College Football Coaches Under Pressure: Performance Review and Future Outlook
An analysis of last year's head coaches facing job security issues in college football, highlighting their performance and challenges ahead.
Overview
CBS Sports’ 2025 College Football Hot Seat Rankings assesses the job security of all 136 FBS coaches. Nine coaches were particularly under pressure entering the season. While performance can fluctuate, it often determines a coach’s fate in the ever-competitive landscape of college football.
Performance Summary
Some coaches improved enough to secure their positions, while others faced difficult situations in the previous season. Here’s a brief on their status and performance:
- Sam Pittman (Arkansas): Hot seat rating improved from 5 to 4.22.
- Billy Napier (Florida): Reduced from 4 to 3.67 after a late-season recovery.
- Dave Aranda (Baylor): Rating decreased from 4 to 2.22 following a strong finish.
- Clark Lea (Vanderbilt): Maintained a rating of 4 showing improvement.
- Kalani Sitake (BYU): Moved to a lower risk with a rating change from 4 to 1.11.
- Sonny Cumbie (Louisiana Tech): Remains in critical condition with a rating of 5.
- Stan Drayton (Temple): No longer with the program; previously rated 4.
- Mike Neu (Ball State): Also left the program, holding a 4 rating.
- Will Hall (Southern Miss): Left program after a 4 rating.
Challenges Ahead
The season ahead promises to be pivotal, with performances closely scrutinized, particularly for those on the hot seat. Adequate success is necessary for securing their positions.
