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College Football: 10 coaches on the hottest seats entering 2018

By Patrick Mayhorn

LAWRENCE, KS - NOVEMBER 28: Head coach David Beaty of the Kansas Jayhawks watches from the sidelines during the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KS - NOVEMBER 28: Head coach David Beaty of the Kansas Jayhawks watches from the sidelines during the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

9. Ed Orgeron

This is one of the most unusual circumstances on the whole list. Despite just one year in Baton Rouge, Orgeron is fully on the hot seat, and probably for good reason. After a successful run as the interim head coach in 2016, filling in for Les Miles, LSU decided to bring Orgeron back for 2017, giving him a massive, five-year contract.

That decision, made largely because of his recruiting acumen, was an ill-advised choice. Orgeron struggled in 2017, relative to expectations from LSU fans. The Tigers won nine games, but often sputtered offensively, despite giving Matt Canada a boatload of money to fix the offense.

Those offensive issues, the lack of a decent quarterback (Danny Etling stunk, don’t lie to yourself) and losses early on to Mississippi State and Troy put Orgeron in hot water quickly. Despite a 6-2 finish to the season, including a win over Auburn, Orgeron is still widely considered to be on the hot seat heading into 2018.

A lot of that can likely be chalked up to his history. Ed’s recruiting skill got him the Ole Miss job back in 2005, and his awful tenure there has likely spawned quite a bit of doubt. Add in a bloodthirsty fanbase and a program with a ton of money to throw at football, and you get a hot seat pretty easily. Orgeron may still be in over his head, and that’s the concern around the program.

What does Orgeron need?

Orgeron needs two thinks that are difficult to come by, especially in the SEC. First, he needs a season of competent offense, led by Ohio State grad transfer quarterback Joe Burrow. If the offense is solid, it’ll appease the fans at least a bit, and it’ll almost certainly lead to a better on the field performance. The defense will be good, as per usual, and if the running game is decent, LSU has the talent to compete for the SEC West.

Secondly, he needs a great recruiting class. The 15th ranked 2018 class isn’t up to snuff at LSU, and if he’s not bringing in five stars, they’ll find someone who will.

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