Saturday Blitz
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 10
Next
Dec 29, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema questions the ref on a call during the fourth quarter of the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. The Hokies win the Belk Bowl 35-24 over the Razorbacks. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema questions the ref on a call during the fourth quarter of the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. The Hokies win the Belk Bowl 35-24 over the Razorbacks. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

When he ditched Wisconsin to take over in Fayetteville, Bret Bielema left the Badgers before the weight of heightened expectations turned up the heat in Madison. Now, his inability to boost the record at Arkansas is beginning to put his position as head coach under heat. The question at this point isn’t what Bielema needs to do to avoid the hot seat, but rather what he needs to do to turn down the temperature for a fan base that has made no bones about its expectations:

Arkansas knows it has the potential to be a SEC West contender, having watched both Houston Nutt and Bobby Petrino lead the Razorbacks to 10- and 11-win seasons. For this fan base, annual trips to the Liberty Bowl or the Belk Bowl simply don’t carry the same appeal as contending for New Year’s Six positioning. Bielema invited the challenge of SEC competition when he bolted Madison, but so far his teams have gone a combined 10-22 in conference play.

For the hot seat to cool under Bielema in 2017, three things need to happen. First, the shift to a 3-4 defense under Paul Rhoads needs to pay immediate dividends to challenge in the SEC. Second, Arkansas can’t lose a game against a non-conference schedule that features nothing but home games and presents only TCU as a potential roadblock. Finally, the Razorbacks need to pull off at least one road upset at either Alabama or LSU.

Home/College Football News