CFB Coaches on the Hot Seat in 2021

After a 2020 college football season made interesting by the coronavirus, the prevailing thought was that schools would go easy on coaches and shy away from paying big buyouts to fire them. That was not the case. Seventeen FBS programs made coaching changes and there could be plenty more in 2021. Here’s a look at those college head coaches who are most squarely on the hot seat this season. 

SCOTT FROST – NEBRASKA

Not long ago, Frost captained a ship that went 13-0 and averaged 48.2 points per game. That was at UCF just prior to his coming home to Nebraska. It was supposed to be the perfect fit. Hometown boy comes home to his alma mater and brings it back to glory. Only, it hasn’t happened.

The Cornhuskers are 12-20 in Frost’s first three seasons and, if it doesn’t improve in 2021, the former Nebraska quarterback might be done in Lincoln. Last year, Frost’s team averaged 23.4 points a game, the lowest in the coach’s three years at Nebraska. 

The problem for Frost in 2021 is the schedule. The Cornhuskers play at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, and then cross over to play Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State. There is also the renewal of the old Nebraska-Oklahoma rivalry on Sept. 18. If the Huskers don’t start 3-0 – at Illinois and Fordham and Buffalo at home – Frost might not make it through the season.

JUSTIN FUENTE – VIRGINIA TECH

If not for a gigantic contract buyout, Fuente might be somewhere other than Blacksburg this fall. His overall record of 38-26 isn’t terrible, but going 19-18 over the last three seasons and 5-6 in 2020 just isn’t going to cut it at a program that is used to big bowl games, playing for ACC titles, and 10-win seasons.

In Fuente’s sixth season in Blacksburg, the Hokies are going to have to compete for a conference title and finish the season in the Top 25 (something they haven’t done since 2017). If not, Fuente will be packing up and heading out.

CLAY HELTON – USC

It’s do or die time for Helton at USC. In six seasons in Troy, Helton has produced just one Pac-12 championship, but he seems to win just enough to save his job. The Trojans went 5-1 in last year’s short season. USC lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 title game and then Helton brought in a Top 10 recruiting class. 

Will the USC faithful put up with another 8-5 or even 9-4 season? The schedule is friendly in 2021. The Trojans do not play Oregon or Washington in the regular season and their toughest tests will likely be Utah, which they play at home, and Arizona State on the road.

Another 9- or 10-win season probably buys Helton another year, but he is going to have to get the Trojans into the national championship picture fast or he’ll be gone.

JEFF BROHM – PURDUE

Brohm parlayed back-to-back 12- and 10-win seasons at Western Kentucky into the Purdue job. He went 7-6 in Year 1 and has gotten progressively worse – 6-7, 4-8, and 2-4 – since. Brohm has the same problem as Frost in that his Boilermakers will play in the Big Ten. Purdue crosses over to play at Ohio State. The Boilermakers have Indiana and Michigan State at home as well as the rest of the West Division. Then, there is the non-league clash with Notre Dame.

Brohm and Purdue will do it all without WR Rondale Moore who opted for the NFL. It’s pretty clear for Brohm. A winning season and a nice bowl win will keep him in West Lafayette. Another losing season opens up the door where Brohm will be led out.

JIM HARBAUGH – MICHIGAN

It’s ironic in a way, but three of the coaches named here are from the Big Ten. Arguably, there is no other coach in America that needs to get it done more than Harbaugh. He’s 49-22 overall which doesn’t look all that bad, but this is Michigan. In six seasons, Harbaugh has produced exactly zero Big Ten titles. 

Jim Harbaugh is one of several Big Ten coaches on the hot-seat.

The Wolverines biggest rival – Ohio State – on the other hand has won four straight conference championships and they have beaten Michigan in each of the past six seasons. That’s right. Jimmy Khaki Pants has yet to beat Michigan’s chief rival. 

Michigan went just 2-4 last season making Harbaugh’s record just 11-8 over the past two seasons. The other big thing is that Harbaugh doesn’t win big games. Michigan is 0-11 on the road (or at a neutral site) against teams ranked in the AP Top 15. The Wolverines have also never won a game as an underdog with Harbaugh as head coach. 

If Harbaugh cannot produce a double-digit-win season and a win over Ohio State, it’s likely that he will be asked politely to step down. Or his name will come up with an NFL job opening and he’ll make the leap before he gets fired.