Is it a national title or bust season for Ohio State? Can Colorado make a bowl game? How will Florida handle one of the toughest schedules in recent college football history?
Those are just some of the questions looming for head coaches facing pressure-packed campaigns in 2024. Here are 10 coaches facing some of the most pressure ahead of the upcoming college football season.
Dave Aranda, Baylor
It’s been a roller coaster in Waco since Aranda became the team’s coach. Following a two-win season in 2020, Baylor made the biggest improvement in the country and went 12-2 in 2021. But the Bears won six fewer games in 2022 and then dropped to 3-9 in 2023.
The offense was a big reason for the team’s struggles a season ago, so Aranda brought in former Texas State coach and longtime FBS offensive coordinator Jake Spavital to run the offense. It’ll be a philosophical shift for the Bears, but it’s probably a needed one. Baylor scored just 23 points per game in 2023.
With Blake Shapen off to Mississippi State, former Toledo QB Dequan Finn will be the team’s starter in 2024. Finn was the MAC Player of the Year in 2023 and will be counted on heavily to help get Baylor to a bowl game.
Mario Cristobal, Miami
It’s hard to forget Cristobal’s decision to run the ball late against Georgia Tech in 2023.
The Hurricanes lost 23-20 to the Yellow Jackets on Oct. 7 after Miami RB Donald Chaney Jr. fumbled on a run play when the team should have simply been kneeling out the clock with GT out of timeouts. After the game, Cristobal admitted that Miami should have taken a knee.
Has he learned from his game-management mistakes ahead of the 2024 season? With the arrival of former Washington State QB Cam Ward, Miami may have the best signal-caller in the ACC. Former Oregon State RB Damien Martinez should bolster the rushing attack, too. The defense has also been bolstered with transfers, as it’s clear Miami thinks it has a shot at the playoff this season. If the Hurricanes are to make the postseason, they need to go better than 1-4 in one-possession games.
Ryan Day, Ohio State
If not 2024, then when for Ohio State under Ryan Day? After three consecutive victories over Ohio State and a national title, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is now off to the NFL and replaced by Sherrone Moore. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, reloaded both through returning players and the transfer portal.
With the arrival of Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins and return of TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State probably has the best 1-2 running back combination in the country. Former Kansas State QB Will Howard should be an upgrade at quarterback, and the defense has edge rushers Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau back along with the arrival of former Alabama safety Caleb Downs.
Simply making the playoff isn’t good enough for Ohio State this year. The Buckeyes need to beat Michigan, win the Big Ten and play for the national title.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
DeBoer has had incredible success at every place he’s coached. It’s easy to see that trend continuing at Alabama, a program that has every resource available to him.
But still, there’s inherent pressure succeeding the greatest coach in modern college football history, Nick Saban, in a tough conference that got tougher with the arrivals of Oklahoma and Texas. Alabama has lost more than two games just once in the last 15 seasons.
With QB Jalen Milroe back, Alabama’s offense could be even better in 2024. The biggest question may be about the defense and its transition from Saban’s system to one led by former South Alabama coach Kane Wommack. We’ll have a good idea of where Alabama stands on Sept. 28 at home against Georgia.
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Ferentz may seem more entrenched at Iowa than a fence post buried in 1,000 pounds of concrete. It’s hard to see him going anywhere until he retires. But after he finally made a change at offensive coordinator and replaced his son Brian, there’s pressure for Iowa’s offense to be anything but bad in 2024.
Even though Iowa has posted 28 wins over the past three seasons, the offense has held the team back. After ranking No. 99 in points per game in 2021, Iowa was No. 123 in points per game in 2022 before scoring just 15.4 points per game and only outscoring Kent State in 2023.
Former Western Michigan coach Tim Lester takes over the offense this season and should have a healthy Cade McNamara running it. The Michigan transfer played in just five games in 2023 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. If McNamara is healthy, there’s little excuse for the Iowa offense to struggle, and it will be hard to blame Lester.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
It’s playoff or bust for Ole Miss in 2024. You can’t draw up a better scenario for the Rebels than this year.
Kiffin’s team brings back QB Jaxson Dart and brought in a stellar group of transfers that includes defensive linemen Walter Nolan and Princely Umanmielen and former South Carolina wide receiver Juice Wells. After an 11-2 season that included a Peach Bowl win in 2023, Ole Miss has one of the more talented rosters in the SEC.
It also may have the easiest schedule. The Rebels get Georgia at home in November and have to visit LSU in October. But there’s no Alabama, Texas, Missouri or Tennessee to play this year. Don’t be surprised if you see Ole Miss in the SEC title game as a result.
Billy Napier, Florida
It’s been a rough go for Napier over his first two seasons in Gainesville. After Louisiana lost five games total over his last three seasons with the program, Florida has posted seven-loss seasons in each of 2022 and 2023. Another one looks very possible in 2024.
Florida has a talented roster ahead of the 2024 season. But a lot of its opponents have even more talent. The Gators have the toughest schedule in the country this fall with games against Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State on tap. Even if Florida goes undefeated in its other four games, the Gators need to get two wins against those teams to make a bowl game and three wins to guarantee a winning season. That’s a tough task.
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Pittman is back for a fifth season in charge of the Razorbacks, but there’s a big change offensively.
Former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has returned to Fayetteville as the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator. Petrino will be tasked with reviving an Arkansas offense that struggled at times in 2023 and has a new quarterback in Boise State transfer Taylen Green.
Simply improving the offense may not be enough for Arkansas to get to a bowl game though. The Razorbacks allowed 5.7 yards per play a season ago and gave up 28 points per game. With a non-conference schedule that includes a trip to Oklahoma State and a conference schedule that is still daunting despite the absence of Georgia and Alabama, Pittman may need to produce a third winning season to return in 2025.
Lincoln Riley, USC
Just how much difference will a defensive coordinator change make for the Trojans? After the defense let the Trojans down since Riley’s arrival in Los Angeles, Alex Grinch was relieved of his duties near the end of last season and USC brought in former UCLA DC D’Anton Lynn.
Can Lynn turn the defense around in one season? USC brought in a bunch of transfers in 2023, but the personnel change didn’t mean much. The Trojans allowed over six yards per play for the second straight season and produced fewer turnovers.
An average defense can go a long way if USC’s offense is exceptional, but there are questions on that side of the ball. Will the offensive line hold up in the Big Ten and against LSU in Week 1? And who will play quarterback now that Caleb Williams is gone? Miller Moss and UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava could split time to start the season.
Deion Sanders, Colorado
Sanders isn’t close to being on the hot seat entering his second year in Boulder. But if Colorado can’t produce a winning season in 2024, it’s hard to see when it will happen anytime soon. After a 2023 season that ended with a 1-8 campaign in the Pac-12, Colorado joins the Big 12 with a remade roster (again).
The offensive line has been rebuilt after Colorado couldn’t run the ball and Shedeur Sanders was sacked over 50 times a season ago. How good will it be right away? CB/WR Travis Hunter is a star, but how heavily can Colorado rely on him on both sides of the ball? And can Shedeur Sanders play well enough to be a first-round pick?
Oh, the schedule is much tougher than it was a season ago, too. The Buffaloes open against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State before games at Nebraska and Colorado State. Then the season ends with seven of the final eight games against teams that made bowl games in 2023.
