Hot Seat Coaches After Week 1: How Bad Was Alabama’s Loss to Florida State for Kalen DeBoer?

Hot Seat Coaches, Pressure-Wise: No Chance of Being Fired

Absolutely zero chance of being fired, or even rumored to be in any sort of trouble, but these four had rough first games. Things are going to be a little grouchy around their respective campuses this week.

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

It wasn’t just the 31-17 loss to Florida State, it was the apparent lack of energy. The fire was all on the other side of the field, and worst of all, the Alabama Crimson Tide looked … average.

It's just Week 1, the Tide ran into a buzzsaw in Tallahassee - the place and that team and that coaching staff were jacked - and Alabama is still more than talented enough to go 10-1 the rest of the way to get to the CFP. But after closing with a rough bowl loss and a tough offseason, this was a tough look.

There shouldn't be a problem against ULM or Wisconsin, but then comes the trip to Georgia to kick off the SEC season.

Jeff Monken, Army

You give Army a two-touchdown lead in the second half against an FCS program, and it’s over. The Knights had the ball for close to 27 minutes, ran for 280 yards, and couldn’t close in a 30-17 double overtime loss to Tarleton State. Missed field goals, three turnovers, and now there’s a problem.

Kansas State is up next, starting a run of five road games in the next seven.

Deion Sanders, Colorado

Those two timeouts don’t come home with you. Let’s just say the clock management at the end of the home loss to Georgia Tech wasn’t exactly stellar. The Buffaloes should bounce back fast against Delaware, but the Big 12 schedule is a bear.

They might have needed this Georgia Tech win to not have any worries about going bowling.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Whatever you do for a living, and however your life is playing out, you’re not as bad at anything that you do as Texas is at coming up with productive plays in the red zone against Ohio State.

Here’s the problem after the tough loss - the Longhorn defense was lights out, by the way. Still on the schedule are at Georgia, Oklahoma (in Dallas), at Florida, and Texas A&M. After that 14-7 loss to Ohio State, Texas can only drop one more.

Hot Seat Coaches: Could Really Use A Win

The season just started, but these four coaches could desperately use a few good victories over the rest of September.

David Braun, Northwestern

A hot coach after four straight wins and a bowl victory to end 2023, Braun’s Wildcats went 4-8 last year, closing 1-5 with the lone win coming against eventual 1-11 Purdue.

On Saturday, Northwestern lost to Tulane 23-3 thanks to five turnovers, a rough day from the run defense, and just 237 yards of total offense.

Western Illinois should make everything okay for a week, but the Big Ten opener follows at home against … Oregon. After that, the Wildcats host …

DeShaun Foster, UCLA

To be very fair, Utah might be College Football Playoff, Big 12-Champion great. UCLA isn’t supposed to lose 43-10 in the home opener, though.

The Bruin offense managed just 220 yards, and the defense allowed the Utes to convert 14-of 16 third down stops.

At UNLV, New Mexico, and at Northwestern are up next. The Bruins need to go 3-for-3 to have any reasonable hope of going bowling.

Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee

This was supposed to be a rebuild when he took over last year, so the 3-9 season wasn’t totally unexpected. This year was supposed to be different from the start, and …

Austin Peay 34, Middle Tennessee 14. A 20-point home loss to an FCS team hurts even more with a trip to Wisconsin up next.

Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati

It was a good, tough, no-shame-there 20-17 loss to Nebraska with a shot to pull off the win late. However, after two straight losing seasons, the Bearcats need to steal wins with a tough Big 12 slate ahead.

On the plus side, they should be 2-1 with Bowling Green and Northwestern State up next, but they might be underdogs against everyone but UCF at home the rest of the way. | @PeteFiutak