Latest news with #hotseat
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where Billy Napier lands on CBS Sports Hot Seat Rankings
A year ago, Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports gave Florida head coach Billy Napier a four (out of five) hot seat rating and listed him second on the "now or never" section of his breakdown. The Gators rattled off four wins to cap off an 8-5 2024 campaign, and Dodd retired, leaving the door open for a fresh assessment ahead of the 2025 season. With a new methodology in place, and multiple minds meeting to provide a more precise rating for all 136 FBS head coaches, the CBS Sports Staff gave Napier a 3.67 heading into his fourth year in Gainesville. Eight head coaches are on a hotter seat than Napier, according to this system, including Arkansas's Sam Pittman, Auburn's Hugh Freeze and Oklahoma's Brent Venables. Wisconsin's Luke Fickell is tied with Napier for the ninth hottest seat in the country. "Our panel of nine experts rated every coach on a scale from 0 to 5," reads the methodology. "The average score offers a clearer picture of the hot seat landscape heading into the 2025 season. Across the FBS, things appear relatively stable — at least for now — with 88 of 136 coaches receiving a composite rating between 0 and 1.99, indicating they're "safe and secure." But among the (seven) coaches with ratings higher than "4", and even the (21) with scores above "3", there are big-name programs that will demand attention after the slightest stumble." Matt Zenitz, Shehan Jeyarajah, Brandon Marcello, John Talty, Tom Fornelli, Bud Elliott, Chris Hummer, Chip Patterson and Richard Johnson make up the panel. What Billy Napier needs to stay at Florida Things looked bleak for Napier after a blowout loss to Texas last season. Graham Mertz had already gone down with his ACL injury and DJ Lagway got hurt in the Georgia game a week earlier. Now 4-5 on the season with LSU and Ole Miss coming up, Florida needed an upset to reach bowl eligibility. Athletic director Scott Stricklin released a public vote of confidence in favor of Napier, both confusing and riling up the fan base. Still, Florida committed to seeing things through with Napier and it paid off on the recruiting front. Upsets against LSU and Ole Miss with DJ Lagway running the show also helped Florida secure the No. 7-ranked class, a program best since 2013. Once again, Napier and Florida face the league's toughest schedule. Winning two of three against LSU, Miami and Texas would put everyone in a good position, but dropping two of three means Texas A&M and Mississippi State become must-wins. The Georgia game is the golden snitch of it all. Beating Kirby Smart in Jacksonville in front of recruits is the best thing a Florida coach can do for his career. Still, it's easier said than done. There are three winnable games against Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee before the regular season finale against Florida State. A nine-win season would show progression under Napier, but an eight-win year could spell doom in the sport's most impatient conference. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators coach Billy Napier hot seat rankings CBS Sports 2025
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paul Finebaum Didn't Hesitate To Put Top SEC Head Coach On Hot Seat
Paul Finebaum Didn't Hesitate To Put Top SEC Head Coach On Hot Seat originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Paul Finebaum isn't pulling any punches when it comes to Hugh Freeze. The longtime Southeastern Conference insider and ESPN college football analyst appeared on the "McElroy & Cubelic" podcast and made it clear: the Auburn head coach is officially on the hot seat. Advertisement "It's easier to find schools in must-win situations because there's so many of them," Finebaum said, referring to the growing pressure on several coaches heading into the 2025 season. But his focus quickly shifted to Auburn and Freeze in particular. "I think 6 or 8 or 10 weeks ago… I said, 'Hugh Freeze is in good shape. He's recruited well,'" Finebaum admitted, acknowledging that he had previously defended the coach entering his third year at Auburn. However, things have changed and not for the better. Auburn's lackluster performance on the recruiting trail and Freeze's recent attempt to shift the narrative have raised eyebrows across the SEC. Advertisement Paul Finebaum, radio and ESPN television Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC "I think it's a long game play for us that I think is gonna work out in our favor, because we're doing it very transparent in the way we believe the settlement is written to operate, if that makes any sense," Freeze said on David Pollack's "See Ball Get Ball" show. Auburn is ranked 78th in 247Sports' recruiting team rankings for 2026. "And then I started getting closer to the sun. Now I literally can't believe what I've experienced," Finebaum continued, referring to the growing realization that Freeze may be in over his head at Auburn. He didn't hold back when addressing Freeze's decision to appear on a podcast to defend himself. 'It could be, maybe (I was) a prisoner of the moment. Maybe the headlines,' Finebaum said. 'But I don't think he helped himself at all the other day by finding a friendly podcast to go on and trying to act like the media, and one or two people in particular, have no earthly idea what we're talking about.' Advertisement For Finebaum, Freeze's inability to clearly articulate Auburn's direction is a major red flag. 'He can't even explain it to his own fan base what's going on down there,' Finebaum said. If Auburn doesn't show improvement quickly on the field and on the recruiting trail, Freeze could be the next big-name coach facing an early exit. Related: Alabama Legend Rips Hugh Freeze to Shreds Amid Auburn's Recruiting Struggles Related: Former Michigan QB Has Seven-Word Reaction to A.J. McCarron Blasting Hugh Freeze This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mike Florio puts Packers QB Jordan Love on notice
The post Mike Florio puts Packers QB Jordan Love on notice appeared first on ClutchPoints. On the heels of a regressive 2024 campaign, the Green Bay Packers need more from quarterback Jordan Love in 2025. That is at least how NFL analyst Mike Florio views the situation two months ahead of the 26-year-old's fifth season. Advertisement With the 2025 season on deck, Florio made his list of quarterbacks who he views as on the 'hot seat' for the upcoming season. The list included Love, whom the NBC Sports writer views as not necessarily there yet, but potentially under scrutiny in 2025. '[Jordan Love is] not on the hot seat per se, but he needs to play better in 2025 than he did in 2024,' Florio wrote. 'If not, he will be on the hot seat in 2026. The wild card in Green Bay is new CEO Ed Policy, who operates as the de facto owner of the team.' Love threw for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2024. His numbers were concerning decreases across the board from his 2023 campaign. Love also dealt with multiple nagging injuries on the year, though he would only miss two games. Despite the down year, the Packers remain committed to Love. Green Bay still went 11-6 in 2024, its best win total since the 2021 season. Advertisement Florio added that new president and CEO Ed Policy could have a say in Love's future. Policy takes over for the retiring Mark Murphy in the 2025 season. Murphy has held the role since taking over in 2007 but is retiring due to the organization's rule that all executives must step down once turning 70. Since Green Bay is the lone team without a singular owner or ownership group, Policy practically has full control of the operations. Packers' improved 2025 offensive roster Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Packers exemplified their commitment to Love in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they built around their quarterback. Green Bay added two wideouts, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, in the first three rounds of the draft. Advertisement Golden and Williams add to a Packers receiving room that returns their top eight receivers from 2024. Green Bay also has running back Josh Jacobs back after he led the team in total scrimmage yards and touchdowns in his first season with the team. The Packers' receivers have been among the most scrutinized position group in the league, making the offseason investment necessary. However, should Golden and Williams elevate the room to the level they are capable of, Love will have no reason not to improve in 2025. Related: Packers president shares message with fans amid retirement
