Week 2 of the 2023 college football season brought about more twists and turns as non-conference play continued. The colossal showdown between Texas and Alabama didn’t have any coaches on the hot seat, but there were several other early showdowns which had employment implications across the country. Here’s a look at which coaches are feeling the pressure after the second week.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State
Arkansas State is not exactly a powerhouse program but there’s an expectation to be somewhat successful. A 73-0 loss to Oklahoma in Week 1 already put Jones on thin ice, but a 37-3 loss to Memphis might be the one that puts the head coach out of business before the end of this season. It’s clear he doesn’t have this team playing at a competitive level, and there’s no reason to draw this out further.
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
I don’t think the Aggies are actually going to part ways with Fisher. His buyout will be easier to stomach once the TV money kicks in, but he has been relatively successful in College Station. A 5-7 campaign in 2022 featured five losses by one possession, something which could turn around this year. However, a loss to Mario Cristobal’s Miami team the Aggies beat last year is a rough result.
Dave Aranda, Baylor
Two seasons ago, Aranda was a hot name in coaching searches for gigs at Florida, LSU and USC. Now, he’s starting 0-2 after a shocking loss to Texas State and a home setback against Utah. Aranda did have to play his backup quarterback in Week 2, and he’ll get a bit of a breather in Week 3 with Long Island. However, the outlook for conference play is not promising and you have to wonder if the administration will make a change at the end of the season.
Honorable mentions
- Neal Brown has a permanent position in this column until he is gone. Barring a scenario where West Virginia wins the Big 12, he is effectively gone at the end of the year. The Backyard Brawl is a chance to provide some relief but Brown is going to be looking for a new job in 2024.
- Two first-year head coaches took the field in Boulder when Colorado and Nebraska faced off in a massive rivalry game. One came out victorious with relative ease and is now the talk of the sport. And the other is Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule. In an era where one offseason is enough to energize a program, Rhule has instead gone 0-2 and his offense has combined for 27 points through two games. It’s too early to make yet another change in Lincoln but it’s clear rock bottom might not have been reached.