Three groups are nonetheless ending the race to the top of the 2024 season, however most are waiting for spring soccer and the 2025 season.
That features the applications whose coaches now sit on a seat that might be sponsored by Char-Grill. There are 5 particularly who might actually use a great 12 months to keep away from having to place their resumes on LinkedIn this fall.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
He’s a person, and he’s now not 40, and his groups usually tend to cough up 40 than rating it any extra.
Gundy’s tenure as this system’s coach has hardly ever been spectacular however normally constant, till 2024. The Cowboys had been picked by some to win the weakened Massive 12 Convention after Oklahoma and Texas left for the SEC however as an alternative tanked all the way in which to the league’s backside, going 0-9.
And that was with practically all their key gamers again. Gundy was about to lose his job however agreed to a restructured contract that eliminates the rollover clause and known as for a slight pay reduce. It additionally lowered the buyout in his deal.
One other 12 months like 2024 and the previous OSU quarterback will now not be calling alerts for this system.
Brent Venables, Oklahoma
Nov 9, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables talks with line choose Jeremiah Harris in the course of the first half in opposition to the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Subject at Memorial Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Pictures Bowl video games don’t imply what they used to as a result of most applications are coping with a number of opt-outs and portal departures, however the Sooners’ loss to Navy within the Armed Forces Bowl was notable for 2 causes.
One, as a result of even with a diminished roster, a crew ok to beat Alabama by three touchdowns ought to be capable of overpower a crew full of men majoring in thermonuclear engineering. Secondly, as a result of it sealed the second dropping 12 months in Venables’ three seasons in Norman.
The previous ace defensive coordinator at Clemson can be properly suggested to not strive for 3 of 4. Even the brand new six-year deal he inked in June 2024 and its hefty buyout may not be capable of save him if he rolls one other 6-7.
Lincoln Riley, USC
Underachieving with a proficient roster? Examine. Hostile relationship with big-city media? Examine. The shortcoming to repair persistent weaknesses? Examine.
If you happen to’re evaluating Riley on what he hasn’t executed, you’ve hit nearly each sq. on the bingo card. If you happen to’re evaluating him on what the Trojans paid him $110 million to do over a 10-year contract—specifically, win championships—then he’s falling means quick.
Face it: USC ought to contend yearly for the Massive Ten title and contend a number of instances a decade for the nationwide title. A reported buyout of round $80 million connected to Riley’s contract helps preserve him round, however that’s solely going to final so lengthy if this program retains slumming in third-tier bowls on the finish of each season.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn
Oct 5, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze on the sector in opposition to the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Dale Zanine-Imagn Pictures Placing the Auburn coach on this listing is by definition low-hanging fruit simply because it’s Auburn. Placing Freeze on there’s completely reputable, contemplating how disappointing his early returns have been on the Plains.
Freeze is 0-for-2 in producing successful seasons and couldn’t even make it to a bowl sport this 12 months. At a program whose boosters don’t care to spend hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to purchase out dropping soccer coaches, Freeze can in all probability hear the clock ticking proper now.
If Freeze can’t coax higher play from his quarterbacks in 2025, Tiger boosters are going to dip into their buyout budgets once more.
Mike Norvell, Florida State
Oct 5, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell appears to be like on in the course of the second half in opposition to the Clemson Tigers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Melina Myers-Imagn Pictures From snubbed in 2023 to simply plain terrible in 2024. It’s onerous to think about a program that skilled such a 180-degree change in fortunes because the Seminoles did.
They went from 13-1 and Atlantic Coast Convention champs—and snubbed for a spot within the 2023 semifinals—to 2-10 and ridiculed by everybody within the sport. That it was suing the ACC for mismanaging media rights and imposing large exit charges whereas it went into the tank? Traditional.
To his credit score, Norvell donated $4.5 million of his yearly wage to assist with NIL and in addition made sweeping workers modifications. But when these don’t lead to extra wins in 2025, Norvell received’t be round for 2026.
