Bruce Feldman (ESPN): Top 10 Coaching Hot Seats (NCAA Football)
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=feldman_bruce&id=5221141
(behind a paywall)
RR comes in at third behind Zook (first) and Hawkins (second). I'd say that is probably a bit more lenient than some other people would say right now (I'd be willing to bet there are publications out there that have RR at one).
That being said, he basically says he would not be surprised to see us come out with a strong start, then finish a bit weak, ultimately going 7-5 on the year (does not seem that unrealistic to me).
A nice quote near the end:
I think Rodriguez, though, will get this program cranked up this fall and the Wolverines will surprise a lot of people.
We are ranked #3?!?!?! RR got screwed out of the #1 spot by Zooker of all people. I call BS.
if Roy Roundtree was one step faster in the 76 yd dash, neither one would be on the list. UM would have finished the regular season at least 6-6 and gone to a bowl; the Zooker would be a coordinator somewhere else (maybe). Michigan under RR would be clearly on the rise and Illinois would be adapting to their new guy.
Woulda, shoulda, coulda ...
Rats.
and am excited to see what his final product is, but I will agree with this - his seat is pretty damn hot right now and I would probably have to place him at #1 on that list, mostly due to the stature of our program and his crappy on field record so far. Off field bad pub hurts, but I don't blame him fully for most of that stuff.
Hawkins and Zook? Aside from the NCAA scandal, RR's seat is much hotter right now than either of those guys simply because it's Michigan.
Doesn't hot seat mean "perform or you'll be fired?" Both Hawkins and Zook could have been fired last season without a word from anyone. I would go as far as to say it was a surprise each was kept (especially in Hawkins' case). Your thesis is illogical.
The rumor was that Hawkins was retained because the university couldn't afford his buyout. Not sure to the truth of those rumors though.
This was already posted below. This is what I get for responding before reading the entire thread.
Yep. He's on a hot seat that's a little different than some. He's got a fair shot at keeping his job as long as he continues the improvement of the product on the field. My line where I would need to call for his head may be a little bit more lenient than most fans, though, and I can't completely blame them. It's been a rough couple of years, and Wolverine fans don't tolerate that well.
I love her Hot Seat!
So typical of ESPN to forget the obvious!
So three B10 coaches, wow!
No CU offical has publically admitted this that I know, but Hawkins was gone last year if the university could have sucked it up and eaten his buyout. I've seen this tossed around as if it was gospel, even in the main stream media. CU just doesn't have alumni like a Bama, or Dame, or Michigan -- a large, vocal group that's going to rise up and raise millions of dollars to get the coach out of town. By all accounts, the buyout is tolerable after this year and it's going to take a special year to save him.
He can always coach intramurals, brother.
Hawkins has to top the list in a landslide. My best friend from high school went to CU so I know a number of fans/alums and not a single one thinks they have any hope of success with Hawkins at this point and all wanted him gone (despite a lot of initial excitement when he was hired). Contrast this with Michigan where Rodriguez has a large base of support (see most threads on this site) and is basically looking at "just don't have a losing record again this season" as his benchmark for keeping his job (though I'm pretty confident he'll exceed that mark). If the team shits the bed this year, Rodriguez is almost certainly gone, but I just don't see that happening so I don't view his seat as all that hot, especially now that the sanctions thing has been sanely put to bed.
they were still paying Gary Barnett up until last season I believe (maybe 2 previous). I joked with my CU buddies last year you should just bring him (Barnett) back and give him an extension.
Looking at this list, I really do think that RR should accurately be #1. Yes, Zook has not done well, but it is as freekin Illinois. The football expectations there aren't exactly all that high, and he hasn't had nearly the level of off the field drama as RR. Same for Hawkins. Colorado is a middling BCS school (certainly better than a MAC school, but not exactly a power program), and there have been few off the field incidents.
Not to dog RR (as I still support him), but during his tenure:
1. We have had the two worst seasons during most of our lives
2. We have broken the longest (formerly) active bowl streak
3. We have committed NCAA "major" violations for the first time EVER
4. Departing players have publicly criticized the team, and
5. We have lost to MSU (MSU!!) for two straight years
6. Fairly or not, our program has remained in the national press, not for positive accomplishments, but for negative issues
I do not blame RR for many of these things. But, given our program's history of success, our alumni and fanbase's expectations, and how important this team is to the University, I can not imagine a seat that is hotter than RR's now.
Since his arrival on campus two years ago, I have staunchly and vocally defended RR. I continue to do so as I really do not believe that many of the above problems were his creation. I don't think that Saban could have had a successful season with Nick Sheridan at the help (although he might have won more than 2 games). But, if we have another losing season, I think that he is gone. We can put up with some of this crap if the program is returning to prominance, but if we are going to continue to flounder, I think that the powers that be will need to cut ties and start moving our program in a new direction.
Just my $.02
An unfair situation is not.
get out of Ann Arbor. It goes with the job.
Is that sort of like, "What Happens in Scranton, Stays in Scranton"?
It goes with the job right now. But Lloyd was not often mentioned in conjunction with the hot seat, Moeller's seat went from cool to out from under him, and Bo was pretty well set in the job.
I can't think of a Michigan football coach who has had a hot seat for any appreciable length of time before.
I seem to recall Fire Lloyd facebook groups when I was in school. In 2005, people were pissed, then again in 2007.
Yeah, well taking a team to a 7-5 record after taking them to the Rose Bowl the season before (and coming within a kick of beating Vince Young and Cedric Benson) will lead to people asking for your head.
And then, the Horror... so.... yeah....
Not to say that the calling for his head was warranted either way, I'm just saying the calls weren't unfounded.
after ties to Stanford and Baylor in 1975, after losses to OSU in 1972- 1975 (we did tie in 1973 but that did not work out) and after the 1984 season. I was there and know. Shit...I'm old.
old enough to remember the many dump frieder campaigns, i'll bet!
different things. RR will be on the fanbase hotseat until MSU, OSU are beaten and a 9-3 or better record is achieved.
The University/AD hotseat is very warm and will get intensely hot if MSU is not beaten and at least a .500 record in the B10 and being at least competitive with OSU. That should produce at worst a 7-5 or 8-4 record. Beating ND, MSU and OSU would go a long way toward solidifying RR's position as HC.
Ironically Rich is two spots behind somebody he is 0-2 against.
And, as for Hawkins, can you really call it a hot seat? More like stay of execution seat. Like FullmersPants above said, he was a goner last year if the financial times in Boulder werent so shaky. His seat is unique. I wonder how that team will play this year. He's the one, not Rich and the Zooker, that needs a double digit win season or else.
Mine would be Hawkins, Rodriquez, then Zook. Hawkins would be out of a job already if Colorado had the money. That's the only reason I would put him ahead of Rodriquez.
Rodriguez does not have a "q" in it.
he is going to convince us all that it does
Can't really argue with it. I certainly wouldn't put him any lower than 3. He has the best chance of turning a program around in just a season though. Hawkins is not a good coach and Zook is Zook and has a young team.
RR has not yet won a signature game(ND doesn't count). And forget State. Who cares about them? I am talking about beating one of the four ranked Big Ten opponents: tOSU, Penn State, Iowa or Wisconsin.
Now that RR's group is in their third year of training, there is no reason for them not to knock off either the Hawkeyes or Badgers. Home game. Right cirumstances. Gotta do it.
Yeah, I know, the usual nayersayers are snickering that we are weak or have no depth at CB, S, LB, RB etc. We have the athletes. They're at least as good as those on Iowa or Wisconsin. How much more bodybuilding can they do under Barwis?
I love RR. I think he is our man.
However, it is time to put up or shut up.
Umm...i agree with your point but I think 2008 Wisconsin would disagree with your assessment.
Wisconsin was pretty bad that year, IIRC they had a losing record in the Big Ten.
ND was pumped and hadn't lost Floyd yet to his injury. They had the seniors, it was thrilling last minute kind of win over a rival that was ranked at the time (I think). It also served to legitmize the Western win as something more than a fluke.
Also, more to the original post, I don't think we'll see a drop off this year in the second half of the season because we won't be relying so heavily on freshman. Freshman hit that invisible wall a lot harder.
Hawkins was due to the superior intellect of Chris Petersen.