So far, there have been a couple of coaches fired in Big Ten football. UCLA fired its coach and has become one of the most dangerous teams in the conference after an 0-4 start. That dangerous team caused James Franklin to lose his job, and we could see at least two more coaches get a pink slip before the season ends.
Here is my breakdown on the latest coaching situations to monitor after seven weeks in Big Ten football:
The four programs that have either moved on from their head coach, or could fire their coach any minute include:
Penn State
Penn State finally did it, officially moving on from James Franklin. It needed to happen, and Northwestern put the nail in the coffin on Franklin. There is a higher standard set for Penn State, and James Franklin has come up short more often than he has won, especially when it comes to the big games. Penn State will now look for a proven winner to take them exactly where they want to go. Curt Cignetti would be a dream get for Penn State, but I also would not mind bringing Saban back into college football. He would be an old coach who could have success, unlike Bill Bellicheck, who is just tarnishing his legacy.
Wisconsin
Coaches this season have gotten fired for less. Luke Fickell is still employed by Wisconsin. I do not understand it. After Franklin got fired, Fickell should have been the next notification. Wisconsin has completely lost its identity. Fans have every right to boo the product the Badgers are putting on the field. They are heading for a 2-10 season, something that should never happen with this football program. There is no chance Fickell survives after this season.
UCLA
UCLA’s firing of DeShaun Foster ultimately has changed everything for this football team. Who knows what Foster was doing as coach, but from the looks of it, he was the sole reason for the team’s lack of success. The Bruins now have a great problem: they have two great potential candidates on their staff. Their job search won’t have to go too far. There is a likely scenario where you can hire Tim Skipper full-time and have Jerry Neuheisel be the offensive coordinator next season. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it. This could be one of the quickest turnarounds we have seen in football.
Michigan State
It would be a short leash for Jonathan Smith, as he was hired in November 2023. We saw DeShaun Foster get fired just after 15 games. It may not be at that point just yet, but the Spartans have imploded each of the last few weeks. This is another Big Ten team that’s spiraling. Other than maybe Penn State, and even Penn State, they, like UCLA, could get that interim head coach bump. There is no win for the Spartans on the rest of this schedule. The Spartans, just like the Badgers, are a team that is competing for the worst team in the Big Ten and a team everybody wants to see in the Big Ten. Jonathan Smith was successful at Oregon State, but in his short tenure at Michigan State, it has been anything but successful. The Spartans need to move in a different direction.
Second tier
These next Big Ten football programs feature a coach that could soon be on the hot seat:
Rutgers
Greg Schiano returned to coaching the Scarlet Knights in 2020, and he has made this team competitive again. The last two seasons, Rutgers made a bowl game and had at least 7 wins in both years. He set a program record for most Big Ten victories in a season. It was a handful of ugly years for Rutgers before Schiano’s return. Their last successful season before Schiano was in 2014, and that was an 8-win season. Schionao instills the right stuff in this program, but when will 7-8 wins not be acceptable anymore? This season, Rutgers will more than likely finish below the 7-win expectation. Next season, Schiano’s seat could get hot.
Michigan
There are people calling for Sherrone Moore to be canned. During his suspension, Michigan did play more aggressively and had a different feel to them with their interim head coach. Sherrone Moore should be fine ultiultimatelymatley. Moore, since taking over in 2024, is 8-5, and he has key wins against Ohio State and Penn State. Moore is 5-3 in the Big Ten. There is not a big enough sample size on what Sherrone Moore can do at Michigan. If this team has a disastrous season like UCLA did to start last year, maybe his seat gets hot, but only then.
Maryland
Malik Washington just may have saved Mike Locksley’s job this season. It all depends on how the season ends, where Maryland finishes, and how safe he is. If Malik Washington looks to transfer after this season, Locksley’s job security might be in jeopardy. Locksley took the job in 2018, and his record has been 32-36 since taking the job. Maryland has had 3 bowl game appearances with Lockley in his 6-year tenure. The future looks bright for Maryland; it appears they still have faith that he is the right person to lead this team. Following a 4-8 season last year, Maryland is primed for another 7-8 win season this year. With Washington continuing to develop, the hope is they will clear the 8-win threshold and win the next coming years with Lockley.
Flight risks
These programs feature a coach who ends up leaving for a better opportunity:
Indiana
Success is a great thing in college football, especially for programs that are known more for other sports. Indiana has been a fantastic story, and Curt Cignetti is one of the best coaches in the country. The problem with that is Cignetti, who will garnish a lot of suitors, and suitors that can provide him way more than Indiana can. Penn State can write a blank check for Cignetti, and in State College, where football is a big deal, nobody is turning down money and a big-time opportunity. There is a realistic chance Cignetti could head over to a bigger football program like Penn State if the offer is right. If that happens, Indiana will be back to being irrelevant.
Nebraska
It has not been an instant success at Nebraska for Matt Rhule, but you can see the framework of a team that will be successful in the near future. Nebraska this season is off to a 5-1 start, and with their schedule, they could have the best season so far in the Rhule tenure. Matt Rhule has credibility from his time at Baylor; he is a big name and a big-name coach in college football. If Cignetti stays at Indiana, Penn State will definitely give Rhule a call.
Washington
Jedd Fisch is also a name to monitor. He took Arizona from a 1-11 team in his first season to a 10-3 team in his third year. He then became Kalen Deboer’s replacement at Washington. It was a shaky season last year, being the Huskies’ first year in the Big Ten. This season, Fisch has the Huskies in position to have a 10-3 season this year with an electric offense and a star at quarterback in Demond Williams. Washington is his stepping stone for a bigger opportunity; that opportunity could be Penn State, who knows. Washington just might have to replace another good head coach this offseason.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten football coaching temperature check — hot seats, new vacancies, possible changes
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
