Oct 1, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich looks on against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at Martin Stadium. Photo Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
LSU needs a head coach. So, too, might Texas. And Notre Dame. And Oregon.
USC? Auburn? Those teams are trending up in recent weeks, but there’s plenty of road ahead for a potential crash.
The coaching hot-seat rankings are a weekly exercise that tends to be unfair and too in-the-moment, but there is also the increasing reality that coaches get fired earlier in their tenures and earlier in the season. You can’t ignore it.
The hottest flames are at Oregon and Texas.
It’s a dumpster fire in Eugene, where untested Mark Helfrich got the job after Chip Kelly decided to try the NFL. With Kelly’s players — including quarterback Marcus Mariota — Helfrich helped guide the Ducks to the 2013 national title game.
But Mariota isn’t playing quarterback anymore, and the Ducks aren’t playing defense, and they just lost 70-21 at home to Washington on Saturday.
“I apologize for that score,” Helfrich said.
Cut, paste and repeat.
Oregon gave up 62 points in a home loss to Utah last season. It gave up 31 second-half points to TCU in the Alamo Bowl and lost in triple overtime. The Ducks have given up an average of 52 points while starting 0-3 in the Pac-12.
Oregon has gone from “Win the Day” to “Win a Game this Month?”
There is no D at Texas, either.
Head coach Charlie Strong, whose three-year tenure has been pockmarked with ill fits and quick hooks among his top assistants, demoted defensive coordinator Vance Bedford last week, leaving Strong as the defensive play-caller.
As sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson told reporters after Saturday’s 45-40 loss to Oklahoma: “That’s not fixed.”
Texas surrendered 672 yards to the Sooners and rank 114th in the nation in total defense at 477.2 yards per game. (Oregon is 126th out of 128 teams at 522.3.)
Strong is 13-17 at Texas, so the frustration is understandable, but ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit still unleashed a rant against the Longhorns’ culture on Saturday morning.
“I think if you’re Charlie Strong, you have to have peace of mind, just because if they ask you to leave, you’re going to get paid well and you’re going to get released. When I say released, you’re going to get released from the cesspool of being in Austin, Texas, and the attitude that comes with being the head coach at Texas,” Herbstreit said.
“You chased away Mack Brown after nine years of getting double-digit wins. You’re going to chase away Charlie Strong, and whoever the next guy is, you’re going to chase that guy away.
“Who would want the job at Texas? … dealing with the boosters, the presidents, the ADs. … Just relax and let the guy coach.”
The Texas starting depth chart last week featured only four seniors and 14 underclassmen, including Jefferson, a sophomore, and true freshman quarterback Shane Buechele. Patience could be a virtue.
But who has patience anymore?
There were 28 coaching changes last season, and this is shaping up to be another epic offseason.
Our top five hot-seat rankings:
1. Helfrich
2. Strong
3. Kelly
4. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
5t. Clay Helton, USC; Jim Mora, UCLA
