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15 for '15: College football coaches on the hot seat
No talk about an upcoming season is complete without mentioning coaches that will enter said season on the hot seat. Thus, this "15 for '15" installment deals with coaches who might want to get acquainted with some real estate professionals.
![Record: 103-29 in 10 seasons
The skinny: It's hard to imagine LSU getting rid of Miles, who has averaged 10 wins per season and has won a national title. But SEC programs are notoriously quick on the trigger, and while all SEC fan bases are demanding, LSU's is especially so. LSU is coming off an 8-5 season, which is tied for the worst mark during Miles' tenure. Miles recruits at a high level, especially on defense. But the Tigers' offense has struggled the past few seasons. LSU was 4-4 in conference play last season, and the last time the Tigers had back-to-back seasons of .500 or less in SEC games was 1998 and 1999. The coach was Gerry DiNardo, and he was fired late in the 1999 season. Again, it's extremely difficult to imagine that fate for Miles, but if LSU goes 8-5 again (or, heaven forbid, worse) ...](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/oav07gysbgg7jt1mbozg.jpg)
Record: 103-29 in 10 seasons
The skinny: It's hard to imagine LSU getting rid of Miles, who has averaged 10 wins per season and has won a national title. But SEC programs are notoriously quick on the trigger, and while all SEC fan bases are demanding, LSU's is especially so. LSU is coming off an 8-5 season, which is tied for the worst mark during Miles' tenure. Miles recruits at a high level, especially on defense. But the Tigers' offense has struggled the past few seasons. LSU was 4-4 in conference play last season, and the last time the Tigers had back-to-back seasons of .500 or less in SEC games was 1998 and 1999. The coach was Gerry DiNardo, and he was fired late in the 1999 season. Again, it's extremely difficult to imagine that fate for Miles, but if LSU goes 8-5 again (or, heaven forbid, worse) ...
![Record: 21-17 in three seasons
The skinny: A far-reaching academic scandal hasn't helped Fedora and actually might be his saving grace; UNC administrators know Fedora didn't cause the problem, but he is suffering from the fallout, so he might be given an extra year or two to let things settle down. Still, his teams have underachieved, especially on defense. The Tar Heels have scored at least 40 points 15 times and at least 30 points 24 times in Fedora's tenure, which is impressive. But the Heels have surrendered at least 30 points 16 times under Fedora, including a staggering nine times last season. That bodes ill, as the vast majority of defensive players brought in during the Butch Davis regime now are gone. Plus, UNC is 4-6 against other FBS programs from the state under Fedora, including 1-2 vs. Duke and 0-2 against East Carolina.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/ddkipowozeayn6mze3jq.jpg)
Record: 21-17 in three seasons
The skinny: A far-reaching academic scandal hasn't helped Fedora and actually might be his saving grace; UNC administrators know Fedora didn't cause the problem, but he is suffering from the fallout, so he might be given an extra year or two to let things settle down. Still, his teams have underachieved, especially on defense. The Tar Heels have scored at least 40 points 15 times and at least 30 points 24 times in Fedora's tenure, which is impressive. But the Heels have surrendered at least 30 points 16 times under Fedora, including a staggering nine times last season. That bodes ill, as the vast majority of defensive players brought in during the Butch Davis regime now are gone. Plus, UNC is 4-6 against other FBS programs from the state under Fedora, including 1-2 vs. Duke and 0-2 against East Carolina.
![Record: 2-21 in two seasons
The skinny: To be fair, Petrino took over a reeling program, but he still seemed to be a bad cultural fit when he was hired and the Vandals have remained awful on the field. It doesn't help that Idaho is a member of the Sun Belt, which means long cross-country road trips for conference games. Petrino has done some solid work with the Vandals' offense, though; the defense is the main reason for all the losses.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/abmhuw2jpkp2nke1wtn6.jpg)
Record: 2-21 in two seasons
The skinny: To be fair, Petrino took over a reeling program, but he still seemed to be a bad cultural fit when he was hired and the Vandals have remained awful on the field. It doesn't help that Idaho is a member of the Sun Belt, which means long cross-country road trips for conference games. Petrino has done some solid work with the Vandals' offense, though; the defense is the main reason for all the losses.
![Record: 11-26 in three seasons
The skinny: It's still hard to believe Davie was willing to give up the life of a TV analyst to try to return the Lobos to Mountain West Conference relevance -- or at least semi-relevance. The program definitely is on more solid footing since he took over, but that just means the Lobos have gone from the worst program in the league to the second- or third-worst.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/asx3ar41v7kuqkiavgbc.jpg)
Record: 11-26 in three seasons
The skinny: It's still hard to believe Davie was willing to give up the life of a TV analyst to try to return the Lobos to Mountain West Conference relevance -- or at least semi-relevance. The program definitely is on more solid footing since he took over, but that just means the Lobos have gone from the worst program in the league to the second- or third-worst.
![Record: 1-23 in two seasons
The skinny: Miles did yeoman's work in turning around Indiana State, a bad FCS program, before he was hired at Georgia State. But the Panthers have been horrible under Miles, with the only win coming by one point over a team that was playing its first game in the FCS ranks after moving from Division II. To compound matters, Georgia Southern -- which would seem to be a natural rival for Georgia State -- won nine games last season in its first year of FBS eligibility. Included in those nine victories was a 38-point win over Georgia State.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/nwjvxucy8xful6bb8qhn.jpg)
Record: 1-23 in two seasons
The skinny: Miles did yeoman's work in turning around Indiana State, a bad FCS program, before he was hired at Georgia State. But the Panthers have been horrible under Miles, with the only win coming by one point over a team that was playing its first game in the FCS ranks after moving from Division II. To compound matters, Georgia Southern -- which would seem to be a natural rival for Georgia State -- won nine games last season in its first year of FBS eligibility. Included in those nine victories was a 38-point win over Georgia State.
![Record: 3-9 in one season
The skinny: Yes, he has been at Vandy for only one season. But the Commodores looked woefully unprepared in every SEC game last season, losing all eight of their league games by an average of 22.5 points per contest. Any momentum the program had gained from the James Franklin years came to a dead stop. If the Commodores look that bad again, can school officials afford to keep Mason?](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/uc2xrhupnpmp5ocwtwnr.jpg)
Record: 3-9 in one season
The skinny: Yes, he has been at Vandy for only one season. But the Commodores looked woefully unprepared in every SEC game last season, losing all eight of their league games by an average of 22.5 points per contest. Any momentum the program had gained from the James Franklin years came to a dead stop. If the Commodores look that bad again, can school officials afford to keep Mason?
![Record: 115-85 in 16 seasons
The skinny: Yes, Ferentz has been successful. And, yes, there is a big buyout (a reported $13 million), which makes you wonder if Iowa can afford to make a coaching change. But the Hawkeyes haven't had a winning record in the Big Ten since 2010, and it certainly looks as if Ferentz's "shelf life" in Iowa City has expired (sort of like the shelf lives for Mack Brown at Texas, Phil Fulmer at Tennessee and Bobby Bowden at Florida State had expired when they were eased out or fired). His offenses have grown mighty stale, that's for sure. Iowa has lost at least five games in each of the past five seasons.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/okvgz4afcx2agjilycpy.jpg)
Record: 115-85 in 16 seasons
The skinny: Yes, Ferentz has been successful. And, yes, there is a big buyout (a reported $13 million), which makes you wonder if Iowa can afford to make a coaching change. But the Hawkeyes haven't had a winning record in the Big Ten since 2010, and it certainly looks as if Ferentz's "shelf life" in Iowa City has expired (sort of like the shelf lives for Mack Brown at Texas, Phil Fulmer at Tennessee and Bobby Bowden at Florida State had expired when they were eased out or fired). His offenses have grown mighty stale, that's for sure. Iowa has lost at least five games in each of the past five seasons.
![Record: 29-46 in six seasons
The skinny: Rhoads guided the Cyclones to bowl games in three of his first four seasons. Still, he has led them to only one winning record (7-6 in 2009, when the key seniors were recruited by Dan McCarney) and Iowa State has won a combined five games the past two seasons. The Cyclones were winless in Big 12 play last season, including an embarrassing 20-point loss to Kansas (it was the Jayhawks' largest margin of victory in a league game since 2008 -- when the Big 12 actually had 12 teams). One positive for Rhoads is that he has beaten Iowa in three of the past four meetings. Another positive: He signed a 10-year extension in 2012, which might make it difficult to give him the axe.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/rihprrflqefqxwzshieq.jpg)
Record: 29-46 in six seasons
The skinny: Rhoads guided the Cyclones to bowl games in three of his first four seasons. Still, he has led them to only one winning record (7-6 in 2009, when the key seniors were recruited by Dan McCarney) and Iowa State has won a combined five games the past two seasons. The Cyclones were winless in Big 12 play last season, including an embarrassing 20-point loss to Kansas (it was the Jayhawks' largest margin of victory in a league game since 2008 -- when the Big 12 actually had 12 teams). One positive for Rhoads is that he has beaten Iowa in three of the past four meetings. Another positive: He signed a 10-year extension in 2012, which might make it difficult to give him the axe.
![Record: 10-15 in two seasons
The skinny: Syracuse won 10 games in 2001, but the Orange have had just three winning seasons since and the 'Cuse seems be sliding into the abyss under Shafer. Syracuse did go to a bowl in Shafer's first season, finishing 7-6, but the Orange fell a long way last season, finishing 3-9 and losing 12 starters. The offense was horrible, and that likely will be an issue again. To make matters worse for Shafer, the AD who hired him is gone.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/hhfks9e7odhhehzjhkbv.jpg)
Record: 10-15 in two seasons
The skinny: Syracuse won 10 games in 2001, but the Orange have had just three winning seasons since and the 'Cuse seems be sliding into the abyss under Shafer. Syracuse did go to a bowl in Shafer's first season, finishing 7-6, but the Orange fell a long way last season, finishing 3-9 and losing 12 starters. The offense was horrible, and that likely will be an issue again. To make matters worse for Shafer, the AD who hired him is gone.
![Record: 6-18 in two seasons
The skinny: Taggart looked like a great hire when he arrived. He is from the Tampa Bay area, has a Jim Harbaugh pedigree (he was a former Stanford assistant) and had done a nice job in steering Western Kentucky into the FBS ranks. But USF has been pitiful in Taggart's two seasons, especially on offense. Quarterback play has been egregiously bad, which has to frustrate Taggart, who was a high-level Division I-AA quarterback during his playing days. Recruiting has been surprisingly pedestrian under Taggart, as well. And it's not as if the AAC has been filled with great teams the past two seasons.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/dvgykbjz7jptiuze78h1.jpg)
Record: 6-18 in two seasons
The skinny: Taggart looked like a great hire when he arrived. He is from the Tampa Bay area, has a Jim Harbaugh pedigree (he was a former Stanford assistant) and had done a nice job in steering Western Kentucky into the FBS ranks. But USF has been pitiful in Taggart's two seasons, especially on offense. Quarterback play has been egregiously bad, which has to frustrate Taggart, who was a high-level Division I-AA quarterback during his playing days. Recruiting has been surprisingly pedestrian under Taggart, as well. And it's not as if the AAC has been filled with great teams the past two seasons.
![Record: 8-29 in three seasons
The skinny: Chow had a long and illustrious career as an offensive coordinator when he was hired, but Hawaii has struggled under his watch. Chow turned 69 earlier this month, and you wonder if he has the stomach for what looks to be a long rebuilding process. One advantage: The Mountain West is not that strong top to bottom. But Hawaii has won just four league games in his tenure, and two of his eight wins have come against FCS opponents. In addition, Hawaii is 1-17 away from home under Chow.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/cagwgxo8kngyv7p1vwjv.jpg)
Record: 8-29 in three seasons
The skinny: Chow had a long and illustrious career as an offensive coordinator when he was hired, but Hawaii has struggled under his watch. Chow turned 69 earlier this month, and you wonder if he has the stomach for what looks to be a long rebuilding process. One advantage: The Mountain West is not that strong top to bottom. But Hawaii has won just four league games in his tenure, and two of his eight wins have come against FCS opponents. In addition, Hawaii is 1-17 away from home under Chow.
![Record: 14-34 in four seasons
The skinny: IU looked to have some momentum heading into last season, having gone from one win in Wilson's first season to four in his second and five in his third. But injuries to his top two quarterbacks devastated the offense, and IU finished 4-8 last season. Conversely, the injuries likely gained him a reprieve from the firing line. IU is not a good program -- the Hoosiers have had only one winning record since 1994 -- but it's still hard to imagine Wilson surviving again if the Hoosiers don't go bowling.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/beej1pz1mnvagtpkjyk2.jpg)
Record: 14-34 in four seasons
The skinny: IU looked to have some momentum heading into last season, having gone from one win in Wilson's first season to four in his second and five in his third. But injuries to his top two quarterbacks devastated the offense, and IU finished 4-8 last season. Conversely, the injuries likely gained him a reprieve from the firing line. IU is not a good program -- the Hoosiers have had only one winning record since 1994 -- but it's still hard to imagine Wilson surviving again if the Hoosiers don't go bowling.
![Record: 12-25 in three seasons
The skinny: Beckman guided the Illini to a minor bowl last season, which was a positive even though they lost to Louisiana Tech. But offseason allegations of mistreatment of players has Beckman's seat red hot entering the season. Illinois has won a total four Big Ten games in Beckman's three seasons; three of his 12 wins as coach have come against FCS schools and two have come over MAC foes.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/mwmbuh9zwmc8mwfnkda6.jpg)
Record: 12-25 in three seasons
The skinny: Beckman guided the Illini to a minor bowl last season, which was a positive even though they lost to Louisiana Tech. But offseason allegations of mistreatment of players has Beckman's seat red hot entering the season. Illinois has won a total four Big Ten games in Beckman's three seasons; three of his 12 wins as coach have come against FCS schools and two have come over MAC foes.
![Record: 23-38 in five seasons
The skinny: London and his staff have recruited relatively well, but except for an eight-win season in 2011, his teams have underachieved. The Cavs have had four losing seasons in London's five-year tenure. Quarterback play generally has been abysmal, and it doesn't seem as if it will be all that good this fall, either. UVa has a fertile recruiting base, especially in the Tidewater region, so this is an underrated job.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/ekosc4vua3uubykwfoxg.jpg)
Record: 23-38 in five seasons
The skinny: London and his staff have recruited relatively well, but except for an eight-win season in 2011, his teams have underachieved. The Cavs have had four losing seasons in London's five-year tenure. Quarterback play generally has been abysmal, and it doesn't seem as if it will be all that good this fall, either. UVa has a fertile recruiting base, especially in the Tidewater region, so this is an underrated job.
![Record: 28-22 in four seasons
The skinny: Miami hasn't won double-digit games since 2003. Given that UM's fan support is a mile wide but an inch deep, there already have been tens of thousands of calls for Golden's scalp. He deserves some credit for steering UM through the Nevin Shapiro fallout, but he likely needs at least eight wins this fall to keep his job. And UM lost a ton of talent in the 2015 NFL Draft, including legit stars at tailback, linebacker, offensive tackle, tight end and wide receiver.](https://res.cloudinary.com/nflleague/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/gaxteowpcbn77wjlmxuy.jpg)
Record: 28-22 in four seasons
The skinny: Miami hasn't won double-digit games since 2003. Given that UM's fan support is a mile wide but an inch deep, there already have been tens of thousands of calls for Golden's scalp. He deserves some credit for steering UM through the Nevin Shapiro fallout, but he likely needs at least eight wins this fall to keep his job. And UM lost a ton of talent in the 2015 NFL Draft, including legit stars at tailback, linebacker, offensive tackle, tight end and wide receiver.