So ... obviously this doesn't include Riley. So why this forum? Because apparently out of the eight coaches they picked, three of the five hottest happen to be on the Huskers' schedule this year.
Perhaps we'll get the Riley Era started by ending the Era of a couple other guys.
Warning: a couple NSFW words in here.
Perhaps we'll get the Riley Era started by ending the Era of a couple other guys.
Warning: a couple NSFW words in here.
LinkKirk Ferentz, Iowa - 7/10
In recent years, any suggestion that Ferentz was on the hot seat was met with a chorus of “THAT BUYOUT THO!” — a compelling, near-unassailable counterargument referencing the massive $39.8 million contract extension the Iowa coach inked in 2010. As Grantland’s Matt Hinton recently explained, though, Ferentz’s legendarily long leash may finally be shortening — five straight years of abjectly mediocre football will do that — and another 7-6 season probably isn’t going to cut it.
Changing narrative aside, I fully expect Ferentz to barely eke out nine wins, keep his job, and proceed to torment Hawkeyes fans for many years to come.
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Al Golden, Miami - 8/10
Incidentally, Golden’s commendably dapper sideline attire is also worth eight fire emoji. Huzzah!
Unfortunately, this may be his most redeeming coaching quality. As we all know, good fashion sense takes folks only so far in major college football, and on Miami’s hierarchy of important coaching traits, the ability to wear a tie falls well below the ability to develop recruits, beat Florida State, and willingly engage in large-scale impropriety, none of which Golden has done particularly well in his four years with the Hurricanes.
Was Golden dealt a crappy hand when the NCAA began to investigate Miami almost immediately after he started his tenure there? You bet. But, to quote a coaching legend, this ain’t intramurals, brother! This is the [redacted] ACC. And with fan apathy at Miami reaching embarrassing levels, Golden must right the ship this season in order to remain gainfully employed. Spoiler alert: Don’t count on it.
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Tim Beckman, Illinois - 10/10
Believe it or not, Beckman’s incomprehensible opening statement at Big Ten media days wasn’t even the lowest point of his own damn press conference: That moment came when he was asked about the abuse allegations that have dogged him all offseason, which he basically refused to address.
Between this emerging scandal and his 12-25 overall record at Illinois, it’s easy to see why Beckman is on thin ice. Yes, you could say that the Illini’s record has improved in each of the past two seasons, but then you’d be arguing that a 35-18 loss to Louisiana Tech in the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl represented legitimate progress for an ostensibly major program. It’ll be a minor miracle if Beckman isn’t collecting severance this time next year.