Arguments can be made for a number of Power 5 head coaches to be sitting on very hot seats this season around college football.
Among them: Florida State, Willie Taggart.
It's only Season 2 but last year was a disaster (under .500 in the ACC and only 5-7 overall) and then the starting quarterback quit. Five years ago the 'Noles were capping a two-year, 27-1 run that included a national title. Now they are 12-13 in their last two seasons. It might not be fair, but patience is not a long suit in Tallahassee. USC, Clay Helton.
Count me among those surprised Helton was brought back for this season. His 5-7 record last year after losing five of the Trojans' last six games was head-scratching. Reggie Bush is already leading a public plea for Urban Meyer to consider coaching again to take over Troy. Illinois, Lovie Smith.
I give Lovie lots of room, the entire athletic program at Illinois has been in shambles for quite some time. Still he has to start winning some... a little.. any. LSU, Ed Orgeron.
The intensity of the race in the SEC West can claim lives in a hurry. Orgeron has actually done a pretty solid job in Baton Rouge but 'solid' is not what the Bayou Bengals program is built for. Beat Texas in Week 2 and the early pressure will be off. Lose to the 'Horns and we won't get past September 7 before the stories start to trickle out about 'candidates.'
And there are a few more like Chris Ash at Rutgers and the grumbling that will go on at UCLA if Chip Kelly goes anything close to 3-9 again but there is only one truly WICKED HOT SEAT! That belongs to a guy named Gus. Auburn, Gus Malzahn.
It seems a lot longer than six seasons ago that Malzahn took the Tigers to the BCS Title Game and that heartbreaker of a loss to Florida State in the Rose Bowl. Since then it's gone flat on the plains.
The program has 25 losses in the last five years and a 21-19 conference record. The expectations in southern Alabama are still almost as high as they are in the northern part of the state. Gus has to break in a new starting QB against a schedule that includes Oregon on a neutral field to open the season, plus trips to Florida, Texas A&M and LSU. They do get both Georgia and Alabama at home. But that's both UGA & Bama.
There are three QBs fighting for the starting nod. Joey Gatewood, 5-star frosh Bo Nix and Malik Willis. Whoever wins the job will have weapons on offense (WR Seth Williams is a star and the O-Line is loaded).
The defense gets star defensive tackle Derrick Brown back and there is talent across the board. There is no reason these Tigers shouldn't be solid. Still a 9-3 season might be solid against that schedle and 7-5 might not be awful. But another five-loss season that is now the new norm and the Auburn job will be open for applications.
Gus must win now.