It’s not always good to mix. However, the coaching carousel has plenty of seats whether you are holding an NFL gig or a college job. Here are some of the names who are playing with fire unless their teams wake up.
Ron Rivera
Something is not right in Carolina and you can only point so many fingers at Cam Newton. Ron Rivera’s Panthers have not been solid since starting 2018 6-2. They went on a seven-game losing streak and only took the finale because the Saints rested everyone. Now, they are 0-2 and Newton’s ankle is tender. How much patience will new ownership have?
Pat Shurmur
The Giants have to rue the day they cut ties with Tom Coughlin. First, Ben McAdoo was a disaster and Pat Shurmur is on his way to becoming another. The QB switch will distract from the truth for a short period. Don’t be fooled. This isn’t on Eli Manning. Place it square on Shurmur and Dave Gettleman. As a head coach in Cleveland and with Big Blue, Shurmur is a collective 14-36. That doesn’t translate toward longevity.
Jay Gruden
This was going to be a make-or-break season for Jay Gruden and Washington. So far, it’s been bend and break as Gruden is 0-2. He went with Case Keenum as the starter. Will be fascinating to see if the coach goes to rookie Dwayne Haskins to try and salvage the team and his fate. It could be the fastest way to the exit. Gruden could be fortunate Washington’s bye doesn’t pop until Week 10.
Doug Marrone
The thought the Jaguars were considered a Super Bowl contender before the 2018 season is a distant memory. Marrone is 5-13 in his last 18 games as Jaguars coach. He is coming off a heated confrontation on the sidelines with Jalen Ramsey. Would anyone be stunned if Tom Coughlin turned up on the sidelines in either an interim or permanent basis?
Brian Flores
This could be considered premature since it is after a pair of games. The question, however, has to be how many routs will Miami management accept before saying it made an overall mistake with Brian Flores and his staff. Maybe the tanking is part of the buy-in. They have a trio of first-round picks and a pair of second-rounders in 2020. Do you think that’s enough to give Flores more time if this turns into 0-16?
Adam Gase
Same as above. A pair of losses, the first one an awful one after leading Buffalo 16-0 in the third quarter. Sam Darnold has mono, Trevor Siemian hurt his ankle … yeah, yeah, yeah. The overriding feeling is the chemistry being built around Gang Green is one that is due to implode. GM Joe Douglas came on after Adam Gase was hired. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain by finding his own man who can turn turbulence into tranquility.
Chip Kelly
On to a college coach who found no success in the NFL. Chip Kelly left his magic in Eugene and it has not resurfaced at UCLA after stops in Philly and San Francisco. The Bruins are 0-3 for the first time. They lost to Cincinnati and San Diego State before being lit up by Oklahoma. Kelly is 3-12 in Westwood and that doesn’t bode well.
Clay Helton
It almost feels like Clay Helton is coaching on the shortest leash in college football. Lynn Swann is gone as AD at USC. That means a new hire who could want to make a splash if the Trojans struggled through another mediocre season. The loss at BYU isn’t going to help as the Cougars outlasted terrible Tennessee in overtime and were waxed by Utah in their opener. By the way, Urban Meyer will be at the Coliseum Friday in his capacity as an analyst for FOX. Will that run be one and done?
Willie Taggart
The tenure in Tallahassee is becoming tenuous for Willie Taggart. He is 6-9 after 15 games. He has lost to Boise State in Tallahassee this season, survived a pinball-machine game with Louisana Monroe by a point and then was upended at Virginia. This is not the kind of mark people expect out of the Seminoles and their coach.
Steve Addazio
If mediocrity is what keeps you going, Steve Addazio is the Jeff Fisher of college football. The Boston College coach has gone 7-6 in four seasons, 7-5 last year and 3-9 in 2015. Overall, he is 40-39 heading into a must-win game against Rutgers after the Eagles were crushed by Kansas. Kansas! If you lose to the Jayhawks by 24 at Chestnut Hill, what can the future hold?
Chris Ash
Boston College at Rutgers Saturday, with both guys seemingly coaching for their jobs. Chris Ash is 8-30 with the Scarlet Knights. That’s a .211 winning percentage. The majority of the victories have come against the likes of Howard twice, New Mexico, Morgan State and Texas State. Abominable.
Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith was a strong coach in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. He went 81-63 there. Since, it has been downhill. A pair of years with the Bucs resulted in 8-24. In college at Illinois, it has been as ugly, 11-28. That means Smith is 19-52 as a coach since 2014. The Illini have not won 7 games in a season since Ron Zook was their coach in 2011. The home loss last week to Eastern Michigan in a paycheck game for the Hurons could start the beginning of the end of the Smith era in Champaign.
Jeremy Pruitt
Whatever became of the once-feared Tennessee football program? The Vols are 1-2 now and suffering a humilating home loss to Georgia State of the Sun Belt Conference. Jeremy Pruitt is 6-9 and three of the next four are Florida, Georgia and Alabama. That isn’t good for the long-term health of a struggling program or coach.
