Oh god…it’s that time again. Alright *deep breath*……let’s take a look at my 2017 CFB predictions

No more football this season.  Yes this is sad.  We are six-and-a-half months away from college football starting again.  No, I will not watch spring games.  I think it’s somewhat ridiculous.  I get the point of them (kind of) but still won’t watch them.  It helps that most of them are on ESPN so I won’t get them anyway.  I will do more mock draft posts (pin drop in the audience) but will not watch the Combine…at least live.  I will watch some analysis of it but for the most part I find the NFL’s Kreepy Kombine to be bizarre.  I guess you could call it Football Scouting Porn.  The CFL starts in like late May this year with their pre-season (May 27th to be exact).  Why most (if not all) of these games aren’t in neutral locations I can never figure out.  There are only eight pre-season games in total.  Eight.  Not hard to figure out other places to put them if you really want to grow the game.

Anyway, let’s get on to the meat of this post (the roast beef if you will)…my college football predictions this season.  Some were pretty good.  Others….my god they were so off the mark.  Let us begin shall we?

College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six

• My College Football Playoff Final Four was…well, off the mark:
  • Alabama – They got in.  And won the whole thing.  I had them losing in the semis though so I struck out there.  And that was the best of my picks.
  • USC – I figured they would be #1.  They were not.  They struggled a bit but still made the New Year’s Six.  To face…
  • Ohio State – I figured they would find a way to get out of the tough Big Ten and into the CFP.  They did win the Big Ten Championship and lost out on the spot to Alabama and ended up at the Cotton Bowl where they beat the Trojans pretty handily.  So still not too bad with my picks so far.
  • Wisconsin – The first part I got right.  I said they’d run the table going into the Big Ten title game and they did.  But they weren’t high enough up in the rankings to survive the loss they had to Ohio State which is what I also said would happen.  So in the end, these picks weren’t too bad considering Wisky also made the New Year’s Six.
• How about my New Year’s Six picks?  Let’s see…Florida?  Tennessee?  Florida State?  Fuck.
• I had Northwestern, Auburn and Michigan being just on the outside of the NY6 looking in but playing in good bowls.  Not bad Bossman.  Not bad at all.

Heisman Trophy

• Yes I had Sam Darnold to win it but a lot of other people did too.  I did have Baker Mayfield as runner-up though.  I am impressed with myself.
• The only misses would be Deondre Francois (who could have been if he hadn’t been injured in game one) and Bo Scarbrough.  Other than the Mark Ingram season, Saban likes to use the committee in the backfield kind of thing.  I should know this by now.

Let’s Look at Some Bad Team Predictions

• Should we start in the SEC?  Why not since I was such shit in the SEC East (SEC West I fucking ROCKED!).  I had Florida 1st, followed by Tennessee.  Good god.  I also had Missouri last and South Carolina tied for fourth although those don’t look TOO bad considering I think I was on par with many other actual experts on this.
• I thought it would be Purdon’t again.  It wasn’t.
• Both Arizonas did much better than I thought.  And even then both head coaches were still shitcanned (for wildly different reasons).
• Baylor was trash (which many were overjoyed with).
• Florida State was WAY worse than it should have been.
• BYU was God awful…..hehe.
• Tulsa was terrible.
• The Florida Initial Universities did much better than I figured.  The Atlantic version (thanks to Lane Kiffin) and the International version (thanks to Butch Davis).
• North Texas was also really good (and fun to watch).

Let’s Look at Some Good Team Predictions

• There are many I got absolutely correct (or pretty close to it) so let’s look at some odd ones like Alabama losing a game (to Auburn) and still winning the SEC West.  OK the last part wasn’t right but I was close otherwise.
• Wisconsin running the regular season table.  Oh yeah.
• Low hanging fruit but I almost aced the Pac-12 North.
• Texas finishing fourth.  Not at the top or near the bottom like many others thought.
• Toledo being ALMOST the class of the Group of Five.
• Appalachian State kind of doing the same thing.
• And the Mountain West as a whole.  Staying up until ungodly times in the morning to watch their games paid off!

Coaching Hot Seat Fun-Time Extravaganza

• I had Paul Haynes at the top of my list.  No surprise he got fired.
• I had Todd Graham #3 on my list.  He was fired although many were shocked he was.  And he was replaced by Herm Edwards.  That’s gonna be a real interesting 2018 in Tempe.
• Sean Kugler, Kevin Sumlin and Rich Rodriguez were all in my Probable Shitcanning section.  Good times.  David Beaty was also on the list and will be brought back for 2018 which is another reason we need promotion and relegation in college football.
• Not even I could have predicted how poorly they treated Bret Bielema when they fired him.
• My Doubtful Shitcanning list had the most hits.  God damn it!  Then again I couldn’t put everyone in the predicted-to-be-fired bucket.  It would get too crowded.

So again I decided to compare myself to the Stassen method of pre-season predictions.  I do want to know where I stand despite the fact I usually stand near the bottom of the ladder looking up on people much, much smarter than myself on this topic.  So after much calculation (including perhaps some trigonometry and calculus), I got…drum roll please………………

145.

That puts me TIED FOR FIFTH!  Wow.  That’s pretty damn good if I must say so myself.  Then again I don’t have near the knowledge every one of the actual participants in that list have but still….yay me!  It helps that I would have had the best marks for my Big Ten East, Big XII and Mountain West West Division and had damn good predictions for the Pac-12 North (although one magazine got it perfect…nice).

So hey I did well…for once.  This just makes me more sad that we are without college football for at least another 190 days.  Ugh.

So yeah mock drafts, college basketball conference tournament post, and some other filler until we get back to the good stuff sometime in the Spring.  Have a great week everyone…unless you are like me and dread Valentine’s Day and all that goes on with it.  Ugh.  The 15th can’t come soon enough.

The 2017 College Football Coaching Hot List – Sponsored by the Lane Kiffin Redemption Story

 

Yep. This guy again.

He’s on the road back to redemption and he had one of the greatest firings of all-time, being shitcanned on an airport tarmac while at USC. Nice!  I love stories like that.

It’s HOT SEAT TIME!  Last year, two of my four top selections and three of my top six were sent packing.  Unfortunately some coaches (like Craig Bohl) made me look like a fool by being really successful.  Thanks a lot Craig.  Like the haircut though.

Alright, here we go with the list.  I have ordered this (like last year) from most likely to be in the unemployment line to least likely:

Almost Guaranteed Shitcanning

1. Paul Haynes (Kent State) – He was #4 on my list last season.  How he kept his job is beyond me.  He just was put into a bad situation when he had to replace Darrell Hazell (who went on to do sweet fuck all at Purdue himself).  Needed to keep his job – A god damn miracle.  Prediction – Mid-season shitcanning and perhaps a year off of coaching altogether.
2. Lance Leipold (Buffalo) – Let’s stay in the MAC shall we?  Leipold came into much fanfare (well as much as you can get in the MAC).  He had guided Wisconsin-Whitewater to what seemed like a bajillion D-III titles.  His first year in Buffalo showed promise.  This past season not so much.  I can’t see this ending well for Sir Lance-a-not-so-much.  Needed to keep his job – vying for bowl eligibility in the final weekend.  Prediction – Scraping the bottom of the MAC barrel and heading back to FCS at the highest (if not back to D-III).
3. Todd Graham (Arizona State) – I remember when this guy liked to hop from job to job because he could. He was a good head coach and many programs wanted to have him.  Now he will be hopping to his next job but not of his own volition.  Needed to keep his job – Bowl eligibility and a victory over Arizona.  Prediction – 3 wins and who really cares at that point if the Sun Devils beat the Wildcats or not (see below for the reason why).
4. Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech) – Looks matter.  How do I know?  Well, many things in my life that I won’t get into now.  Also, Kute Kliff Kingsbury.  Here’s a guy who hit his high point halfway through his first season in Lubbock and is still around.  Why?  If it’s not his looks he must have damning photos of the athletic director in a compromising position.  Needed to keep his job – Some semblance of defense from his squad.  Prediction – Thousands of female college football fans crying and taking his offensive acumen to the FCS.

Probable Shitcanning

5. Sean Kugler (UTEP) – He was good for a soundbite or three when UTEP was good that one season.  Well, good enough in a Conference USA kind of way.  Since then, El Paso has once again become a college football outpost that no one wants to be in. Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility.  Prediction – I can’t see them winning more than one game so this may happen during the season rather than wait for the misery to be over.
6. Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M) – He seems to be on this list a lot.  But he is never in the almost-guaranteed-to-be-fired part.  He just hasn’t seemed to recreate the magic when Johnny Manziel was around.  And yes, a big part was Gianni Party’s play but Sumlin had done wonders in Houston and appeared to be doing them in College Station.  That may not be the case anymore.  Needed to keep his job – 9 wins and be at least on the cusp of contending in the SEC West.  Prediction – 7 wins and the top Group of Five opening next season for Mr. Sumlin.
7. Mark Whipple (UMass) – When is UMass heading back to FCS?  Whenever it is, I can’t foresee Coach Whipple being there when it happens.  Needed to keep his job – at least 4 wins and to stay competitive in more games.  Prediction – 2 wins and a quiet exit.
8. Rich Rodriguez (Arizona) – Remember what I said above about Todd Graham?  I think RichRod is also in a hot seat but not nearly as hot as T-Graham’s.  No improvement in the desert may seal his fate though.  Needed to keep his job – being better than Arizona State.  Prediction – will not be better than Arizona State…and will be fired for it (along with many other reasons).
9. Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) – Kelly suffers from two things: 1) the Irish got to the national championship not too long ago and 2) the expectations in South Bend are ALWAYS at least 10 wins.  If he wasn’t such an insufferable prick at times I would feel sorry for him.  Needed to keep his job – 10 wins.  Did you not just read what I typed?  Prediction – 8 wins and I am sure he will yell at at least one player in plain view of a camera in front of a national audience.
10. David Beaty (Kansas) – Poor Dave Beaty.  Does he really have a chance in Lawrence to do anything except maybe (MAYBE) win four games at most?  I fail to see how he can win more with the state the program is.  God, I wish there was promotion/relegation.  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins.  Prediction – Half of that.  Or 2 wins for the less mathematically inclined.  Again, Poor Dave.

Possible Shitcanning

11. Lovie Smith (Illinois) – This isn’t the NFL, Lovie.  I think he understands that now.  An unenviable task in Champaign to turn around a program that has had little success in the past two decades (save the crazy 2007 season).  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins but be competitive and look like they could be a bowl team next year.  Prediction – 3 wins and the AD is going to have to take a long, hard look as to whether to retain Lovie or not.
12. Bret Bielema (Arkansas) – The SEC is still a gauntlet.  Saying that, the SEC is not known for a ton of coaching turnover.  One or two each season usually.  Bielema has a tough task ahead as the SEC West especially is difficult to say the least.  Needed to keep his job – Stay in the middle of the pack in the SEC West and at least scare one of Bama, Auburn, or LSU.  Prediction – 7 wins and at least some fans calling for his firing.

Doubtful Shitcanning

13. Steve Addazio (Boston College) – This is the exact same spot Steve-O was in last year.  And he came through with a 7-win season that led BC fans to still call for his head.  Guy can’t catch a break!  Needed to keep his job – Get to bowl eligibility again and hope the fans calm down a bit.  Prediction – 4 wins and it will be tough not to move way up this list next year.
14. David Bailiff (Rice) – I remember when he was consistently getting the Owls to bowl games.  I also remember when the Owls were in the Southwest Conference.  Times change.  Sometimes coaches have to as well.  But maybe not quite yet with Mr. Bailiff.  Needed to keep his job – some sense of improvement from last year’s down season.  Prediction – they will improve even if it doesn’t show up in their record.
15. Tyson Summers (Georgia Southern) – One year in and the athletic department had to send out a press release saying Summers would be retained for this season.  Confidence, gone.  Needed to keep his job – 5 wins and at least look like a potential bowl team.  Prediction – 5 wins and they will look like a bowl team for the most part.
16. Jim Mora (UCLA) – Jim needs the Rosen One to play like he has a shot at winning the Heisman this season.  And I think it will happen.  Not saying he will win the Heisman but he will be much improved and so will the Bruins.  Needed to keep his job –  7 wins.  Prediction – 9 wins and making USC sweat for the Victory Bell.
17. Chris Ash (Rutgers) – Coaching at Rutgers must be tough now that the team is firmly in the Big Ten basement.  Let’s be honest: very few people want that job.  Ash is a hero!  Needed to keep his job – he’s safe since no one else wants it for now.  Prediction – 3 wins and keeping Michigan under 60 points.
18. Butch Jones (Tennessee) – The Champions of Life.  Butch really needs to learn to just shut his mouth and coach sometimes.  Needed to keep his job – 9 wins and being a contender in the SEC East.  Prediction – 10 wins and STILL….CHAMPIONS OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE…THE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS!!!!

Done.  That took too long.  I don’t want to say I hope all these coaches get fired but I do like being accurate.

Next up will be my Heisman ballot.  No one should give me a Heisman ballot.  I will demonstrate why in the next post.  After that will have to be…yes, it’s the FIRST SCHEDULE POST OF THE SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Woohoo!  Finally made it.  We are four days out.  Problem is, I still don’t know where all the U.S. College Sports Package channels have gone to now that they have been replaced by regional CTV channels which, in essence, replaced the need for Sunday Ticket since DAZN now has it.  I will say this often I believe but if DAZN somehow gets a good college football package then I might be changing my tune about it.

The 2016 College Football Coaching Hot List – Sponsored by Bo Pelini and Tim Beckman

The two quintessential firings of the past two seasons should host an ESPN special on this.  Think of the ratings!

Alright it’s time for the annual HAWT SEET list for 2016.  I am sure there are about twenty or so of these lists out there already.  I will toot my horn this time around by saying I had a pretty good list last season (the top four on my list were shitcanned).  I would say I am hoping for the same kind of success this time around but that thought is a bit morbid don’t you think?  Alright, let’s begin and remember, this list is in order of the probability of them getting fired (at least in my mind):

Almost Guaranteed Shitcanning

1. Darrell Hazell (Purdue) – I can’t foresee any possible way that Hazell keeps his job through the end of the season. It’s not like the Boilermakers are going to be competing in the Big Ten West this season.  Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility.  Prediction – 3 wins and a mediocre severance package.
2. Mark Stoops (Kentucky) – This guy is in a pretty unenviable position. No, I’m not talking about having the last name Stoops when Big Game Bob is your brother.  I’m talking about coaching in the SEC if you’re program isn’t better than mediocre.  And even then it’s a tough go.  If anyone thinks the Cats will make some hay this season, I will buy some cheap swampland and offer it to you at an insane profit…for me.  Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility (at the very least).  Prediction – same as the last two years; 5 wins and a bowlful of frustration.  Oh, and a chance to be his brother’s O-line coach next year.
3. Tim DeRuyter (Fresno State) – In his first year in Fresno, he was considered a great coach. Problem was, very few of the players were recruited by him.  Now that the team has his fingerprints all over it, we can see that maybe DeRuyter maxed out in a coordinator role.  Needed to keep his job – any semblance of improvement.  Prediction – 2 wins and taking the worst Mountain West team title from Hawaii and an after-the-season firing.
4. Paul Haynes (Kent State) – Now here’s a guy who got himself into a horrible situation replacing the aforementioned Hazell at KSU. Did anyone honestly think a program that had one great season in the past 40 years would duplicate the feat?  Poor guy but I think he knows what’s coming.  Needed to keep his job – Lightning in a bottle.  Prediction – Sadness and hopefully an FCS coordinator’s job.

Probable Shitcanning

5. Gus Malzahn (Auburn) – It kind of pains me to put the driver of the Gus Bus here but the Tiger faithful are getting a little restless, especially with their cross-state rivals in Tuscaloosa continuing to be, arguably, the best program in the nation. Needed to keep his job – at least 8 wins.  Prediction – Auburn will poach the hottest Group of Five coach in December.
6. Charlie Strong (Texas) – This whole Fire Charlie rhetoric has been beaten to death. Saying that, at some point he has to deliver.  Texas cannot continue to be a middle-of-the-road Power Five team.  Otherwise how else will the Pac-12 or Big Ten get them to join and feel good about it?  Needed to keep his job – 8 wins and for him to wear that golden cowboy hat all season.  Prediction – 6 wins and first shot at a good Group of Five opening.
7. Craig Bohl (Wyoming) – Now here’s a guy who would like nothing more than to rewind a few seasons and be back in Fargo being a legend. Instead, he has almost nothing to show for his time in Laramie.  Sad, really.  Needed to keep his job – 5 wins and at least have a chance to go to a bowl during November.  Prediction – 3 wins and a ticket out of town.
8. Ron Turner (FIU) – How does this guy keep getting head coaching gigs? He must take massive pay cuts to do so since I don’t see it.  He has been borderline awful everywhere he’s gone.  FIU is no different.  Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility.  Prediction – 4 wins and should be fired if FIU knows what’s good for its program.
9. Chris Creighton (Eastern Michigan) – Nothing against Creighton who did some great things at lower-division schools. I just think EMU is such a terrible, poorly-run college football program that it would take a miracle worker to string together even two winning seasons in a row.  Good luck to the next guy.  Needed to keep his job – 3 wins?  Who really knows.  Prediction – A winless season.  He may just quit during the year.
10. Doug Martin (New Mexico State) – Speaking of guys who probably have no real right to even get FBS jobs, we come to Doug Martin who did sweet fuck all at Kent State so he gets a job in Las Cruces. Probably because no one wanted to go there.  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins at the very least.  Prediction – 1 win and no one will know he was fired until someone does one of those coaching carousel updates sometime in the spring.

Possible Shitcanning

11. Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M) – Here’s another tough one to put on this list. Ever since Johnny Party left town, the Aggies have been just…OK.  Nothing special but enough to get to a decent bowl game.  They seem to have stalled and need something to get them going again.  That something might be a new coach.  Needed to keep his job – 7 wins with at least one over a top 20 team.  Prediction – 6 wins and a very tough decision to be made by the athletic director over Sumlin’s future.
12. David Beaty (Kansas) – You think they would fire this guy before he won a single game for the Jayhawks? No…but it may end up being close.  Needed to keep his job – Surpass Iowa State and get out of the Big XII basement.  Prediction – 1 win and perhaps a call to Mark Mangino.

Doubtful Shitcanning

13. Steve Addazio (Boston College) – There is no way to go but up for BC’s offense. That was painful to watch last season.  They will be better.  How much better is the question.  Needed to keep his job – Score at least 15 points a game and look like you may go to a bowl game.  Prediction – 5 wins and some obvious improvement on offense.
14. Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech) – One bad year and many are calling for Johnson’s head. Then again, it was a bad year.  If it wasn’t for Boston College, Tech would have stood out as the massive disappointment of the ACC.  I’m sure they will bounce back.  Needed to keep his job – bowl eligibility.  Prediction – 6 wins and at least another year on the job.
15. Charlie Partridge (Florida Atlantic) – Taking over for a Pelini is never easy, no matter the situation. Florida Atlantic isn’t the most exotic job but Partridge is bringing the program along slowly which is probably the best way to do things.  Needed to keep his job – 5 wins and some meaningful November football.  Prediction – 5 wins and some meaningful November football.
16. Paul Petrino (Idaho) – The other Petrino. Yes Paul is in the remote outpost of Moscow…Idaho.  Yes it is not easy to win games when you’re the head coach at Idaho.  Just ask every former coach at Idaho.  But I truly believe Paul will have his Vandals playing much better this season.  No I’m not drunk.  Needed to keep his job – stay competitive and out of the Sun Belt basement.  Prediction – 6 freakin’ wins and a bowl game!
17. Dave Clawson (Wake Forest) – Another guy with a very difficult job: to win football games in Winston-Salem. This is the year though.  I can feel it.  Or at least predict it.  Watch the Deacs lose 11 and make me look like an idiot.  Needed to keep his job – 4 wins and look competitive inside the ACC.  Prediction – 6 wins and a bowl berth.

Next up will be my Heisman ballot.  This will prove I should never get a chance to vote for the Heisman.  Ever.  The fact they give me the opportunity to vote for political leaders is bad enough.

We are 17 days away from the first FBS game of the season!!!!  Or 23 for you non-specialty pack readers.  Still…home stretch!!!!

Ouch that seat is hot. And then sometimes the seat is so hot the coach might as well be on fire.

It’s the annual pre-season Coaching Hot Seat Watch, sponsored by Bo Pelini. If Bo loses four games this year at Youngstown State he may just go insane. Just warning the nice people of Youngstown, Ohio.

Anyway, this list is ranked from most likely to be fired to least likely to be fired, with the ones at or near the top possibilities for mid-season shitcanning. Here we go:

1. Tim Beckman, Illinois – He saved his job by winning on the final day against Northwestern to become bowl-eligible last year.  I predict the Illini to not be bowl-eligible this season and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was fired near the end of the season.  This just really has not worked from the beginning for Illinois.
2. Mike London, Virginia – How has this guy not been fired?  By scraping out wins at the most opportune times.  I think the act has worn thin though.  Some Hoos fans might be longing for the days of Al Groh for Christ’s sake.  Anyway, it ends near the end of the season for Mister London.
3. Norm Chow, Hawaii – Poor Norm.  He took over a destitute program and has tried his best to turn it around.  The Fighting Rainbow Warrior Surfer Dudes can’t seem to get it together.  Also, there is a big recruiting hurdle they can’t seem to get over.  All this adds up to Norm getting fired (although I could see a “surprise” retirement being announced during the season).
4. Al Golden, Miami – Everyone sees a bit of a renaissance this year for The U (well mostly everyone).  I don’t buy it.  I think Golden could be the first one fired but I feel he will coach out the string regardless.  Another hire that looked golden (see what I did there) at the time and has not worked out at all.
5. Willie Taggart, USF – You know, for a guy who is supposedly a recruiting genius, he sure has struggled to recruit in the hottest of hotbeds when it comes to college football, that being the state of Florida.  Like shooting fish in a barrel…ok that was a really bad analogy.  Anyway, I don’t know who will take over (does anyone have Jim Leavitt’s number?) but it may be a few years before this program gets back to respectability.
6. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt – I really want to give this guy a chance to prove his mettle at the toughest school to coach at in the SEC.  But James Franklin he is not.  I think the Dores peaked (for now) with Franklin and Mason is better suited as a defensive coordinator with another Power Five conference school.
7. Ron Turner, FIU – I really don’t know why the Golden Panthers hired this guy.  He was clearly a dud at Illinois so why did he get another shot?  My guess is because they royally fucked up with Mario Cristobal (who should still be there) and this was the best they could get.  Another program that has a long climb ahead of them…without Turner.
8. Paul Petrino, Idaho – No, having the last name Petrino doesn’t assure you success.  To be honest, when it comes to Idaho, I don’t know if Nick Saban could taste success here.  Maybe it’s time to cut their losses and head to the Big Sky and forget the FBS for a while.
9. Paul Rhoads, Iowa State – It’s a tough go in Ames for sure.  Almost no chance to be in the top three year-after-year in the Big XII.  Then again, ISU barely gets bowl-eligible.  A change may be good just to revitalize the program a bit.
10. Darrell Hazell, Purdue – He is so wishing he was back at Kent State now.  He jumped at the absolute first opportunity to get out of the MAC and into the big-time and he’s paying for it.  Dude should have waited at least another season or two (although the way Kent State has been it may have been a decent decision).
11. Charlie Strong, Texas – Many Horns fans want Strong gone yesterday.  I think they would be wise to give him a chance but he better produce something this year or else the leash will be VERY short going into next season.  He could be the earliest firing in FBS history (in 2016) if he can’t improve this team.
12. Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech – Staying in the Longhorn state but looking at a very different program, there is a bit of unrest in Lubbock.  Sure Kute Kliff has the looks but does he have the coaching mettle to get this team back to bowl-eligibility on a consistent basis.  I don’t think he does but I believe he will survive this season.
13. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado – It’s too bad the Buffs are probably the worst Power Five team in the land.  Nothing is going right in Boulder.  I guess you could say there is a bit of improvement and it’s better than it was when Jon Embree was at the helm but still.  This team needs to right the ship or Mighty Mac may not survive the off-season.
14. Trent Miles, Georgia State – I have this feeling Miles is going to get at least another year in Atlanta.  They move to whatever Turner Field will be next season (I believe) so the hope is that there is even a glimmer of excitement once they get there.  If things don’t improve relatively quickly, Miles won’t last…through 2016.  He’s probably safe for now though.
15. Paul Haynes, Kent State – Hey speaking of Kent State, here’s Darrell Hazell’s replacement there.  Let’s be honest; other than catching lightning in a bottle that one magical year (2012), the Golden Flashes have been Golden Terrible, never being much of anything in the entirety of the program’s history.  So maybe Paulie should get a break.  He will this season but beyond that is anyone’s guess.
16. Doug Martin, New Mexico State – Speaking of shitty football programs, we come to Las Cruces (put it into Google Maps).  Another hiring that surprises me since Doug Martin wasn’t good at (surprise, surprise) Kent State a few years back.  Another place that no one wants to seem to come to.  Lucky for NMSU, the basketball team is so good that they may still get that mythical invite to the Mountain West (or at least a full Sun Belt invite for now).
17. Kevin Wilson, Indiana – This is the year Big Kev finally puts it all together (kind of).  I am positive he will get the Hoosiers to bowl-eligibility this year, proving Indiana isn’t just a basketball school (for 2015).

There. All done. I’m sure other coaches will get in trouble for banging a hooker or shooting up heroin or, God forbid, having bad recruiting practices. But for now, these are the (not so) Lucky 17.

Next up is my Heisman ballot (I will never get an actual Heisman ballot) and then final bowl projections before the season starts. Holy shit, the first game (albeit an FCS one) is 9 days away! FINALLY!