College Football Kickoff (Week 14)

Games of the Week

#20 Louisville Cardinals (9-2) at Rutgers Scarlett Knights (9-2)
Even though the Big East doesn't have a conference championship game, this is their de facto game.  Right now Rutgers leads the Big East and a win would give them the title.  But if Louisville wins that forces a 4 way tie and the team with the higher BCS ranking will get the title.  That team is likely Louisville.  Both teams come into this game with strong defenses, so expect this game to be low scoring.  The Cardinals do have the advantage on offense.  QB Teddy Bridgewater has slowed down, but he is still a dynamic player.  His play will be the difference in the game.
Prediction:  Louisville 14  Rutgers 13

#19 UCLA Bruins (9-3) at #9 Stanford Cardinal (10-2)
If you feel like this game is deja vu, your not alone.  Because we just saw it last weekend.  In that game Stanford laid the wood to UCLA with their power run game and physical defense to win the game 35-17.  They basically beat down the Bruins.  But there are some that felt UCLA didn't give it their all because they were holding back for this game.  Bruin fans better hope that was true, because last weeks game wasn't pretty.
Prediction:  UCLA 24 Stanford 31

#17 Northern Illinois Huskies (11-1) vs #16 Kent State Golden Flashes (11-1)
Can you remember the last time that the MAC Title Game had both teams ranked?  Let alone both teams being in the top 20.  Maybe one of the teams, but not both.  But with the Huskies and Flashes enjoying record breaking years, it's only fitting that they face off against each other for the Conference Championship. Both teams come into this game with high powered offenses and like to score points.  So you may want to take the overs in this one.  Kent State features a pair of 1,000 yard rushers, while Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch was putting up numbers that had some thinking of putting him on their Heisman ballot.  The difference will be the defense and that favors the Huskies who are only giving up 17 points per game.  But they haven't faced a running attack like this one.
Prediction:  Northern Illinois 38  Kent State 31

#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1)  vs #3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1)
Who says that college football doesn't have playoffs?  The SEC Championship game between the #2 and #3 ranked teams will have the winner go face off against Notre Dame in the BCS Championship.  Sounds like a semi final round if you ask me.  Much like every other SEC game, this is a match up of elite defenses.  If Georgia wants to win this game they'll need QB Aaron Murray to have a flawless game and not throw any INTs that has hurt him in previous games.  If Alabama wants to win this game they'll have to find running holes against a very stout Georgia run defense.
Prediction:  Alabama 14 Georgia 10

#15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) vs Wisconsin Badgers (7-5)
A tale of two teams in this Big 10 Title Game.  This is Wisconsin's second straight Conference Championship game and they're looking to get back to their 3rd straight Rose Bowl.  Nebraska is in their first Big 10 Title Game and looking to win the Big 10 for the first time in school history.  The Huskers also haven't won a conference championship since 1999.  In their previous meeting this year the Huskers killed themselves with early turnovers, but fought back to win 30-27.  Nebraska is clearly the better team, but Wisconsin has the experience.
Prediction:  Nebraska 27 Wisconsin 24

---

Coaches Corner

Gary Pinkel
Record at Missouri: 90-61
Bowl Appearances: 8

Gary Pinkel is no stranger to the coaching hot seat.  Pinkel's first four years at Missouri were pretty uneventful.  They never finished over 3rd in their division, despite having some talented teams.  The term "Pinkeled" was coined from the fact that he seemed to lose games because of bad coaching.  Pinkel's seat started to become warm and there were thoughts that another bad season could cause him to be fired.

2006 is when things started to change.  Pinkel was able to bring in a lot of talented players that would later go on to the NFL.  Guys like Jeremy Maclin, Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Martin Rucker, William Moore, Evander Hood, Blaine Gabbert and Sean Weatherspoon all were a part of the program at this time.  And because of all this talent, the Tigers were annual contenders to win the conference.  Missouri won the North Division of the Big 12 three of the next four years and were even ranked #4 in the final AP Standings.

So why would somebody like this now be on the hot seat? In 2011 most of that talent was gone from the program and Pinkel wasn't getting the same impact players in.  They finished the season 8-5.  This was Missouri's last year in the Big 12 and were moving to the SEC.

This past season was the Tigers first in the toughest conference in college football.  There wasn't a whole lot of expectations, but nobody thought the Tigers would be this bad.  Winning only 5 games all season and having their high powered offense sputter.  They finished 81st overall in passing.

Don't expect Pinkel to lose his job this year.  But word out of Columbia is that they aren't too pleased with the teams performance and Pinkel was out coached on a week end and week out basis.  If the administration wants to be a player in the SEC, they could make a move if it doesn't look like Pinkel will get the job done.

---

What happened to....

Big East Contenders
Does anybody want to win the Big East this year?  I know teams are leaving left and right for better conferences, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't want to win the Big East Title.

For a better part of the season the Big East was a three team race.  Cincinnati, Rutgers, and Louisville were all in the running for the title and a birth in a BCS Bowl.  With the three teams playing each other in the final weeks of the season we would be treated to some good fought games.  Instead each  teams has dropped games to inferior competition.  Louisville lost consecutive games to Syracuse and UConn.  Rutgers lost to Kent State and Pittsburgh.  And Cincinnati lost to Toledo.  Now with Rutgers and Louisville playing, if Louisville wins we would have a 4 way tie.  They would have to look at BCS rankings to determine the winner.

Doesn't sound like anybody wants this title.  But nobody wants to be in this conference anymore, so I don't blame them.

---

How about....

Texas A&M

For a school that has a lot to offer and has been thought to be a potential power school in college football, they really have underachieved.  I guess that's why they have always been considered a sleeping giant rather than a giant.  They struggled for years in the Big 12 to break through and with them going to the SEC West it looked like it could get even worse for the Aggies.

But lucky for them they were able to hire Kevin Sumlin from Houston to replace Mike Sherman.  They were also lucky that Sherman was able to get Johnny Manziel to come to A&M.  Under Kevin Sumlin's tutelage  Manziel has been the talk of college football and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.  The Aggies finished the regular season with a 10-2 record and a signature win over then #1 Alabama.  The Aggies weren't thought to be able to content in the SEC West, but this year they look like they can contend for years to come.

Maybe the Aggies were just a bad fit in the Big 12.  Maybe they needed to get out of Texas' shadow.  But anyway you slice it.  It's hard to ignore the season they are having.

---

Player Spotlight

Tavon Austin

Height:  5'9
Weight:  172
School:  West Virginia
Year:  Senior
Position:  Wide Receiver

When West Virginia was enjoying a ton of attention for their early season success, it was QB Geno Smith getting most of the talk.  But one player that can't be ignored is Austin.

Austin is a jack of all trades.  He does most of his work out of the slot.  Austin uses his quickness to get of the line and in and out of cuts.  He has good hands and catches the ball cleanly.  He is also a force in the return game.  He gets to his top speed in a hurry and that allows him to break away from defenders.  Austin is at his best in the open field where his shiftiness and ability to change directions makes it impossible to take him down.  Surprisingly another strong suit we've seen is his ability to run the ball.  West Virginia has also used him as a running back and he even had 344 yards rushing against Oklahoma.  That's one game.

It's hard to compare Austin to another player because there really isn't anybody like him.  Easy comparisons would be Dexter McCluster or Percy Harvin.  But both of those players are a lot thicker than he is.  I don't see Austin holding up much in the NFL if he is going to be taking multiple hand offs.  Austin is starting to get some attention as a possible late 1st round pick, but it will be interesting to see how a team will use him.

College Football Kickoff (Week 13)

Games of the Week

#7 Florida Gators (10-1) at #5 Florida State Seminoles (10-1)
During the 1990's this game always had a  big time implications, but recently it's just been another game due to one of the teams not being very good.  However with both teams ranked in the top 10 and both teams looking to possibly sneak into the National Title game if teams ahead of them slip up.  Both teams have really good defenses and this should be a low scoring game.  The big question will be Florida's offense.  They are not very dynamic, but are returning QB Jeff Driskel from injury.  If he can be the play maker we saw earlier in the season the Gators can win.  But FSU has a lot more weapons on offense and that should be the difference maker.
Prediction:  Florida 10 Florida State 20

#4 Oregon Ducks (10-1) at #19 Oregon State Beavers (9-2)
This game doesn't have the same impact as it did a week ago.  This was going to be the game that Oregon could slip up.  But they did that last week.  Now it will be interesting to see what Oregon team shows up.  A pissed off one looking to prove that last week was a fluke.  Or a team that is still thinking about last week and could see their second straight loss.  Oregon State wants to show that they are the best team in the state and want to knock off the mighty Ducks.  Unlike last week this will be a high scoring game.  The Beavers don't have as good of a defense as Stanford and will struggle to slow the Duck offense down.  Add in that Oregon State doesn't have the fire power to stay in a shoot out and this could get ugly.
Prediction:  Oregon 45 Oregon State 27

#11 Stanford Cardinal (9-2) at #18 UCLA Bruins (9-2)
The worst part (or maybe the best part depending how the game goes) about this game is that it could be replayed next weekend.  UCLA has already locked up their spot in the Pac 12 Title Game.  A Stanford win would clinch their spot in the game.  But don't expect a let down game here.  Stanford is playing for a lot and UCLA even though they are already in are looking to show they are a not a flash in the pan.  We'll see a good match up with UCLA's spread offense vs the Cardinals physical defense.  Will QB Brett Hundley and RB Jonathan Franklin be able to run against the Cardinal?  Or will OC Noel Mazzone be able to out scheme this defense?  But don't forget that UCLA must stop RB Stepfan Taylor and they've shown that they can be run on.
Prediction:  Stanford 20  UCLA 17

#13 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) at #10 Clemson Tigers (10-1)
This is one of the most intense rivalries in college football.  Things have only gotten more interesting with both Dabo Swiney and Steve Spurrier trading shots all year long.  Look for this to be a really physical game.  We'll see Clemson's high octane offense face off against a stout Gamecock defense.  South Carolina's defense is good, but is it good enough to slow down Tajh Boyd and Sammie Watkins?  You have to know that the struggling Gamecocks offense is excited to a bad Tiger defense.  The big concern for Clemson will be if their defense can hold the Gamecocks down enough to out score them.  I like those chances with Marcus Lattimore not in this game.
Prediction:  South Carolina 27  Clemson 31

#20 Michigan Wolverines (8-3) at #12 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0)
Now that Brady Hoke has the Wolverines on the upswing this rivalry is starting to get back to where it use to be.  This game could have major implications if the Buckeyes weren't on probation and were vying for a spot in the National Championship Game.  But if Nebraska loses to Iowa and the Wolverines win, they will go to the Big 10 Title Game.  But no matter what, both of these teams wants to beat the crap out of the other.  Now that QB Dennard Robinson is back the Wolverines offense has an extra wrinkle in it.  It will be interesting to see what OC Al Borges has worked up for a thin Buckeye defense.  Ohio State will need a big game out of QB Braxton Miller because Michigan has an underrated defense and the Buckeyes don't have a lot of weapons besides him. 
Prediction:  Michigan  20 Ohio State 21

---

Coaching Hot Seat

Skip Holtz
Record at South Florida: 
Bowl Appearances: 

A couple of years ago, Skip Holtz was an up and comer in the college football coaching circles.  After winning the Conference USA title two years in a row at East Carolina Holtz got his first crack at a BCS conference job.  Holtz took over at South Florida for Jim Leavitt who was fired for alleged abuse of players.

The South Florida job is one that many thought could be a sleeping giant.  They are in the fertile Florida recruiting grounds, had improved facilities, and were in a winnable conference.  Leavitt had them all the way up to #2 in the nation at one point before he was fired.  Holtz was a hot coaching name and many thought he could take them to that level.  Instead it's been three years and instead of Conference Championships and BCS Bowls we are talking about him possibly losing his job. 

It started out well for Holtz.  His first year in Tampa was alright.  They won 8 and beat Clemson in the Mieneke Car Care Bowl.  However the success of that initial season didn't last.  They only won 5 games last year and only 3 games so far this season.  Add in that Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are their remaining opponents and it looks like they'd be lucky to win one of them.  That leaves us to Holtz.  His best year was with Leavitt's players.  They've gotten worse every year.  Are three years enough to evaluate his program?

Probably not, but that seems to be the trend in college football.  He'll more than likely get another year.  But the seat is hot.  If he can't show vast improvement next year, we could be talking about South Florida looking for their 3rd coach in program history.

---

What happened to....

West Virginia Mountaineers
At the beginning of the season everybody was intrigued how West Virginia was going to do as the new member of the Big 12 conference.  Especially after winning the Big East the year before.

The Mountaineers were thought to be the perfect team for the Big 12.  They, much like almost every team, run a spread attack and don't play much defense.  West Virginia HC Dana Holgerson had experience in the conference from his time as an assistant at Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.  With the talent the Mountaineers had on offense they were deemed a sleeper pick to win the conference.

West Virginia started the season off with a bang winning their first five games, mostly by dominating fashion.  QB Geno Smith was putting up monster numbers and was the far and away leader for the Heisman Trophy.  But after starting out 5-0, the Mountaineers hit a huge wall and have lost their next 5 games.  The offense began to stall and the defense was incapable of stopping anybody.  West Virginia has two games remaining, Iowa State and Kansas.  Both should be wins, but Iowa State is feisty and is always capable of winning every night.

What went wrong?  Have teams figured out Holgerson's offense?  Did they beat up on inferior competition to start the season?  Or did the grind of the Big 12 catch the Mountaineers off guard?  To be honest it's probably a combination of them all.  Their first five games were against poor competition.  Texas was struggling at the time and Baylor was their next best opponent.  Add in that the Mountaineers aren't use to playing top 25 teams on a consistent basis (have you seen the Big East) and the grind can wear on a team.

This season can be chalked up to a failure, but look for West Virginia to reload and be a player in the Big 12 for years to come.

---

How about....

Conference Realignment

Two years ago Conference Realignment was a hot topic.  Nebraska, Colorado and Utah all joined new conferences.  The next off season we saw Texas A&M, Missouri, TCU, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse all move conferences.  Everything seemed to be stabilizing themselves.  But as you know, things have picked up once again and we have a new batch of teams moving around.

It all started with Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish are the most famous Independent Team in college football.  But this past summer they moved their non football teams from the Big East to the ACC.  This was a move that was good for both Notre Dame and the ACC.  It gave the ACC another big name and put them into a secure spot.  The Big 10 was always a conference that wanted Notre Dame, but with this move that was never going to happen.  With the possibility of 16 team super conferences looming, the Big 10 didn't want to be left picking up the scraps.  So they made the next move.

Enter Rutgers and Maryland.  They are your newest members of the Big 10.  Not what most people expected when they thought of the Big 10 expanding.  But as we know, it's all about money.  Rutgers and Maryland bring new big markets to the conference.  Now the Big 10 Network would be able to expand into New York City and Baltimore increasing the exposure of the conference and getting BTN on even more TV sets.  That means more money for the conference.

But what does that mean for the other conferences?  Now the ACC is scrambling.  Who are they going to get for their 14th school?  Do they have to turn to UConn or Louisville?  What schools will move next?  The SEC and Big 10 will be looking eventually to get to 16.  The place they'll likely look is the ACC.  What was thought to finally be a secure conference, is starting to feel a little insecure.

---

Player Spotlight

Jonathan Franklin

Height: 5'10
Weight: 198
School:  UCLA
Year:  Senior
Position:  Running back

With the UCLA Bruins on the rise and poise to play in their second straight Pac 12 Title Game, we've become a lot more familiar with Jonathan Franklin.  Franklin has been a huge part of the Bruins success on offense this year.  Going into the final game of the regular season Franklin is 5th in the nation in rushing yards (1,426 yards) while hauling in 12 total TDs.  He's gone over 100 yards in all but 3 games.  He even had over 200 yards in his first two games of the year.

All this success has brought a lot of attention to the senior running back.  Jonathan Franklin is a natural runner who doesn't have a lot of wasted movement and does does a great job of finding cut back lanes and openings.  He doesn't have elite top end speed, but is fast enough to get to the edge or break through the middle.  This season he has shown that he can also catch the ball, but has some work to do improving his route running and catching the ball more cleanly.

Overall Franklin has taken a huge step forward this year and is one of the top backs in college football this year.  His play has been a huge reason UCLA has a shot to win the Pac 12 Conference.  There will be several NFL teams looking to add him to their roster this upcoming draft.

College Football Kickoff (Week 12)

Games of the Week

#14 Stanford Cardinal (8-2) at #1 Oregon Ducks (10-0)
Easily the game of the week we have the top two teams in the Pac 12 facing off against each other.  The winner of this game would represent the North Division in the Pac 12 Title Game.  We'll see Oregon's high octane offense go up against Stanford's physical defense.  Last year Stanford couldn't handle Oregon's speed and athletism, will they be able to this year?  Can Stanford QB Kevin Hogan pick up where he left off and help keep the Cardinal in the game?  Or will Oregon's improved defense shut down Stanford?
Prediction:  Stanford 24  Oregon 42

#2 Kansas State Wildcats (10-0) at Baylor Bears (4-5)
Just looking at these two teams records it doesn't look like too good great of a match up.  But Baylor is a lot better than their record indicates.  They have the ability to score a ton of points and will put a lot of pressure on KState's defense.  But Baylor's defense is one of the worst in the nation and that isn't a good sign when you have KState's efficient offense coming to town.  This could be a big game for QB Collin Klein that could help him solidify his Heisman chances.  But this game could go to a shootout.  And Baylor might be due to knock somebody off.
Prediction:  KState  44  Baylor 32

#18 USC Trojans (7-3) at #20 UCLA Bruins (8-2)
This game doesn't have the national appeal we thought it was going to have early in the season, but there is still a lot to play for here.  Not only is this the battle for Los Angeles, but the winner of this game will represent the Pac 12 South in the Conference Title Game.  With a loss USC will have four on the season and with Notre Dame coming next week could be their 5th.  UCLA has a lot to prove.  New HC Jim Mora will want to make a statement against USC to keep the Bruins momentum going.  But will UCLA have enough defense to slow down the potent USC offense.  But can UCLA's running game expose USC's lack of depth on defense?
Prediction:  USC 35  UCLA 38

#25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-1) at Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2)
The Big East race will come down to how Rutgers, Cincinnati, and Louisville play each other.  The team that wins the round robin will be the conference champion.  Cincinnati has already lost to Louisville, so they really need to knock off Rutgers here.  However Rutgers has been playing very good lately especially on defense.  Not a good sign for the Bearcats who haven't had good consistent play out of the QB position.  They could really use Munchie Legaux to regain his old form if they want to win. 
Prediction:  Rutgers 24  Cincinnati 17

#23 Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-3) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-3)
Unlike the rest of the games listed here this game doesn't have any affect on a conference or nation title.  But it is still a quality game between to top 25 contenders looking to finish the season strong.  Texas Tech is looking to get some revenge from last year's blow out loss to Okie State.  Oklahoma State is looking to get things back on track but will have to do so with some uncertainty at QB.  But we do know that this will be a high scoring affair with the #1 (Tech) and #4 (Okie State) passing offenses in the nation.  So it could be the team with the ball last will bed the winner.
Prediction:  Tech 45  Oklahoma State 38

---

Coaching Hot Seat

Lane Kiffin
Record at USC:  25-10
Bowl Appearances:  0

Some people may be surprised to see Lane Kiffin's name associated with being on the hot seat, but you shouldn't be surprised.  USC was ranked #1 at the beginning of the year and there were a lot of expectations.  The Trojans returned star QB Matt Barkley and had stud WRs in Robert Woods and MarQuise Lee.  They have two talented RBs in Silas Redd and Curtis McNeill.  The offense was loaded at at a minimum were going to be able to outscore a lot of opponents. 

It's safe to say that the Trojans haven't lived up to them.  They've lost 3 games so far this season and with games against UCLA, Notre Dame, and possibly Oregon (again) it's safe to say they might lose two more.  Even with the sanctions they have enough talent to be better.  But QB Matt Barkley has struggled to be consistent and the defense has holes all over it.

Adding insult to injury there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Kiffin.  Against Colorado USC had a backup QB change his jersey to be the same as the punter (who is also the FG holder) and then ran a fake off of it.  A clear violation of NCAA rules.  Then there was the case of the deflated footballs.  USC "fired" a student manager because it was found out that the Trojans were deflating the footballs below NCAA standards.  Most people know that a student manager isn't going to do that without direction from the head coach.  Why bring this up, because Kiffin is widely known for bending the rules from his days at Tennessee and was on staff at USC when NCAA violations were broken. 

But the biggest reason why Kiffin's job might be in jeopardy is because USC Athletic Director Pat Haden wasn't the AD that hired Kiffin.  And word is that Haden isn't too pleased with Kiffin's run ins with NCAA rules.  Add that to a struggling team and Haden could feel the need to change coaches.  USC is one of the top jobs in college football and they could get whoever they wanted.  This could be Haden chance to get his own guy.

---

What happened to....

Wake Forrest Demon Deacons
Let's take a look back to 2006.  That was the year that Wake Forrest made a big jump.  The went 10-2 on the regular season, won the ACC Championship, and went to the school's first BCS Bowl Game (Orange Bowl).  Head coach Jim Grobe was hailed for his coaching and schools (almost got the Nebraska job) were looking to hire him away from the Winston-Salem school.  Grobe was known for redshirting every freshman with the thought that his 4th year juniors and 5th year seniors would lead to success.    Linebacker Aaron Curry went #4 overall to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Wake Forrest used the momentum from the 2006 ACC Championship season to reel off a 9 win and 8 win years.  The future was bright for Wake Forrest and it looked like they would be a consistent threat in the ACC's Atlantic Division. 
However, Wake Forrest was never able to maintain that success.  Since the 2008 season the Demon Deacons have only 14 wins and made it to only one bowl game (Music City Bowl loss to Miss State).  This year Wake Forrest has gotten better, but only have 5 wins on the season.  But with games against #3 Notre Dame and Vanderbilt left on schedule it doesn't look like they'll be bowl eligible.  That's a far cry from the program that we thought Grobe had built around 2007. 

---

How about....

UCLA Bruins
Often times there are lists made of underachieving programs or schools that have the potential to become college football powers.  A name that you always see on both lists is the UCLA Bruins.  And why not, UCLA is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Los Angeles that produces a ton of football talent.  The Bruins have had some tradition of success.  But they've never really been able to put it together to reach a consistent level of success.  The Bruins have brought in several different coaches to try and turn their fortune around, but they usually end up firing the coach because a lack of success.

Well they may have finally found the guy that can get the job done.  Jim Mora Jr was hired this past year and there were a lot of negative reactions.  Mora wasn't very successful while being a head coach in the NFL (being fired twice) and his only experience coaching in college was when he was a GA at Washington in 1984.  Many thought that Mora was hired because all the top names they wanted turned down the job. 

But sometimes it's not the first choice that ends up being the best choice.  When Mora took over he hired assistants that have had a ton of experience in the college game.  His OC Noel Mazzone is regarded as one of the top offensive minds in college football.  Together they have transformed a UCLA offense that was rather pedestrian into one of the best in the Pac 12.  RB Jonathan Franklin has emerged as one of top RBs in the nation, while freshman QB Brett Hundley is thriving in the spread attack.  The Bruins have been a regular in the top 25 and if they can beat USC this weekend they will make it to the Pac 12 Title Game with a chance to get to the Rose Bowl.

---

Player Spotlight

Chase Thomas

Height:  6'4
Weight:  240
School:  Stanford
Year:  Senior
Position:  Rush Linebacker

Andrew Luck may get a lot of the attention for helping Stanford become a yearly Pac 12 contender, but a huge reason for their success is the improved play of their defense.  One player that has really embodied the physical play of the defense is outside linebacker Chase Thomas.  Playing outside linebacker in the Cardinal defense it is Thomas' responsibility to seal the edge and put pressure on the QB.  Thomas played DE but once the Cardinal moved to the 3-4 Thomas was able to transition easily to the OLB spot.  He has a high motor, good quickness, and an understanding of how to get to the QB.  His specialty is the sack/fumble.  A skill that defensive coordinators love.  A good comparison might be current Bear and former Boise State Broncos Shea McClellian.  Teams are always looking for pass rushers and we are beginning to see teams take guys regardless of scheme (Bruce Irvin, McClellian) which only helps somebody like Thomas.

Coaching Carousel

With only a week left of the College Football Regular season, we are seeing several coaches being fired, and even have a few hired. Let's take a look at which schools are still open.

Arizona State Sun Devils

After the free fall that the Sun Devils took, it was no surprise that Dennis Erickson is gone. But who will they get to lead them? That's a good question. Their top target is Kevin Sumlin. ASU was actually rumored to have Sumlin negotiating a contract, but then the A&M job came available. Sumlin would go to A&M before ASU, so they may have to wait if they really want him. But if they don't, they could go up to Oregon and try and get OC Mark Helfrich or go to Eastern Michigan and get former ASU assistant Ron English. Bears OC Mike Martz is another former ASU assistant.

Prediction: Kevin Sumlin (Current Houston HC)

Akron Zips

Rob Ianello was let go after only 2 seasons, but those two season were pretty bad. But only winning one game in the MAC doesn't help your cause. Without much talent or recent history of success you would think that Akron wouldn't be too ideal of a place. However the Zips do have arguably the best facilities in the conference. This looked like a perfect spot for Ohio State interim HC Luke Fickell, but with him staying at Ohio State with Urban Meyer, this opens this up for anybody. There was also some talk that Jim Tressel could be the guy. But we all know that won't happen. Look for a Big 10 position coach, FCS, Division II, or MAC coordinator to take this job.

Prediction: Paul Winters (Current Wayne State (Division II) HC)

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois was looking like a Big 10 sleeper after six games, but then they just fell flat on their face. This collapse and the lack of success the previous couple of years it was no surprise that Ron Zook was fired. However Zook was able to bring a lot of talent to Illinois and leaves them better off than when he got there. It will be interesting to see where the Illini go with this hire. They went with a flashy recruiter in Zook last time around. This time they might be better off going with an X's and O's guy with some ties to the Midwest or Big 10.

Prediction: Paul Chyrst (Current Wisconsin OC)

Kansas Jayhawks

It is unfortunate that Tuner Gill was fired because what he did at Buffalo was nothing short of amazing. But when you struggle as bad as Kansas has the past two years, you can't blame them more making a change. Where Kansas goes is up in the air. Mike Leach was thought to be a candidate, but he is now at Washington State. Jim Levitt the former South Florida HC is a guy to watch. Yes he got fired at South Florida because he allegedly struck a player and Kansas had their own issues with coaches mistreating players. But Kansas' AD was an assistant at South Florida under Levitt at one point. Former Arizona HC Mike Stoops wouldn't be a bad choice either, but he'll hold out for a better job.

Prediction: Dave Christensen (Current Wyoming HC)

Memphis Tigers

Yet another coach who was fired after only 2 years on the job. Larry Porter came to Memphis and looked like a great hire. The former start recruiter for LSU, had ties to the area, and was a Memphis Alum. However his time at Memphis was a disaster going 3-21. Now they look to move forward. I don't see them going after another assistant. They'll more than likely go after somebody with HC experience. I really think that Hugh Freeze would be a great fit. He really did wonders at Arkansas Sate this past year and has coaching contacts in Memphis. Or will they go with a Tommy Bowden who has a bigger name?

Prediction: Hugh Freeze (Current Arkansas State HC)

Mississippi Rebels

The Ole Miss job is very interesting. It is an SEC job with a lot of talent with close proximity. However they are in the same division as Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn. I don't care who you hire. That would be tough to win that division on a regular basis. So don't look for any big names to get this job. This job will come down to either Kirby Smart, Gus Malzahn, or Larry Fedora. Malzahn or Smart are more than likely their top choices. But Fedora would be a good fallback choice.

Prediction: Larry Fedora (Current Southern Miss HC)

North Carolina Tar Heels

Under normal circumstances this would be a top place for a lot of coaches. North Carolina has good facilities, fertile recruiting grounds, high level talent on the roster and a winnable conference. However with possible NCAA sanctions on the way, there is a level on uncertainty. Gus Malzhan is the popular name, but he could have about any job he wants. A name to consider is Skip Holtz who has ties to their AD and North Carolina.

Prediction: Gus Malzahn (Current Auburn OC)

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Penn State job is one of the most difficult job to predict. People like Al Golden and Greg Schiano would normally be high on the list, but with the whole Sandusky situation look for Penn State to bring somebody in who has no ties to the program. But who is out there that would take this job and be a great fit? There isn't too many people. But one makes a ton of sense to me and has been rumored to be a target. Dan Mullen. The current Miss State HC has had success in the SEC and would bring a lot to the Nittany Lions. Mullen is a good leader, strong recruiter, and has ties to the Northeast. Mullen was born in Philly and grew up in the Northeast.

Prediction: Dan Mullen (Current Mississippi State HC)

Texas A&M Aggies

This is the most recent job that is available and should now be the most desirable. Not only is A&M in the fertile recruiting grounds of Texas, but also moving to the elite conference in college football in the SEC. Add in the huge fan support and tons of money within the program and they should be able to get who they want. But we thought that last time when they ended up hiring Mike Sherman. Kirby Smart might be a good fit with their need for a defensive presence. But the hot name is Kevin Sumlin. However a name that not a lot of people are talking about is Art Briles. The current Baylor coach would love to move up to a better job and he has won every where he has gone. It makes too much sense, so it probably won't happen. But I'll take a risk.

Prediction: Art Briles (Current Baylor HC)

Tulane Green Wave

The Green Wave haven't been much of a contender in Conference USA lately, but they are a team that has the potential to be a Conference USA power. The state of Louisiana has too much talent and them being in New Orleans only helps. There was a thought that they could get their former OC Rich Rodriguez to run the program, but he went to a much better job at Arizona. So with Rich Rod out of the picture where do they go? Mike Haywood (former Miami OH HC) has interviewed and would be good. But do they want to deal with his baggage? Jeff Jagodzinski wouldn't be bad either. But Mark Hudspeth would be better than both. Hudspeth is a former Miss State assistant and is the current Louisiana Lafayette HC and has really turned that morib program around. His experience in the state would be help out too.

Prediction: Mark Hudspeth (Current Louisiana Laffayette HC)

UAB Blazers

the UAB job has to be the least desirable job that is open. Not only has UAB not has any success lately, but their facilities are awful. So don't look for anybody worth while to be wanting this job. You'll more than likely see a BCS position coach or a lower level coach taking this job. There are a few names being rumored for this job. But look for a name out of nowhere to get hired.

Prediction: Jeff Monkin (Current Georgia Southern HC)

UCLA Bruins

UCLA should be a good college football program. They sit in the middle of one of the best recruiting areas. But former HC Rick Neuhisel was unable to take advantage of USC's NCAA sanctions and is now gone. UCLA fans think that Chris Peterson is coming, but he isn't. Kevin Sumlin is a rumored name, but look for him to stay as close to Texas as he can. Look for them to have to settle. One player to really watch out for is June Jones. Jones has won at every stop and has done so without much resources. Put him in LA and he could turn the Bruins into a contender.

Prediction: June Jones (Current SMU HC)

Heat Index: Coaches on the Hot Seat!

About this time of the year we start to hear about coaches whose jobs are in jeopardy. Mike Locksey (New Mexico) was the first coach to go, how many will follow? Lets take a look at some of the coaches whose seats could be warming up!

NFL

Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars
Del Rio has been a regular on the Heat Index with the Jaguars struggles, but can you really blame him? The team always seems to be in the hunt for the playoffs. But their roster isn't very good. They are already on their 3rd QB of the season and the offense has no play makers. I'd blame the GM before Del Rio, but don't be surprised if they went in a new direction.
Hot Seat Level: Warm

Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs
His fiery demeanor has never really set well with the players, but it looked like Haley had finally turned the corner when he lead the Chiefs to a surprising AFC West Division Title last year. But then he ran off OC Charlie Weis and this year the wheels fell off. They were blown out in the first two games to boot. Don't be surprised if Haley is the first NFL HC to get the ax.
Hot Seat Level: Blazing

Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals
Even though Wisenhunt has taken the Cardinals to a Super Bowl (which they almost won) they haven' been very good since. That might not be his fault, but the Cardinals can't continue to be finishing at the bottom of the division. Especially with all they invested in Kevin Kolb.
Hot Seat Level: Luke Warm

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears
It looked like Lovie Smith was on his way out with a poor season last year. However the Bears righted the ship and the Bears went on to win the NFC North and where a win away from a Super Bowl. However just like last year the Bears are off the a slow start. If they don't turn things around again, they could get rid of everybody.
Hot Seat Level: Room Temperature

Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins
When he was first hired the Dolphins were playing great. Chad Henne was starting his career and looked like a promising young QB. However the wheels have fell off and players are throwing him under the bus. Add in that Sparano's biggest supporter, Bill Parcells, is no longer running the front office. If they finish with one of the worst records he'll be gone.
Hot Seat Level: Hot

College

Larry Porter, Memphis
A herealded recruiter and position coach at LSU, Porter was to return to his Alma mater to restore the Tigers back to a consistent bowl team. However things have just been awful for Porter. He only won one game in his first season and this year looks much the same. Getting blown out and shut out by SMU doesn't hurt. The Tigers might not fire him after two years, but its pretty bad there.
Hot Seat Level: Warm

Rick Neuheisel, UCLA
Another coach who returned to his Alma mater to restore them to past glory. Neuheisel had success at Colorado and Washington, but just hasn't got in done at UCLA. Their facilities are awful, but Neuheisel's constant turnover with his coordinators and assistant coaches doesn't help the consistency.
Hot Seat Level: Warm

Houston Nutt, Mississippi
Nutt had a good run at Arkansas but was run off by boosters who didn't like his handling of Mitch Mustain. He ended up leaving and landed in a good situation at Mississippi where they were loaded with talent left behind from Ed Orgeron's staff. Nutt took the Rebels to the Cotton Bowl in his first game and it looked like they were poised to challenge for a SEC Title. However they fell flat on their face and now are one of the worst teams in the SEC. With the success that Miss State is having, Nutt might be gone before the seasons end.
Hot Seat Level: Hot

Mark Richt, Georgia
One of the longest tenured coaches in the SEC might be coming to an end after this year. Despite having a teams full of talent, the Bulldogs have only made it to one BCS game. With it clear that his job was on the line this year he drops his first two games to Boise State and South Carolina. He'll need a strong finish or it might be a change coming.
Hot Seat Level: Blazing