference USA championship? Bonus cash! Lead the Bulldogs to a bowl game? More money! Boost the team’s GPA? Cha-ching! It’s like a college football version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” except the lifelines are touchdowns, and academic probation is the equivalent of losing all your money.

So, the question is: do the Bulldogs cut their losses and pay Cumbie a modest sum to walk away? Or do they stick with him, hoping he can turn things around and cash in on those sweet incentives? It’s a gamble, folks. Cumbie’s got potential, but potential doesn’t always translate to wins on the scoreboard.

The pressure’s on in Ruston. Will the Bulldogs roll the dice on Cumbie and hope for a winning hand? Or will they fold and start fresh with a new coach and strategy?

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