If you thought SEC coaching was the ultimate dream gig, 2025 may seem closer to a nightmare. College football fans were already abuzz about next season when On3’s Ari Wasserman set the internet ablaze with a “Hot Seat” list filled with some of the sport’s top names. And it’s not limited to small schools with their backs against the wall; Florida, Oklahoma, Auburn, and Arkansas all have coaches with make-or-break seasons looming. The pressure? relentless. The expectations? unreasonable. The buyouts? Humongous.
There is no compassion in this game. Not when your boosters have thinner patience and fans that view an 8-win campaign as public humiliation. That’s why Billy Napier tops this list. Florida’s been holding its breath for a turnaround since Urban Meyer departed the swamp, and Napier’s 19-19 record in his first three seasons hasn’t precisely yelled long-term solution. Unless he works a miracle in Year 4, he may not survive until Halloween.
Brent Venables is ranked No. 2, and that’s not surprising either. Oklahoma joining the SEC was supposed to be a statement; so far, it’s been a question mark. Venables has gone 22-17 over three seasons, but last season’s 2-6 SEC mark and spotty QB play invited scorching criticism. It’s not that they’re losing, it’s that they’re losing catastrophically in clutch situations. With OU’s blueblood status, “rebuilding” isn’t in the vocabulary.
2025 Hot Seat: College football coaches feeling the most pressure this season
Column: https://t.co/bNS0YNUl97 pic.twitter.com/BXaRt3nrbJ
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) July 30, 2025
At No. 3, Hugh Freeze has Auburn fans nervous in their seats. Freeze was brought in to return the Tigers to SEC relevancy, but a 5-7 mark last season didn’t do him any favors. Yeah, recruiting’s been fine, but fans don’t care about potential; they care about production. If Freeze doesn’t produce early, his leash will grow short in a hurry, so the upcoming season is going to be very crucial for him.
Then there’s Sam Pittman at No. 4. He’s popular, players adore him, but Arkansas hasn’t been doing much winning. After finishing last season 7-6, the Razorbacks are 18-21 over the past three years. Pittman’s deal isn’t crazy, but Arkansas boosters have made it clear, they want to be more than an SEC lower-level program. He’ll need a quick start and a few signature upsets to keep the heat off.
No. 5 Brent Brennan is still a fresh face in the Power Five after leaving San Jose State for Arizona. Arizona was riding the high of a 10-win season in 2023 with Jedd Fisch. And after a 4-8 season in 2024, the pressure is already palpable. Anything less than bowl eligibility, and fans will be questioning whether they made the right decision letting Fisch leave. Brennan’s reputation as a culture builder is established, but now he needs wins, quickly.
These coaches are also on the brink
Virginia Tech’s Brent Pry had a decent year 2 with the program, but his third year ended with a record of 6-7. He’s 16-21 across three years now, and Hokies fans are getting restless after all the years in the desert. An easy ACC schedule might keep him afloat, but fewer than eight wins likely will prompt a change.
Mike Locksley, No. 7, has quietly maintained Maryland’s respectability. But the fan base is beginning to wonder if “respectable” is the ceiling. Locksley’s 32-36 mark with the Terrapins is indeed a concerning thing. He’s been with the program for the last six years, although his 2022 and 2023 seasons were decent, with eight wins and five losses in each season. The pressure is still humongous ahead of the fall.
Scott Satterfield rounds out the list at No. 8, and Cincinnati’s jump to the Big 12 hasn’t gone smoothly. A brutal 3-9 debut season in 2023 and 5-7 in 2024 didn’t inspire confidence, and with a loaded conference slate in 2025, it’s not getting any easier. Satterfield needs at least six wins to quiet the noise, but even that might not be enough if UC’s offense doesn’t improve.
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