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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
10 college football coaches under the most pressure entering the 2025 season
The 2025 season could be a referendum on many coaches. As there wasn't much coaching turnover in the power conferences after the 2024 season, numerous coaches enter this season needing their teams to have strong performances. Not all of the coaches on the list below could be in immediate danger of losing their jobs. Heck, we have one first-year coach on the list. But here are 10 coaches who could really use great seasons. Bill Belichick, North Carolina This is no ordinary debut season for the former New England Patriots coach. Not only is Belichick the head coach of a college football team for the first time, it's his first college coaching job period. The six-time Super Bowl winner got his start as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts, though his father famously coached at Navy when Belichick was growing up. How much of a learning curve will there be for Belichick in his first season? And will he find that he likes the college game just as much as he loved coaching in the NFL? North Carolina hasn't won an ACC football title since 1980 and hiring Belichick to replace Mack Brown was a move for short-term success. Simply going 6-6 and making a bowl game wasn't enough for Brown to keep his job after the 2024 season. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama DeBoer got the job of a lifetime when Nick Saban retired. But that job also came with incredibly high expectations. The Tide were 9-4 in 2024. That's a great season for a lot of college football teams. But it was the first time Alabama didn't win 10 or more games since Saban's first season in 2007. Alabama missed out on double-digit wins with an ugly 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Tide can't blame a mass of opt-outs for that loss either. Simply being in playoff contention again in 2025 isn't good enough in Tuscaloosa. Alabama needs to make the playoff as it breaks in a new quarterback and adds former Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb back to DeBoer's staff after the two worked together with the Huskies. A big key to 10 or more wins in 2025? Cutting down on penalties. Alabama averaged over 13 penalties per game last season. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin The former Cincinnati coach's move to Wisconsin has not led to much success. The Badgers were 7-6 in Fickell's first season in 2023 before falling to 5-7 in 2024. The 2025 season arrives with a new offensive coordinator in former Kansas assistant Jeff Grimes and a new quarterback in Maryland transfer Billy Edwards. Wisconsin famously won with an offense predicated on an effective run game throughout the Barry Alvarez, Bret Bielema and Paul Chryst years. When Fickell arrived, the Badgers looked to throw the ball more often under former OC Phil Longo and simply didn't have the personnel to do it. The share of run plays increased in 2024, but the results on the field didn't improve with them. You have to go back to 1991 and 1992 to find the last time the Badgers had consecutive losing seasons. And the 2025 schedule includes Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana and Illinois. There's not much margin for error. Hugh Freeze, Auburn Freeze has now had more losing seasons in his first two years at Auburn than he had in five seasons at Ole Miss before he was fired. The Rebels were 5-7 in his final season with the school — the same record Freeze's Tigers posted in 2024. That was worse than 2023, when Auburn went 6-6 before losing in the Music City Bowl. Freeze wasn't shy about criticizing his team's quarterback play in 2024 and the Tigers brought in former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold in the offseason. Arnold is looking for a fresh start after a rough season in Norman last year. Freeze said at SEC media days that he expected his team to be in playoff contention. That'd be a big leap. Especially with a schedule that includes five teams that won at least eight games in 2024. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State It's fair to call 2024 an abject disaster for Oklahoma State. The program has been a consistent winner in Gundy's two decades at the school and entered 2024 with 18 straight winning seasons. OSU was a favorite to win the Big 12 too. Instead, the Cowboys went 3-9 and failed to win a conference game all season. Quarterback play wasn't very good and the defensive play was even worse. OSU gave up 6.8 yards a play and nearly 36 points per game. The season led to two new coordinators and a revised contract for Gundy. The coach's salary and buyout was reduced, as Oklahoma State will owe him $15 million if he's fired within the next three years. That's not an obnoxiously large number, and it could make a coaching switch much more plausible if Oklahoma State again has a losing season. Billy Napier, Florida Napier entered the 2024 season on the hot seat after a disappointing first two seasons in Gainesville. The Gators were just 4-4 in the SEC but 8-5 overall and scored wins over LSU and Ole Miss in November as part of a four-game win streak to end the season. Their schedule could again be one of the toughest in the country, but there are reasons for optimism. QB DJ Lagway impressed as a freshman and could make a big leap in 2025. The defense also gave up fewer than 20 points in each of those four wins to end the season after Texas and Georgia put up a combined 83 in the previous two games. The Gators are sleeper contenders for both the SEC title and College Football Playoff. But a step back from a promising end to 2024 could lead to more questions about Napier's job status. Mike Norvell, Florida State Florida State's drop from 2023 to 2024 was absolutely remarkable. After narrowly missing the final four-team playoff because of Jordan Travis' leg injury, the Seminoles were an abysmal 2-10 in 2024 with just one win over an FBS opponent. The biggest reason was the offense. Former Clemson and Oregon State QB DJ Uiagalelei struggled mightily and so did Brock Glenn and Luke Kromenhoek after Uiagalelei was sidelined for the season. FSU averaged just 15 points per game. Former UCF coach Gus Malzahn has been brought in as the Seminoles' new offensive coordinator and the team added Boston College QB transfer Thomas Castellanos. He's got experience in the ACC, but also was replaced midseason last year. The Seminoles had over 30 players transfer out after the season but added 23, including former Oklahoma RB Gavin Sawchuk and ex-Tennessee WR Squirrel White. The offense should be better for a number of factors, but mainly because it can't be much worse. However, simply getting back to 6-6 isn't good enough in Tallahassee. Sam Pittman, Arkansas Pittman had a very blunt answer when he was asked about job security at SEC media days. 'I'm going to say this, the only ramifications of someone constantly having you on this list or this list, whatever other list, is recruiting,' Pittman said. 'That's the only thing. It seems to affect us a little bit more in the state of Arkansas because they're up on the Razorbacks. They see more. 'Now, how can we stop that? We win more games. That's what we can do. Look, most everything a guy brings on him, he brings on himself. Most things that come out, you earn it. Now, you may disagree with some of it, all that. But I've earned it. I have. To get off that, we've got to win more games.' Is another season above .500 good enough to quiet any discussion about Pittman's job status? The Razorbacks have won all three of their bowl games in his five-year tenure and were 7-6 in 2024 after going 4-8 in 2023. Lincoln Riley, USC USC's record has gotten worse in each of Riley's three seasons. The Trojans were 11-3 in 2022 before going 8-5 in 2023 and 7-6 in 2024. The trend simply can't continue. The defense improved a season ago, but that coincided with a drop-off in offensive production. After Caleb Williams starred in 2022 and 2023, USC struggled for consistent quarterback play as Jayden Maiava replaced Miller Moss in November. Maiava returns, but has a lot of new faces on offense with him. Three of the team's top receivers transferred along with offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon and running back Quinten Joyner. Reloading the offense is key, as is continuing the defensive improvement because the Trojans' Big Ten schedule isn't a cakewalk. There are road games at Illinois, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Oregon. USC won just one road game in all of 2024 — and that was in Los Angeles at UCLA. Brent Venables, Oklahoma Venables has certainly treated the 2025 season as a make-or-break year. Oklahoma went 6-7 for the second time in his three seasons as the Sooners scored just 24 points per game thanks to inconsistent quarterback play. The Sooners made a late 2024 change at offensive coordinator and hired Washington State's Ben Arbuckle to run the offense after the season was over. Arbuckle's arrival then led to the transfer of former Washington State QB John Mateer. Mateer had 44 total touchdowns in 2024 after taking over for Cam Ward in Pullman. He should immediately be an upgrade at QB and former Cal RB Jaydn Ott could be a 1,000-yard rusher if he stays healthy. A home game in Week 2 vs. Michigan should be a great early test of Oklahoma's offensive rebuild, and Auburn visits in Week 4. Oklahoma has a realistic shot of being 5-0 before its annual rivalry game against Texas. And that start may be necessary for Venables' job with games against South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU over the second half of the season.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
College Football Playoff hopefuls: Should we buy what these teams are selling?
We're exactly a month away from Kansas State and Iowa State kicking off the 2026 college football season in Ireland. Before we get there, we'll have to spend the next several weeks in training camp mode. Jobs will be won. Surprises will emerge. Injuries will occur. And since everyone is still undefeated, hope will be sold. Advertisement A few weeks ago, 'The Athletic Football Show' took a look at the stories teams are telling themselves as a new NFL season approaches. We liked the concept so much that we're trying out a variation of it here on the college football side of things. Today, we're highlighting the narratives that College Football Playoff hopefuls are selling this preseason. Some of these are worth buying into. Some are not. Note: This list is looking at programs that did not reach the 12-team CFP last season. The Crimson Tide scored 17 points or fewer in losses to Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan last season as they finished 9-4 and failed to reach the Playoff in coach Kalen DeBoer's first season. But the offense is going to take a considerable step forward this season with the arrival of coordinator Ryan Grubb, who has coached with DeBoer at Sioux Falls, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Washington, where they reached the CFP championship game in 2023. Grubb was the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2024 — after he spent a month at Alabama following DeBoer's hire — but was fired after just one season. The 2024 season demonstrated that DeBoer and Grubb are better together than they are apart, and that familiarity will boost the Crimson Tide's offense this fall. And while Jalen Milroe is a unique talent at quarterback, he wasn't an ideal fit for DeBoer's offense. Now Alabama is likely to have a steadier passer in place (presumably Ty Simpson), which will unlock the passing attack and allow the offense to take advantage of a talented group of receivers, led by star sophomore Ryan Williams. The Grubb hire and better fit at quarterback will provide the offensive consistency that was missing in 2024 and will help Alabama, which brings back a strong core from a top-10 scoring defense, return to the Playoff and compete for the national championship again. Advertisement It's Year 2 for DJ Lagway, and he and the program are ready to take a major leap. Look at how the Gators finished last season, winning their last four games, which included victories over good LSU and Ole Miss squads. Lagway sat out the spring because of shoulder soreness but said last week at SEC media day that he's fully recovered. Florida coach Billy Napier preached a slow build when he took the job more than three years ago, and this is when the program will start to see the fruits of the labor. Florida will be strong in the trenches, particularly along the defensive line with Tyreak Sapp. And the Gators have added two talented receivers in true freshman Dallas Wilson and UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant. Lagway possesses the ability to elevate those around him, so expect Florida to become a real threat now that the former five-star recruit is surrounded with strong talent across the roster. And, no, don't look at Florida's schedule. The Fighting Illini return 16 starters from the program's first 10-win team since 2001. Illinois' optimism for 2025 is less about selling the dream and is rooted more in reality. Coach Bret Bielema knows what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten and enters Year 5 with the Illini and Year 3 with Luke Altmyer, who is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, under center. That sort of continuity is difficult to find in college football these days. And while the schedule isn't easy — there are road games at Duke, Indiana and Washington and a home game against Ohio State — it's definitely manageable for a team with CFP aspirations. The Illini check a lot of boxes. Good head coach. Solid quarterback. An experienced, veteran team. A schedule that doesn't feature too many heavyweights. And there's the built-in confidence from last year to set the table for a potential breakthrough season. Advertisement Quarterback Avery Johnson went through the natural growing pains you would expect from a first-year starter, but those are behind him now, and his development and consistency will help the Wildcats contend in the Big 12 after going 5-4 in league play in 2024. Kansas State returns dynamic receiver Jayce Brown, who will be Johnson's top target. And Matt Wells' ascension to offensive coordinator and play caller will also help Johnson's development. With Johnson, Brown and running back Dylan Edwards, Wells will have explosive players at his disposal. The line will be the strength of the Kansas State defense and should help take some pressure off a new-look secondary. In a wide-open Big 12, the ingredients are there for a conference title run. The Tigers recognize that they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Garrett Nussmeier, so they went all-in this offseason — landing the best transfer portal class in the country — which will put them in contention for their first CFP trip since winning the 2019 national championship. LSU will be better at the skill spots, led by transfer receivers Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (LSU). The Tigers also addressed their most pressing need — the defensive line — with the additions of Florida State's Patrick Payton, Florida's Jack Pyburn and USF's Bernard Gooden. They should help a defense that gave up 5.9 yards per play last season (89th nationally). There are also some high-impact freshmen at positions of need in corner DJ Pickett and running back Harlem Berry. This is the most talented roster Brian Kelly has had at LSU, and he's finally got the Tigers to the point where they can compete for a national championship. The Hurricanes placed a major emphasis on fixing the defensive issues that sabotaged their 2024 season, and now they have what it takes to finally reach the Playoff with coach Mario Cristobal. Miami hired Corey Hetherman as defensive coordinator after he led Minnesota to a top-15 finish in scoring defense and yards per play allowed. The Canes also brought in six transfers in the secondary to fix a unit that was a weakness last year. Advertisement The offense lost a lot of production, too, but brought in some experienced talent, headlined by Carson Beck, one of the top transfer quarterbacks available in the offseason. Cristobal has recruited well during his tenure. So the talent is there, especially compared to ACC foes. The schedule — at SMU on Nov. 1 is the toughest road game — sets up well, too. With that combination, Miami should be in the Playoff this fall — if it can avoid the typical pitfalls that have plagued Cristobal's teams over the years. The Gamecocks lost some really important pieces on both sides of the ball, but quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rusher Dylan Stewart are foundational building blocks and two of the best players in the SEC. So there's top-end talent and a solid transfer class that helped address some needs in key spots. It took a while for South Carolina to find its footing last season. The Gamecocks started 3-3 before winning six consecutive games to end the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the country. Sellers' ankle injury contributed to that slow start, and we saw what he's truly capable of later in the season. In theory, South Carolina wasn't far off from a Playoff appearance last year — probably one win away. If the Gamecocks can avoid a similar slow start this season, they should be in contention for a CFP bid late in the year. Despite major defensive issues and deficiencies at receiver, Texas A&M was still in the mix for the SEC Championship Game late in the season. Quarterback Marcel Reed displayed some promising flashes, and the Aggies upgraded his receiving options through the portal with Kevin Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State). Cornerback transfers Julian Humphrey (Georgia) and Jordan Shaw (Washington) have solid experience and could help a pass defense that struggled last season. Tyler Onyedim (Iowa State), Dayon Hayes (Colorado) and T.J. Searcy (Florida) were brought in to boost a defensive front that needs to be better against the run and rushing the passer. Advertisement Head coach Mike Elko accomplished some good things in his first season, and the Aggies could be a CFP darkhorse candidate after addressing some of their issues in the offseason. The Big 12 is wide open and there for the taking, which is why the Red Raiders spent so much money to upgrade their roster this offseason. Will other programs be jealous of that spending? Sure. Does it raise expectations in a manner Texas Tech has never really faced before? Absolutely. But any program would love to have transfer additions such as edge rusher David Bailey (Stanford), offensive tackle Howard Sampson (North Carolina) and running back Quinten Joyner (USC) — especially in a league that isn't loaded with future NFL talent like the SEC or Big Ten. The Red Raiders were close to conference title contention last season, one win away from being involved in a convoluted multi-team tie for first place. So they weren't that far off. Now with full buy-in from the donors, the administration and coaching staff, Texas Tech is on the verge of ascending to heights it's never reached. (Top photo of Marcel Reed: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
15-Year-Old Alabama Target Makes Ridiculous TD Catch
15-Year-Old Alabama Target Makes Ridiculous TD Catch originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Alabama Crimson Tide has the No. 5 overall 2026 recruiting class on On3 Sports and is already looking ahead to the 2028 class. Advertisement A clip of 2028 wide receiver Brysen Wright made the rounds on social media recently, showcasing his talents at the NFL Flag Championships. Wright made an insane one-handed grab for a touchdown, tumbling over the defender for the score. Wright is just 15 years old, but already holds offers from schools like Alabama, the LSU Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, Miami Hurricanes, Colorado Buffaloes and others. The wideout is a native of Jacksonville, Florida, out of Mandarin High School. Advertisement He comes in at 6-foot-3.5, 210 pounds and is unrated in the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2028 cycle. Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images While Wright does not yet have a rating for his class, On3's Hayes Fawcett predicts that the recruit will be one of the top national prospects. Alabama comes into 2025 on the backs of a 9-4 season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. It was the first time Nick Saban had not been on the Alabama sidelines since 2007. However, rumors have been circulating that the head coach could be eying a return. Greg McElroy reported that someone close to the situation revealed it would not be out of the realm of possibility. Advertisement That was until Saban's daughter, Kristen, posted an Instagram story revealing that her father's coaching days are long behind him. For DeBoer, he is trying to bring the Crimson Tide back to the level of competing for national titles. With the way last season ended, he appeared on a list of head coaches under the most pressure heading into the 2025 season, coming in at No. 7. DeBoer's second season opens with the Florida State Seminoles on August 30. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Advertisement Related: Brent Venables Not Excited to Play in Iconic SEC Atmosphere This Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Alabama lands in 247Sports' preseason SEC football poll, predicted order of finish
With another SEC media days is in the book, more early evaluations on the 2025 college football season within the conference that "Just Means More" are tricking in. Only six weeks remain until Alabama kicks off the season against Florida State on Aug. 30 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Not only will it mark their first ever visit to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, it will also be the first time in 25 years the Crimson Tide have opened a season in a true road game setting. Alabama-Florida State will be televised on ABC. As the SEC was wrapping up media days this week, the staff at 247Sports released their annual preseason SEC poll. Alabama landed at No. 4 behind two teams you'd probably expect by this point -- Texas at No. 1 and Georgia at No. 2 -- and one that's pushed its chips all-in on 2025. LSU was ranked No. 3 ahead of the Crimson Tide. It's still a strong ranking for Alabama, one that reflects the belief many in the media share about coach Kalen DeBoer's ability to win in the SEC as he enters his second season in Tuscaloosa. The SEC's own preseason media poll, announced Friday, had the Crimson Tide at No. 3. Veteran USA TODAY Sports college football writer Paul Myerberg also had Alabama at No. 3 in his preseason SEC power rankings this week. Myerberg said of the Tide: "It won't hurt to have slightly lower expectations and a somewhat softer spotlight on Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide after winning nine games in his debut. Ty Simpson is expected to take over under center and will operate behind a very strong offensive line with plenty of weapons at his disposal. The defense is the best in the front seven. Overall, this is a very talented team capable of winning the SEC and the national title." 247Sports full 2025 SEC football preseason poll, projected order of finish Here's the full 247Sports preseason SEC poll and predicted order of finish heading into the 2025 season. 1. Texas Longhorns 2. Georgia Bulldogs 3. LSU Tigers 4. Alabama Crimson Tide 5. Ole Miss Rebels T-6. South Carolina Gamecocks T-6. Tennessee Volunteers 8. Texas A&M Aggies 9. Florida Gators 10. Oklahoma Sooners 11. Auburn Tigers 12. Missouri Tigers 13. Vanderbilt Commodores 14. Arkansas Razorbacks 15. Kentucky Wildcats 16. Mississippi State Bulldogs Alabama football schedule 2025 Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, formerly Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
6 Bold Nick Saban Landing Spots Following Recent Return Rumors, Including the Cleveland Browns
There are some coaches in college football and the NFL who should be worried because coaching legend Nick Saban may be on his way back to the sidelines. 'A very much in-the-know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around, and just really, really admire — they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching. He's pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again,' former Alabama QB Greg McElroy claimed this week. If the 73-year-old were to return to coaching, we offer up six bold possibilities for where Nick Saban could end up in 2026. Alabama Let's be real. If Kalen DeBoer doesn't show progress in his second season as the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the school's decision-makers would jump at the chance to replace him with the man he replaced. Saban created an absurd standard for the program by winning six national championships in Tuscaloosa. The only person who could realistically maintain it would be the individual who set it. New York Giants New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is in the hottest seat in the NFL right now. If the G-Men aren't near playoff contention or better this season, he will be out. While Saban may seem too long in the tooth to take on a rebuild NFL job like this, the organization has shown interest in the college football icon multiple times in the past. West Virginia It has been over a decade since West Virginia was consistently flirting with double-digit win seasons. But what if Saban went back home to turn the program into a major college football program? The coaching legend grew up a half hour from Morgantown in Fairmont, WV. Returning to his roots for his final job in the game would be a fascinating storyline and something we have seen with many legendary athletes at the end of their careers. Florida Gators While college football programs don't fire head coaches as fast as they do in the NFL, they aren't far off. It seems like four years is the amount of time major schools give a coach to turn their football teams into playoff contenders. That means the pressure will be on Florida Gators coach Billy Napier in 2025. If he can't take another step forward this year, the idea of replacing him with Nick Saban could be an idea too good for Florida decision-makers to turn down. Auburn Tigers With Saban set to turn 74 years old this year, it would be understandable if he doesn't want to uproot his life and move to another city far away if he returns to the sidelines. And as mentioned above, maybe Alabama ends up giving DeBoer at least four seasons to keep his job. That could make Auburn a perfect landing spot for Saban. The 1980s were the last time the football program had multiple double-digit win seasons in a few years. They would love to get the coaching legend and stick it to in-state rivals Alabama in one massive move. Cleveland Browns Behind Daboll, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is also feeling the heat heading into the new season. If they have another losing campaign in year six, he will likely be ousted after the season. Saban served as the team's defensive coordinator back in the days when Bill Belichick was leading the staff. Cleveland would be a team desperate enough to give Saban whatever he wants to take over their program. That would surely entice the coach to go back to the NFL ranks. Related Headlines Last Stand: Five NFL Quarterbacks Fighting for Their Futures in 2025 Former Super Bowl Champ Discusses Battle With Anxiety During His NFL Career: 'Not a Game That I Played in That I Wasn't High' MLB Scout Thinks 3 Specific Trade Deadline Additions Would Guarantee Yankees World Series Return Bold UFC 318 Predictions: Will Dustin Poirier Retire with a Win on Saturday Night?
