CFN: These Guys Can Afford Two Bad Years

[PonyKai]

2012 Coaching Hot Seat

Part 1 - No Pressure

3. Art Briles, Baylor
Baylor was 0-14 in the Big 12 when it came to winning seasons, and then Briles and RGIII managed to make a huge step forward in 2010 before putting it all together in 2011. After doing the impossible, now Briles is firmly entrenched as a legend at the school and can afford a few clunker seasons. With his offense and with the program being built up, though, don’t expect a slide back into consistent mediocrity.

7. June Jones, SMU
SMU is going to keep Jones on the Hilltop for as long as he’s willing to stay. Barring some kind of disaster, he’ll have an opportunity to finish his career with the Mustangs if he wants to. The program hit the jackpot with this hire, and it knows it.

14. Gary Patterson, TCU
The major drug scandal and controversy at the school this offseason would be enough to kick most coaches to the curb, but instead, Patterson handled the situation as well as could possibly be asked for. Even with all the problems and concerns, there was no real talk about dumping him. One of the top head coaches in college football, if he ever wanted to leave TCU he could have his pick of any job opening he wants. It would take at least two losing seasons in the Big 12 before he’d be on any hot seat.
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51. Dan McCarney, North Texas
Everything is fine in terms of job status, but the health problems are a concern if the goal is to find a coach who can build things up over the next five years. Considering what he was able to do with Iowa State, and with the success he had as an assistant at Florida, he was a great get for North Texas. Now he just has to make sure everything is fine.
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105. Mack Brown, Texas
He’s never going to be fired, but another mediocre year isn’t going to cut it. There’s no excuse to be this mediocre with the talent level across the board. On straight four and five-star prospects, few can match the hauls that Brown has brought in, making the 13-12 record over the last two years stunning. It’s time to get back into the national title chase again, and if he can’t do it, Texas will eventually bring in a coach who can. It’ll all be thanks to what Brown has created.

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