College Football: 10 coaches on the hot seat entering 2019 season
By Dante Pryor
4. Chris Ash, Rutgers
Not so long-ago Rutgers was a relevant, respectable football program. Former head coach Greg Schiano won bowl games in five of his last six seasons before abruptly leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His replacement, Kyle Flood, won a share of the Big East Conference title.
After two consecutive losing seasons and multiple sanctions along with a two-year probation, Flood lost his job. Suffice to say, Chris Ash walked into a mess. However, you can’t go 1-11 and not expect to be on the hot seat. This should have been expected.
More from College Football News
- Michigan State vs. Maryland: Location, time, prediction, and more
- Ranking college football’s top 10 quarterbacks after Week 3
- Things are going to get much darker for the Houston Cougars
- Biggest winners and losers from College Football Week 3
- #10 Alabama football: 3 takeaways from close road win against USF
Ash has had to play a very young roster, including having to play true freshman Art Sitkowski at quarterback. According to J.P. Pelzman of Forbes, his large buyout might not be enough to protect him if he has another bad season.
However, there’s hope in Piscataway. Pelzman writes that they flipped three-star recruit and 38th-ranked running back Aaron Young away from Michigan State. They also signed Kay’Ron Adams out of Ohio, and hope to move junior running back Raheem Blackshear to wide out to bolster that position group.
This gives Sitkowski an opportunity to grow with young talent around him. They need consistency along their offensive line so Sitkowski isn’t running for his life every time he looks to throw the football.
So, what is it that keeps Ash at Rutgers? Is it landing recruits the way he has this cycle? Is it more wins? Or maybe looking competitive against the elite in their division? That’s what the AD must decide. One thing is for sure, if they win one game again and look terrible doing it, that large buyout might not save his job.