The job security of a head coach is greatly impacted by how a team starts the season. Here are five college football coaches who must win in Week 1.
Short of Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney, job security is rarely a sure thing in college football. Just look at Ed Oregon: in less than two years, Coach O went from national championship (coaching arguably the greatest individual team of all time) to fired.
We won’t start a trend this year — the aforementioned Crimson Tide head coach is as safe as they come. The same can’t be said for some of his peers.
Week 1 can accelerate the heat. A Power Five school losing at home to a mid-level Group of Five school will do nothing but hurt. The flip side to that is a nice upset victory can do the polar opposite. If you think every game in college football matters for the College Football Playoff, just imagine if your job depended on it.
Pressure on these coaches ranges from just in the beginning stages to fill blown scorching heat. And just because you’re safe now doesn’t mean you won’t be looking for new work come January.