Coaches Facing "Hot Seat" this year??

[ngineer]

Thought I would start this discussion over here as we enter Spring Practice and "hope 'springs' eternal for everyone...well, most everyone. So here is my take on Lehigh's situation:

Lehigh's Coen is on thin ice after 3 straight losing seasons (5-6, 5-6 and 4-7) despite going 4-2 in the PL last year and beating Laugheyette for the second year in a row. With 18 starters returning this year, 10 on the offensive side of the ball, expectations will be high. The schedule will not be easy with OCC games with Villanova, New Hampshire, Harvard, Princeton and starting the season on a long road trip to an improved Drake team. Anything less than 7-4 and a PL championship will be disappointin. Mountain Hawks should be considered 'underdogs' in only two games (Villanova and UNH). All the others are either toss-ups or favored, so a 9-2 season should be seen as realistic. Still, with Colgate, Holy Cross and Laugheyette not much different, a stumble against any one would not be out of the question. Finally, with Lehigh alum and new OC Cecchini in place, the heir apparent is in place if there is not a turnaround.

Most everyone who has gotten to know Coen hope he can turn it around this year, as he really is a very decent guy. The players seem to like him alot and he understands the demands of the true student-athlete at a place like Lehigh. However, I really don't know if he can withstand another mediocre season. Predecessors, Whitehead, Small, Higgins all had periods of mediocrity that were counter-balanced with some great seasons; and, unfortunately for Coen, his immediate predecessor's (Lembo) worse season was 8-4 in 2002.

[OL FU]

Shorter reply here.

Lamb. FU lifer, great graduation rates, but three years out of the playoffs, three years with mediocre records. Loses that are somewhat incomprehensible, ie The Citadel last year, trending in the wrong direction.

I also think he knows it. Fired another Furman lifer, the DC, in the offseason. FU should have a good offense this year. So an improving defense saves his job.

[PaladinFan]

Shorter reply here.

Lamb. FU lifer, great graduation rates, but three years out of the playoffs, three years with mediocre records. Loses that are somewhat incomprehensible, ie The Citadel last year, trending in the wrong direction.

I also think he knows it. Fired another Furman lifer, the DC, in the offseason. FU should have a good offense this year. So an improving defense saves his job.

That he fired a long time assistant and let go another another assistant sends off warning bells for me. Furman, sometimes to their credit and other times to their detriment, can wait a long time before sending a coach on his way.

I think Furman is as talented as any team in the SoCon right now, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. I agree with OL FU, I think Furman either must make the playoffs or get at least 8 wins. I don't think the Paladin-faithful can endure more headscratching losses and close wins over teams with far less talent.

[Silenoz]

In the Big Sky, Souers from NAU and Downing from UNC are probably on thin ice. Souers needs a playoff appearance or victory over Montana pretty badly, and Downing needs some actual wins. I'd guess one or both are probably out after this season.

MSU seems to be all over the map with Rob Ash. Fans love/hate him, and the administration is apparently behind him 100%, but I don't know how long that lasts if they keep missing the playoffs and getting shellacked by the Griz.

[DetroitFlyer]

In the Big Sky, Souers from NAU and Downing from UNC are probably on thin ice. Souers needs a playoff appearance or victory over Montana pretty badly, and Downing needs some actual wins. I'd guess one or both are probably out after this season.

MSU seems to be all over the map with Rob Ash. Fans love/hate him, and the administration is apparently behind him 100%, but I don't know how long that lasts if they keep missing the playoffs and getting shellacked by the Griz.

Remember that Ash had to clean up the criminal element that had invested the MSU program. You can bet the house that the administration is behind him 1000%! What he has accomplished under difficult circumstances to say the least has been excellent. He will get MSU back to its winning ways while sending players to graduation rather than jail.

[Silenoz]

Maybe, but I wonder if some of the boosters look at UM and their criminal problems right around the same time, and the fact that we were still going 11-1 or 12-2 each year

Ash for sure turned the program around after the Kramer debacles, but the on-the-field performance has also suffered. I know winning shouldn't be everything, but it does lend a lot of weight.

[CrazyCat]

The people who want Ash gone didn't like the hire in the first place, IMO.

[Tailbone]

When Bobby Hauck was hired by Montana as a rookie head coach, many Bobcat fans expressed a desire that he remain at Montana for a long time....

In the spirit of good-will and reciprocity, Montana fans wish the same for Ash and the Bobcats.

[JohnStOnge]

I don't think it's the hot seat yet but I'd bet McNeese State's Matt Viator feels the pressure to win a playoff game. Viator's teams are undefeated in regular season non conference games against other FCS teams. That includes 2-0 against what I'd consider to be playoff caliber non conference opponents in South Dakota State in 2008 and Appalachian State in 2009. They've also been very competetive in going 1-2 against FBS teams. They blew out Louisiana-Lafayette in 2007. lost by 8 to North Carolina in 2008, and lost to Tulane by 10 in 2009. In the two losses, they had more first downs and more yardage than their opponents. In both cases they racked up 20+ first downs and more than 400 total yards.

Absolutely no question his teams have been good enough to be competetive in the playoffs.

But they haven't been. In the playoffs Viator is 0-3 and hasn't come closer than 25 points. That is certainly frustrating to McNeese fans and I'd bet even more frustrating to Viator.

[onbison09]

Craig Bohl. Hopefully. 5-6 and 3-8 aren't good enough at NDSU. Or they shouldn't be.

[GATA]

Jeff Monken...no doubt.

He better win with that high school offense. This is big boy football.

[CopperCat]

In the Big Sky, Souers from NAU and Downing from UNC are probably on thin ice. Souers needs a playoff appearance or victory over Montana pretty badly, and Downing needs some actual wins. I'd guess one or both are probably out after this season.

MSU seems to be all over the map with Rob Ash. Fans love/hate him, and the administration is apparently behind him 100%, but I don't know how long that lasts if they keep missing the playoffs and getting shellacked by the Griz.

Fans may be disappointed about recent seasons, but they are extremely shortsighted. Every season Ash has been there has been a winning one, and that wasn't easy given the mess that Ash had to clean up when he got there. He has brought in some great talent at skill positions, and it's only a matter of time before the Cats turn that corner that has eluded them for a few years now. I think the reason fans are being so vocal about Ash (in a negative way) is that they can taste it now. Being a conference contender every year is something they expect, and it isn't just a dream anymore. This year will say alot about the team and the coaching staff, and what they are out to prove.

Downing and Souers are definitely on the hot seat. Honestly I thought NAU should have gotten rid of Souers after last season, and Downing could certainly have gone the same way. I see more improvement in UNC, but will it be enough to get them out of the basement? They played much better on the offensive side of the ball, and the starters for the defense were pretty stout through 3 quarters for a good part of last year. They just need a few more pieces to the puzzle and they should have a decent core of players to put on the field. Again, this year will say alot about UNC and where they are headed.

[Silenoz]

No doubt, I said the Cats were a playoff team last year, and I'm saying it again this year. If they can win they games they should they're more than capable of making a post-season run.

[clinchBoy]

steve patton should be cut loose unless Gardner Webb wins the National Championship. And if not then Chuck Birch should be canned as the AD for keeping his sorry a** around!!!

[gt_bison]

Craig Bohl. Hopefully. 5-6 and 3-8 aren't good enough at NDSU. Or they shouldn't be.

Agreed. It's hard to tell what the issue has been the last two years. I'm not necessarily expecting playoffs this year, but we need to get back to a winning record with signs that 2011 will be a solid year.

[PaladinFan]

Jeff Monken...no doubt.

He better win with that high school offense. This is big boy football.

I realize that is tounge in cheek, but with GSU's fan base its not as ridiculous as it would otherwise sound.

[ThompsonThe]

Jeff Monken...no doubt.

He better win with that high school offense. This is big boy football.

His first year at GaSo, and he has to win? In a way I can see it, but you guys have lost so many players between transfers and some being kicked off the team. Looks like if he did go 5-6 that they would not get rid of him. Are they trying to set a record for most coaches in a six year period?

[laxVik]

I think Burton at PSU is under some pressure to win. Many, myself included, have grown tired of mediocre seasons the last few years. With a renovated stadium in the works there's many positives at PSU (including dumping the 3-4 D) down the road. But it'd be nice to see a 7-4 season this year. Am I dreaming?

[CFBfan]

When Kevin Kelly was named head football coach at Georgetown University in January 2006, one of his chief goals was to help lay the foundation for what he hopes will not only be a successful program in the Patriot League and at the Division I-AA level, but a program that will be a model off the field as well.

and in his 4th season with ALL his players thru 4 classes........

2009-2010 SCHEDULE

09/05/09 at Holy Cross Worcester, Mass. L, 20-7
09/12/09 vs. Lafayette Multi-Sport Field L, 28-3
09/19/09 vs. Yale Multi-Sport Field L, 31-10
09/26/09 vs. Howard Multi-Sport Field L, 14-11
10/03/09 at Bucknell Lewisburg, Pa. L, 14-6
10/10/09 at Lehigh Bethlehem, Pa. L, 27-0
10/17/09 vs. Colgate Multi-Sport Field L, 31-14
10/31/09 at Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. L, 31-10
11/07/09 at Marist Poughkeepsie, N.Y. L, 23-21
11/14/09 vs. Richmond Multi-Sport Field L, 49-10
11/21/09 vs. Fordham # Multi-Sport Field L, 41-24

[superman7515]

When Kevin Kelly was named head football coach at Georgetown University in January 2006, one of his chief goals was to help lay the foundation for what he hopes will not only be a successful program in the Patriot League and at the Division I-AA level, but a program that will be a model off the field as well.

and in his 4th season with ALL his players thru 4 classes........

2009-2010 SCHEDULE

09/05/09 at Holy Cross Worcester, Mass. L, 20-7
09/12/09 vs. Lafayette Multi-Sport Field L, 28-3
09/19/09 vs. Yale Multi-Sport Field L, 31-10
09/26/09 vs. Howard Multi-Sport Field L, 14-11
10/03/09 at Bucknell Lewisburg, Pa. L, 14-6
10/10/09 at Lehigh Bethlehem, Pa. L, 27-0
10/17/09 vs. Colgate Multi-Sport Field L, 31-14
10/31/09 at Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. L, 31-10
11/07/09 at Marist Poughkeepsie, N.Y. L, 23-21
11/14/09 vs. Richmond Multi-Sport Field L, 49-10
11/21/09 vs. Fordham # Multi-Sport Field L, 41-24

But "We can build off this!"

[RichH2]

Rather than "build" I would use "bury" . However given what the school has given him to work with it is not surprising. He has brought in some nice players but not nearly enuf to compete and there isno $$ seemingly to upgrade the program

[NoCoDanny]

We don't have a hot seat, I wish we did, you can coach here forever and suck and nobody cares.