AP

PICK SIX: Frost, Harsin among coaches in precarious spot

Aug 15, 2022, 11:50 AM | Updated: 11:53 pm

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference ...

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)


              Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin speaks during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
            
              Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin speaks during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
            
              Nebraska head coach Scott Frost talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Last season, 30 major college football programs made coaching changes, including some of the bluest bloods in the sport — Southern California, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and LSU among them — in what was a historic hiring cycle.

All that movement portends a quieter carousel this season.

Right?

Well, nobody would have guessed at this time last year that Dan Mullen, coming off an SEC East Division title and a victory against Georgia with Florida in 2020, would be ousted by the Gators before Thanksgiving.

Life comes at college football coaches fast these days. The unforeseen aside, there are a few coaches clearly in need of a turnaround to keep their current gigs.

SCOTT FROST, Nebraska

Athletic director Trev Alberts’ decision to bring Frost back for a fifth season after four losing ones could fairly be called unprecedented for a program of Nebraska’s status.

By giving the hometown hero and former Cornhuskers quarterback one more shot, Nebraska is situated to both save money and leave Frost no excuses. Last year’s 3-9 record included so many close loses it felt like a strange, dark comedy.

The schedule is far more manageable this season. By the midway point, if the Huskers are anything worse than 5-1, it’s probably a bad sign for Frost. His buyout dips to about $8 million after Oct. 1.

BRYAN HARSIN, Auburn

The attempt to oust Harsin after one season with what ended up looking like a bogus review of the program last winter was peak Auburn dysfunction. He is still here, and there are reasons to believe the former Boise State coach might not be the best fit for this job. Auburn currently has the 67th-ranked recruiting class in the country for 2023.

The athletic director who hired Harsin, Allen Greene, is also currently without a long-term contract. None of the signs look good for Harsin, but this is Auburn so don’t discount the Tigers going 8-4 and making things even more complicated.

GEOFF COLLINS, Georgia Tech

Collins took over for triple-option guru Paul Johnson with a plan to make Atlanta’s ACC school cool and capitalize on one of the most-talent rich metro areas in the country. The Yellow Jackets, alas, have won nine games in three seasons. Flipping the roster was a difficult task, but there have been few signs of progress.

Bowl eligibility could be enough this season to save his job, but Georgia Tech’s schedule looks as if it was made specifically to undermine him. In addition to annual games against No 4. Clemson and No. 3 Georgia, the Yellow Jackets also face No. 21 Mississippi and UCF.

HERMAN EDWARDS, Arizona State

The NCAA has been investigating Arizona State for numerous recruiting violations since last year. That forced massive turnover of Edwards’ staff. The Sun Devils also took numerous hits in transfer portal departures, losing quality starters on both sides of the ball.

Arizona State is obviously content with riding out the NCAA issues, but if the on-field losses start piling up (the 8-5 finish last year included a 6-3 showing in the Pac-12) it’s impossible to imagine the 68-year-old Edwards sticking around much longer.

MIKE NORVELL, Florida State

Norvell is here because there will be a lot of chatter about him being on the hot seat.

Still, his status is not as precarious as his two-year record (8-13) with the Seminoles suggests. With Norvell’s buyout pushing $20 million after this season and Florida State making significant investments in facilities, school leadership has signaled it is trying to stabilize the program and plans to have patience.

Now, what happens if the Seminoles go 4-8 against a difficult schedule?

DINO BABERS, Syracuse

Syracuse is now the toughest job in the Power Five. The school has a long history of football success that goes back to Jim Brown, but now finds itself with no way to recreate it.

Babers has had one winning season in six with the Orange and his contract runs through 2024. His buyout has been reported to be around $10 million after this season.

Whether to keep Babers might be decided by a spreadsheet and calculator more than wins and losses. The bigger issue with Syracuse is existential: Can a school located 165 miles from the Canadian border in upstate New York compete successfully in a conference made up mostly of Southern schools with clear recruiting advantages?

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

PICK SIX: Frost, Harsin among coaches in precarious spot