Four ACC Coaches With The Hottest Seats in 2025: ACC Daily

With the fresh college football season quickly approaching, who is feeling the heat most in 2025?

Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott watches in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

The best time of year is almost upon us. College football is merely weeks away at this point, and with the ACC set for another year of duking it out in the middle of the conference, there are some coaches who are fighting for their jobs in 2025.

Whether it be because they were sold a false bag of goods in a program, haven't lived up to expectations (some of which might have been too lofty to begin with), or it's simply time for both sides to move on, some seats are certainly hotter than others.

But who are the four coaches who should be sweating 2025 the most? For one reason or another, these four skippers have a lot to play for this season, and even more to lose.

1. Tony Elliott - Virginia

Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott asks for a time-out against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

You might have guessed by the feature photo that this listing was coming, and that's alright. Tony Elliott has the hottest seat in the conference at Virginia for one reason - he hasn't won games. Since coming over from Clemson in 2021, Elliott has a record of 11-23, which will more than likely become even worse from a numbers standpoint this season. The Cavs start off ACC play early week two with a trip to NC State.

2. Brent Pry - Virginia Tech

Oct 5, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry walks back to the locker rooms after defeating the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

While Pry has his Virginia Tech program in a better place than the cross-state rival, his seat is still plenty warm. Last season saw the Hokies finish the season 6-7 with a loss in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Tech was a tough team to beat if the game was in Blacksburg, too, but a home loss to Rutgers early on really upset the outlook for 2024. If the team steps backwards in 2025, Pry might not have much time left. However, if the Hokies can snag 7 wins, he's safe for another season.

3. Justin Wilcox - California

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox (center) during the second quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Wilcox actually has a higher "hot seat rating" than Tony Elliott heading into 2025 according to the CBS metrics, but in reality, he should be able to ride the momentum the team had in early 2024 to at least one more shot beyond 2025. This was the team's first season in the conference, and while it ultimately posted just a 2-6 record in conference play. However, Wilcox is still under the .500 mark during his tenure at Cal, and that isn't going to be saved by one season alone. He needs a winning season in 2025 in a bad way, and a bowl win would only cement his status in 2026.

4. Mike Norvell - Florida State

Nov 23, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell before the game against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

If you would have told me after Florida State's undefeated run to the top of the ACC in the final year of the four-team College Football Playoff that Norvell would be on this list, I would have called you crazy. However, times have changed, and after posting just a 2-10 record in 2024, Norvell needs to start stacking wins in a hurry down in Tallahassee. This offseason, he blew up the entire program - staff, roster and all - in a bid to make a fresh start. Only time will tell if that was the real issue, or if FSU's 2023 snubbing is the ghost the team cannot shake.

5. Honorable Mention: Frank Reich

Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford head coach Frank Reich answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Let's call a spade a spade - the Frank Reich era at Stanford is going to go one of two ways. Option one is that Reich, being a longtime head coach and a lifetime student of the game, will put together some wins in 2025 and build up some momentum at the head of the program. This isn't a job that requires 10 win seasons year in and year out, and who wouldn't want to coach out their final days in the game at Stanford? You can't ask for better weather, that's for certain.

Option two, of course, is that Reich wins a game or two and keeps the program afloat until GM and former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck finds a suitable replacement. When he was brought in, Reich was immediately viewed as a placeholder at the position, and only time will tell if that moniker sticks. Thus, he's on the hot seat before even coaching his first game at Stanford. Welcome to college football in 2025.