College football coaches off to dangerous starts in 2025

The 2025 college football season is only one week old, yet the seats under some coaches are already starting to heat up. From not matching program expectations to lengthy streaks of mediocrity, time may be running short for these coaches to right the ship at their respective programs.

David Braun, Northwestern

David Braun and his Northwestern team were beaten 23-3 by Tulane in Week 1 | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

David Braun was hired in 2023 to replace longtime Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald in the wake of the Wildcats’ hazing scandal. The move started positively, with Braun winning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in his first season, but the tide has shifted in recent weeks. Fitzgerald settled his $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit with the University last month.

Meanwhile, the school came under fire when it was reported that they would not cede the option of wearing white jerseys to their hosts, who were seeking to honor Hurricane Katrina victims. The Green Wave then rolled over Northwestern 23-3 on Saturday, giving the Wildcats their fourth straight loss, going back to last season. Braun may not be responsible for all of Northwestern football’s recent issues, but he could become the scapegoat.

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

The first season post-Nick Saban did not meet traditional Alabama football expectations, but Kalen DeBoer was always going to be given more than one season to see his vision through. Also, 9-4 was not a terrible first offering from DeBoer, though a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to a rebuilding Michigan team left a sour taste in the mouths of Tide fans going into the off-season.

That taste was certainly not washed away on Saturday when an unranked Florida State team comfortably handled DeBoer’s squad by a final of 31-17. A common refrain in the aftermath of that loss is that Alabama no longer inspires the respect we have come to expect from the Crimson Tide.

Trent Dilfer, UAB

UAB’s narrow 52-42 win over Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Alabama State was not a complete debacle for the Blazers, but it may have the same effect for a coach already among the most tabbed in pre-season hot seat lists. Trent Dilfer was a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and outspoken television analyst before taking over as UAB’s head coach following the 2022 season.

His record as head coach now stands at 8-17 after escaping an Alabama State team that was 0-12 against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) competition in its history despite giving up over 500 yards of offense to the Hornets. Dilfer is now facing friendly fire from the families of former UAB coaches and local Alabama sportswriters.

DeShaun Foster, UCLA

DeShaun Foster watches UCLA drop a blowout loss to Utah — UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster watches his team drop a blowout loss to Utah | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

First-time head coach DeShaun Foster did not kick off his tenure in the most inspiring fashion when he went on an awkward rant at the Big Ten Media Day ahead of the 2024 season. The Bruins’ 5-7 campaign last year was not a complete train wreck, especially after finishing 4-2 after just one win in their first six games. When talking about most disappointing starts, though, UCLA’s 43-10 loss to Utah was among the weekend’s worst.

Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava was supposed to spark life into an offense that ranked 14th in the Big Ten last season, but they managed just 220 yards of total offense and one touchdown on Saturday. Foster’s chances to earn more latitude from the Bruin faithful are running out.

Brent Pry, Virginia Tech

A popular name on pre-season hot seat lists, Brent Pry is entering his fourth season as head coach of the Hokies. Following Saturday’s 24-11 loss to South Carolina in Atlanta, Pry’s record at Virginia Tech now stands at 16-22. The South Carolina loss by itself was not devastating. The Gamecocks, led by Heisman Trophy candidate LaNorris Sellers, came into the game ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press’ pre-season poll.

Virginia Tech was not favored to win the game, but Pry needed a statement performance to cool off his seat and earn more time from the fan base to course-correct. While the defense looked sharper under a new defensive coordinator, the Hokies did not show enough to give Pry a respite from the scrutiny.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky

A buyout of Mark Stoops would cost Kentucky $40.5 million — Mark Stoops is now in his 13th season as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The momentum heading into the 2025 season may be the lowest it has been for Kentucky football in Mark Stoops’ 13 years as the head coach. There have been numerous highlights during Stoops' tenure with the Wildcats, whose gridiron history is greatly overshadowed by the school’s basketball legacy. Kentucky has had two top-15 finishes under Stoops, had a four-game bowl winning streak, and won over the likes of Florida and Tennessee, snapping long losing streaks.

A 4-8 record in 2024, coupled with the loss of celebrated assistant coach Vince Marrow in the offseason, had Big Blue Nation unoptimistic about starting 2025. Their season opener against Toledo was a popular upset pick among prognosticators, and even though the Wildcats came away with the 24-16 win, discussions of Stoops $40.5 million buyout are already beginning.