5 coaches whose hot seats cooled down in Week 1

After a length offseason of coaching hot seats, some coaches saw their seats move decidedly cooler in Week 1. Whether it was upset wins, a surprising new development, or just taking care of business with a much needed victory, some struggling coaches seemingly ended the struggle in Week 1. Here's a rundown of five coaches whose hot seats cooled in Week 1.

Mike Norvell, Florida State

Turns out that 2-10 season in 2024 was just about washed away with a performance of Week 1 brilliance. That ugly QB situation with DJ Uiagalelei? Forgotten in the shadow of Tommy Castellanos. Norvell had done fine with the Seminoles, with 21 wins between 2022 and 2023. But after an awful season last year, many had come off the Norvell bandwagon. A week 1 surprise, a ranking back in the top 25, and all the anti-Norvell stuff seems forgotten.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn

After an 11-14 start and a couple of semi-hopeless teams, Freeze needed to turn the page to open season three at Auburn. He did so with a nice 38-24 win over Baylor. Many were skeptical about QB Jackson Arnold's passing, but he led the SEC in rushing in Week 1 while creating a number of explosive plays on the ground. This one wasn't quite as dire as Norvell's situation, but a nice Week 1 performance definitely cools off the hot seat for Freeze.

Brent Venables, Oklahoma

With two losing seasons in his first three years at OU, Venables needs a boost. Last season, Oklahoma passed for a meager 176 yards per game. While the defense was solid, Oklahoma scored only 24 points per game. Yes, Week 1 was against an FCS foe, but the 391 yards for QB John Mateer seemed to suggest that OU has its offense on the right path. A big game in Week 2 would really cool things down for Venables.

Lincoln Riley, USC

Yes, a win over an FCS school won't really cool the heat on Riley, who is 27-14 at USC. But the 73 points and 597 yards did suggest a team that has a much higher ceiling than last year's 7-6 team. Jayden Maiava and Husan Longstreet both played well and as long as this offense keeps this pace, Riley will be just fine.

Brent Brennan, Arizona

Off a 4-8 season in his first year, Brennan likely needs significant improvement in year two. The Wildcats blasted a Hawaii team that beat Stanford in Week 0 with a 40-6 domination. Keeping QB Noah Fifita on point moving ahead could certainly help Brennan.