Top 10 college football programs who put the most pressure on head coaches

Nov 29, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly during the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Fighting Irish have an extremely rich football history, and that extends to a full list of accomplished football minds who have spent time as head coach of their program. There’s no doubt about it, becoming the head coach of Notre Dame is a career topper.

Brian Kelly has so far made a great showing, including leading his team to an undefeated regular season in 2012. But Notre Dame is still a little tender about the head coach position as the last few haven’t really panned out as planned.

After Lou Holtz left, his defensive coordinator Bob Davie was promoted to head coach. Davie contributed three straight years of bowl game losses, and during his tenure Notre Dame was placed on probation for the first time in school history by the NCAA. After him, Notre Dame hired George O’Leary, who was officially head coach for only five days after it was revealed that he had padded his resume.

Tyrone Willingham came next, and despite a successful first season, Notre Dame suffered 30-point losses five different times over the next two seasons. He was let go after Notre Dame was trounced by USC. Following a similar pattern, Charlie Weis came to South Bend and impressed during his first two seasons.

In one of the more confusing decisions by Notre Dame athletics, Weis was offered a 10-year contract extension only halfway through his inaugural season when his team was only 5-2. Weis showed his appreciation by leading Notre Dame to a 3-9 season during his third year, the worst in Notre Dame history. It was most likely because of the lengthy extension he signed that Weis wasn’t let go until he had stayed two more mediocre seasons.

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