Big Ten Football: Head coaching hot seat ahead of 2025 season

With the 2024 college football season reaching its conclusion on Monday night, fans are already turning their attention toward the promise of 2025. And while several programs are positioning themselves for a run at the conference championship and beyond, there are a number of others that are hoping for a breakthrough season to give hope that they have the right head coach in place.

Of the 18 teams that will be competing for a Big Ten championship in 2025, six teams will enter the campaign with their head coaches facing the potential of being on the hot seat.

WARM

1. DeShaun Foster, UCLA

Things got off to an awkward start with Foster's appearance at Big Ten Media Days, where he reminded those in attendance that UCLA was from the state of California before losing his train of thought and then asking if anyone had any questions. On the field, things didn't look much better. The Bruins got off to a 1-5 start on the season, but eventually clawed their way to a final record of 5-7.

While the season wasn't an outright disaster, there won't be much patience for a head coach in this conference who wins less than half of their games and fails to qualify for a bowl game. If we see a repeat performance in 2025, Foster could find himself on the hot seat in 2026.

2.Jonathan Smith, Michigan State

Michigan State fans had high hopes that Smith would be able to turn things around quickly following the controversial departure of former head coach Mel Tucker. But after a 5-7 season to begin his career, those hopes have no turned to skepticism by some in East Lansing. Like UCLA's DeShaun Foster, Smith will be given some time to get things turned around in a loaded Big Ten conference. But the Spartans have now failed to qualify for a bowl game in three consecutive seasons, and a second season of five wins or less in East Lansing would almost certainly put Smith on the hot seat in year three.

3. Matt Rhule, Nebraska

Following four years of lackluster results from former head coach Scott Frost, the Cornhuskers have made slight improvements under Matt Rhule. But slight improvements aren't good enough in a loaded conference like the Big Ten, and Rhule is in desperate need for a breakout season as he enters his third year as head coach. After putting together a 5-7 record in year one and a 7-6 record in year two, anything less than 8+ wins in 2025 would likely be viewed as a massive disappointment in Lincoln.

4. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Football — Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Similar to Rhule in Nebraska, Fickell is entering his third year as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. And while his first year showed promise (7-6 with a bowl game appearance), year two was a step in the wrong direction (5-7, no bowl appearance). In fact, the 2024 season was the first time in 22 years that the Badgers had failed to qualify for a bowl game - not ideal. The Badgers fired former head coach Paul Chryst after winning 10 or more games in four of his six full seasons (2020 Covid season excluded), meaning the expectations are high in Madison. If Fickell stumbles his way through another Big Ten season in 2025, that seat will move from warm to hot real quick.

HOT

1. Lincoln Riley, USC

It seems hard to believe that Riley could be on the hot seat in Los Angeles after just three seasons, but that's definitely the case. He got off to a solid start in his first year with the Trojans, finishing with an 11-3 overall record. But the record has been trending in the wrong direction ever since, with the Trojans finishing at 8-5 in 2023 and 7-6 in 2024. If things continue to trend in the wrong direction in 2025, don't be surprised if Riley is looking for a new home in 2026.

2. Mike Locksley, Maryland

Maryland Football — Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Locksley's seat is arguably the hottest in the Big Ten conference. Entering his seventh year as head coach of the Maryland Terrapins, Locksley has yet to achieve a breakthrough season with the Terps. Although back-to-back eight win seasons gave fans optimism that things were headed in the right direction, Locksley followed it up by going 4-8 and failing to qualify for a bowl game in 2024. Locksley has had plenty of time to turn the Terrapins football program into a legitimate contender within the Big Ten conference, but we've yet to see it happen in College Park.

If the goal of Maryland is to be a middle-of-the-road program, than sticking with Locksley is probably a good move. But if they'd like to see a team that could potentially compete for a conference championship in a loaded Big Ten conference, it might be time to start looking elsewhere if there aren't significant improvements in 2025.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

WATCH: First-look at Michigan Football's 'Team 146', new theme for 2025 revealed

Recruiting: Michigan basketball heavily pursuing son of MSU legend, Top 30 prospect

Michigan Football trending toward retaining defensive coordinator Wink Martindale?

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @WingedHelmetMedia
Follow us on Facebook: @TheWingedHelmet
Follow us on Twitter: @TWH_chris | @TrentKnoop | @mlounsberry_SI | @JerredJohnson7