With the 2012 college football season just weeks away, there is talk already of BCS coaches who may be on the “hot seat” and need to win and win fast in order to save their jobs. Remember Mark Richt a season ago as Georgia opened the season 0-2 and hadn’t really produced anything special in a few years. Richt’s job was on the line and the Georgia Bulldogs responded reeling off ten straight victories and earning a berth in the SEC championship game.
What coaches need to do the same in 2012? Here’s a look at the top five BCS head coaches who could find themselves out of a job this year.
Frank Spaziani, Boston College
BC hasn’t been the same since the whole Jeff Jagodzinski fiasco a few years back that led to Spaziani’s hiring. After two bowl seasons in 2009 and 2010 (both losses), the Boston College Eagles took a step backward and finished 4-8, just 3-5 in the ACC. “The Mad Scientist” is going to have to cook up something on offense after finishing near the bottom of the BCS in most statistical categories. It won’t help that Montel Harris, the school’s all-time leading rusher, was kicked off the team earlier this year.
Randy Edsall, Maryland
After building Connecticut into a full-fledged, respectable BCS program, Edsall was thought to be the guy who could do the same with the Maryland Terrapins. He still may be the one, but a disastrous first season, along with some player dissension, leaves Edsall in a predicament. Give him credit, he replaced both coordinators and had a respectable recruiting class. Now for the hard part…win and win fast.
Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech
After 10 straight winning seasons under predecessor Mike Leach, the Red Raiders have become accustomed to winning. Tuberville put up a decent 8-5 mark in his first season in 2010, leading Tech to a win in the TicketCity Bowl. Last year…not so good. A 2-7 mark in the Big 12 left Tuberville’s squad at 5-7. No winning season. No bowl bid. Tuberville will have to get back to a bowl if he wants to stay in Lubbock and he will have the offensive weapons. Six starters return to an offense that averaged 471 yards and 34 points per game.
Dan Enos, Central Michigan
For much of the latter half of the last decade, the Chippewas were a contender for the MAC title, winning three conference titles (‘06, ‘07, and ‘09). Enos took over after a 12-2 year where CMU won the MAC, the GMAC Bowl, and finished ranked in the final Top 25. In two years Enos has posted identical 3-9 records. The former Michigan State QB needs to right the ship, but it’s going to be difficult. The MAC West is loaded with Northern Illinois, last year’s champion, Toledo, and Western Michigan, all bowl teams last year.
Mike Price, UTEP
Price enters the final year of his contract and it’s likely not to be renewed unless the veteran coach can work a miracle. The Miners have had a habit of winning three non-conference games and then finding a way to beat three C-USA opponents and squeeze into a bowl game at the end of the season. That theory backfired last year as UTEP managed just five wins, one an overtime win over Division II Stony Brook. The Miners’ theory likely will not happen again. The non-conference slate features Ole Miss, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma. Ouch!
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