College Football: Top 6 Group of Five coaches facing 2017 hot seat

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Mark Hudspeth of the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns reacts during the first half of a game against the Tulane Green Wave at Yulman Stadium on September 24, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Any Ragin’ Cajuns intent on putting Mark Hudspeth on the hot seat would do well to remember the Rickey Bustle era in Lafayette. Between 2002 and 2010, Bustle went 41-65 without a single bowl appearance. Before Bustle, Jerry Baldwin went 6-27 in three years and Nelson Stokley went 62-80-1. Since moving up to the I-A ranks in 1982, Louisiana-Lafayette had never played in a bowl game before Hudspeth showed up at the school.

Though recent returns have been less promising, Hudspeth deserves the benefit of the doubt. Upon taking the job in 2011, Hudspeth immediately led the Ragin’ Cajuns to four straight New Orleans Bowl victories. After a 4-8 downswing in 2015, Hudspeth returned UL-Lafayette to the postseason with another New Orleans Bowl appearance last season. Though the Ragin’ Cajuns lost to Southern Miss, it was still their fifth bowl in six seasons under Hudspeth.

Thus it seems hasty to throw Hudspeth onto a hot seat, or even a warm one at that. The Cajuns coach must navigate road games against Texas A&M and Ole Miss this season. They also take on both Arkansas State and Appalachian State on the road. Bowl eligibility will be an uphill battle in 2017, but that should not be enough to cost Hudspeth his job in Lafayette.

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