4 Head Coaches Entering 2022 On The Hot Seat

At the start of every college football season, one of the biggest and most intensely studied topics is the college football coaching hot seat. Fans want to know which coach will be the first to fall, especially at a high-profile program. Heading into the 2022 season, it’s very obvious who is number one on the hot seat list, and two other coaches are also slam-dunk candidates for a quick exit. The fourth candidate, the one at the bottom of this list, might not have a high chance of being fired, but he still deserves to be on the hot seat given the other aspects of his situation.

Scott Frost, Nebraska

No one is on a hotter seat than Frost, who has still not been able to make a bowl game at Nebraska after trying repeatedly to turn the corner and figure out this puzzling, enigmatic football program. Last year was uniquely painful for Nebraska and Frost because nearly all of the team’s losses were by one score (eight points or fewer). This team played competitive football against Oklahoma and Michigan and Ohio State and other really good teams, but it also lost games to Purdue and Illinois and Minnesota. Against good teams, mediocre teams, and bad teams, the same result emerged: Nebraska lost a close game. At some point, playing opponents in close games doesn’t mean much if the team doesn’t eventually find ways to win. The bottom line is that Frost has to make a bowl game this year. If he doesn’t, he probably will get fired, no matter what else Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts might publicly say about Frost’s status during the season. Nebraska fans simply won’t put up with another year which lacks a bowl appearance during the holidays. That is the absolute, must-reach goal for Frost in 2022.

Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were very good under their previous head coach, Paul Johnson. Geoff Collins stepped in for Johnson and remade the Yellow Jacket program. One of the central things he did was to get rid of Johnson’s triple-option offense. Because he was such a marked change from Johnson as a head coach, Georgia Tech fans placed extra scrutiny on Collins, since Johnson was so popular and genuinely beloved in Atlanta. Collins has done nothing of note in his first few seasons on the job. This year’s schedule is difficult, and fans will need to see the Yellow Jackets be robustly competitive if Collins is to get another season. If the Yellow Jackets are easily outclassed by their opponents, Collins will be gone. The odds are very high Georgia Tech will make a coaching change this year.

Herman Edwards, Arizona State

Herm Edwards might not even coach at the start of the season if the NCAA levies big penalties against the Arizona State football program for COVID-19 recruiting violations. However, even if the NCAA doesn’t sanction Arizona State, the program has already lost a lot of quality players because of the fears about NCAA punishment. That alone has gutted the program. Edwards is likely to have a horrible 2022 season, and when it’s over, the Sun Devils figure to clean house. Edwards’ days in Tempe are numbered, no matter what.

Mike Norvell, Florida State

This is the one coach whose seat is not nearly as hot as the others on this list. However, if Norvell somehow fails to win six games in 2022, you’re going to see a huge and furious drumbeat for his ouster. Few people expect Florida State to have a losing season this year, but if the Seminoles do stumble that badly, Norvell might have to fight for his job.