By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
All football head coaches are expected to win. It’s why they were hired.
But the bar is set higher for some than for others. A record over 50% at lesser programs may keep a head man employed much longer than at a perennial blue blood.
Below, I’ve highlighted the head coaches at programs in the West who find themselves in less-than-ideal situations, ranking their seats from Hot to Cool.
Their respective records at their schools appear in parentheses. We start with the hottest seat and work our way down.
Tier 1 (Hot)
Jay Sawvel, Wyoming Cowboys (7-17)
Jay Sawvel’s opening two years at Wyoming felt troubling after winning only seven games in two seasons with the Cowboys.
Last year, UW jumped out to a 4-4 start before sputtering down the stretch, never eclipsing seven points in the final four matchups. The lone bright spot of that 2025 campaign came in a 28-0 drubbing of Colorado State.
Wyoming’s victories over New Mexico and Washington State last season feel all but forgotten; scoring 24 points in the final four games stymied all the Cowboys’ momentum.
If the Pokes can beat the rival Rams in the opener this fall, it might buy Sawvel some time. But a loss to open the season feels a bit like doomsday.
Tier 2 (Warm)
Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans (35-19)
If USC still played in the Pac-12, Lincoln Riley’s credentials would probably look better. Riley’s Trojans have yet to win a conference title, and have never made the College Football Playoff.
The Big Ten schedule is brutal, but so are the expectations at SC. Mike Bohn, the athletic director who hired him, left, meaning another pedestrian year could shorten his leash.
USC’s 2026 recruiting tops the nation, but they’ll need immediate production.
The Trojans’ schedule includes Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, and Washington. They also get Penn State in Happy Valley.
With the return of Jayden Maiava, the USC offense should prove dangerous. But the defense needs to boss up in big matchups.
If it doesn’t, SC has enough money to buy out Riley’s contract.
Jeff Choate, Nevada Wolf Pack (6-19)
Jeff Choate needs results this year.
Nevada suffered three close losses in 2025—to Middle Tennessee, Fresno State, and New Mexico by a combined six points—and that’s why he’s on this list.
All of these losses came in the first half of the season, which killed the Wolf Pack’s confidence early. They bounced back too late, winning two out of their last three matchups, including a trouncing of San Jose State.
But three wins won’t keep the donors and alumni happy.
Choate has a chance to change the tone quickly with an opening win against Western Kentucky. If he could squeeze out five wins this year, he’d likely be retained.
It would hurt the university financially if they had to buy out his contract. He needs to do better.
Tier 3 (Cool)
Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes (16-21)
Deion Sanders’ initial success should get him through this year, provided he doesn’t go 1-8 in the Big 12 again.
Sanders claims to be in good health this season, but even if he wins, there’s no guarantee he remains healthy going forward.
Sean Lewis, San Diego State (12-13)
Sean Lewis should be fine considering San Diego State’s turnaround in 2025.
But if the Aztecs have another losing season, the head-scratching will commence.
Timmy Chang, Hawai’i (22-29)
Jimmy Chang is well-liked in Hawaii, so he would have to massively underperform to lose his job.
But if the Rainbows finish near the bottom of the conference with Micah Alejado back, the waves might speak.
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.
