BY MAURA CAREY
With rising expectations in competitive conferences, money flowing directly to players and unforgiving fan bases, the pressure has never been higher across college football. Six coaches who could very well be on the hot seat — from warm to scorching — entering the 2025 season:
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
The clock is ticking for Brent Venables, who heads into his fourth season in Norman yet to meet the expectations that come with this storied program. His sole winning season is sandwiched between 6-7 records in 2022 and 2024. He’s yet to lead the program to a bowl win, going 0-3, and the Cheez-It, Alamo and Armed Forces bowls aren’t where Sooners fans want to end the year.
Oklahoma finished with a 2-6 conference record in its inaugural season in the SEC a year ago while fellow newbie and rival Texas topped the conference. Entering year two in the SEC, Venables could use a standout year.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn
Hugh Freeze is feeling the heat after opening with two seven-loss seasons. Recruiting efforts have been admirable, but in-game decisions in high-pressure moments have raised concerns. Auburn hasn’t hesitated to part ways with coaches in recent years, and Freeze could be next on the chopping block if he doesn’t produce fast results. Getting Georgia and Alabama at home might help … right?
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
What to do with Sam Pittman? He is a folksy, charming guy and he has three winning seasons out of five for the Razorbacks that included bowl wins. But he is 30-31 overall and Arkansas has not emerged as any kind of a consistent threat in the SEC.
Expectations were high for Pittman after a 9-4 season in 2021 but the Hogs look like a mostly middling program. The schedule this year includes visits to Ole Miss, Tennessee and, on back-to-back weekends, LSU and Texas.
Billy Napier, Florida
Billy Napier’s tenure in Florida started with 6-7 and 5-7 records before last year’s 8-5 finish that included a 4-4 mark in the SEC. Does gradual improvement meet the high standards of a historically dominant program?
A dominant season by quarterback DJ Lagway and a few marquee wins could help Napier’s job security. The Gators won’t have to wait long to see how they stack up: A four-game stretch that starts in Week 3 features LSU, Miami, Texas and Texas A&M, with only the Longhorns visiting the Swamp of the group.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
After two full seasons at the helm, Luke Fickell could use a breakout season. Wisconsin went 5-7 last year after a 7-6 finish in his first full season, easily an afterthought in a Big Ten Conference that grabbed two national titles. Inconsistent quarterback play, injuries and a difficult schedule have troubled the Badgers.
Fickell’s strong run at Cincinnati seems a long time ago now. Up next is a schedule that includes visits to Alabama, Michigan and Oregon. At least Ohio State is at Camp Randall Stadium.
Lincoln Riley, USC
Lincoln Riley’s first year with the Trojans felt somewhat magical for a while, an 11-3 effort stymied by a pair of losses to Utah and one-point bowl loss to Tulane. What’s followed has warmed things up for Riley: an 8-5 record in 2023 and a 7-6 mark last year. Much of Riley’s fate could be in the hands of quarterback Jayden Maiava but the Trojans would love to see new assistant and former NFL veteran Rob Ryan field a shutdown defense.
Honorable mention
Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer saw his team put up a 9-4 mark in his first season in Tuscaloosa; the Crimson Tide will need to be better than that — as in, make the College Football Playoff … Oklahoma State went 12-2 in 2021 but Mike Gundy’s teams have been inconsistent for a while now and last year’s 3-9 collapse raised questions about the veteran coach … Mike Norvell has had two good seasons sandwiched by two bad ones, including last year’s 2-10 mark. Surely everyone in Tallahassee heard former coach Jimbo Fisher tell a podcast last week he was ready to come back to the right situation in college football?
