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10 college football coaches who need turnarounds to avoid 2017 hot seat

By Zach Bigalke

Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly argues a call in the fourth quarter against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC won 45-27. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly argues a call in the fourth quarter against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC won 45-27. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 25, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham signals during the second quarter of the Territorial Cup against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham signals during the second quarter of the Territorial Cup against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

To be honest, both coaches in the Copper State need a strong campaign in 2017 to avoid the hot seat. Like Rich Rodriguez, Todd Graham is also facing a make-or-break year after missing a bowl game for the first time in five seasons at Arizona State. But the issue in Graham’s case hasn’t necessarily been one merely of postseason participation but also regression within Pac-12 play.

In his second season at the helm in Tempe, Graham beat out the rest of the Pac-12 South to earn the division title and secure the Sun Devils a spot in the conference championship. While Arizona State lost to Stanford, they seemed positioned to remain in the hunt. The following year, the Territorial Cup against rival Arizona served as another Pac-12 South championship of sorts. Though Arizona won that time, the Sun Devils seemed on target to continue challenging for the league.

Instead, they have seen their conference record dwindle steadily. From the 8-1 finish in league play in 2013, Arizona State has gone from six to four to two wins over the succeeding years. Graham needs not only to get ASU back to bowl eligibility but needs to also improve on the team’s Pac-12 record if he is to continue sitting comfortably in the leadership role.

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