Coaches on the Hot Seat

We're 4 weeks into the season and teams are already playing their coaches onto the hot seat.  Here's the top three:

3. Al Groh, Virginia.  Groh seems to find himself on the hot seat more often than not, but has thus far managed to get his teams to do just enough to save his job.  This year, the Wahoos opened the season with a faceplant against William and Mary, a I-AA team.  They've also got a respectable loss to potential BCS-buster TCU and then a close road loss to Southern Miss.  Looking at their schedule though, Maryland and Duke appear to be the only winnable games left.  The one thing that may save Groh is the extension he signed in 2007, which would keep him around until 2011.  Virginia doesn't have the booster power that Auburn or Tennessee have, and may not want to pony up for a buyout.  Still, if Virginia really only beats Maryland and Duke this year, it is hard to imagine Groh will return in 2010.

2. Dan Hawkins, Colorado.  Sure they have a win, but it was against Wyoming.  The Buffs looked positively horrendous against Toledo in week 2.  The next 3 games are at West Virginia, at #2 Texas, and home against #18 Kansas.  That's not an easy stretch for a team that ranks 84th in total offense and 101st in total defense.  At this point, Hawkins has to be wondering what the hell he was thinking leaving Boise State.  Hawkins is looking at an 8 loss season, which means he may not be around to welcome the Dawgs to Boulder in the fall of 2010.

1. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame.  Before the season ever started, there was a billboard in South Bend wishing Weis the best in his college coaching internship.  Lou Holtz predicted the Irish would play for the national championship, and not to be outdone Beano Cook predicted they would win the BCS championship.  After opening the season with a 35-0 win over mighty Nevada, the pundits were ready to crown Notre Dame.  Since then, the Golden Domers have lost to Michigan, needed a last minute INT to beat Michigan State, and a boneheaded coaching move from Purdue to escape West Lafayette with the W.  Sure they're 3-1, but Notre Dame hasn't made that easy schedule look very easy, and they could just as easily be 1-3.  Washington, a team that despite losing to Stanford has looked good this season, visits South Bend this weekend before the Trojans visit next weekend.  Weis may very well be in must win mode.  He certainly cannot repeat last year's performance against USC if he wants to stick around for next season.

Dis-Honorable Mentions:  Mike Locksley, New Mexico State University, Ralph Friedgen, Maryland

-Dexter