Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com recently released his College Football Coach Hot Seat Ratings for the 2012-13 season, and it should come as no surprise that Boston College coach Frank Spaziani and Maryland coach Randy Edsall will be feeling some heat this fall.
Edsall finished 2-10 in his first season at College Park -- after he inherited a nine-win bowl team -- and BC has seen a steady decline under Spaziani's watch. Last year was one of the most disappointing seasons in Chestnut Hill in recent years, as the Eagles missed a bowl game for the first time in 12 seasons. BC finished 8-5, 7-6 and 4-8 in three seasons under Spaziani.
Dodd used a grading scale of 0-5 to determine how hot the coaches' seats are, with 0 meaning "can't be touched," and 5 meaning "win or be fired." Edsall and Spaziani received the league's highest grades at 4.0.
Here's how the ACC coaches fared:
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: 0.5
My take: There's no question Beamer is the safest coach in the ACC. Four ACC titles and the winningest active coach in the FBS? The only reason he probably even earned a .5 is because of the poor showings in BCS games.
Jimbo Fisher, Florida State: 1.0
My take: There's always pressure to win in Tallahassee, but with the top-10 recruiting classes Fisher continues to lure in, I don't see him going anywhere anytime soon.
Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech: 1.0
My take: He was named the ACC's Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons in the league, but the success seems to have tapered off a bit. His lucrative contract would make it very difficult to make a change, but there's no need for one anyway. Johnson is smart and will continue to win.
Mike London, Virginia: 1.0
My take: He was ahead of schedule in Year 2 and appears to have the program heading in the right direction. UVa is on the rise.
Jim Grobe, Wake Forest: 1.5
My take: If being a nice guy counted as much as wins, Grobe would never be fired. Last year's team showed measurable improvement and this year's roster should be even better. Grobe ushered the Deacs through their most successful period in school history. He's earned some tenure.
Larry Fedora, North Carolina: 1.5
My take: Give the man some room to breathe. He inherited a mess, both on the field and off. Let him recruit and change the culture before warming up his seat.
Tom O'Brien, NC State: 2.0
My take: O'Brien has shown how good the program can be when it is at full strength. The Pack beat No. 7-ranked Clemson last year and finished on a strong note. The program is poised to build upon that success this fall.
Al Golden, Miami: 2.5
My take: This is too high for Golden. Miami should be thanking Golden for not walking out on the Canes last August, when the NCAA investigation was dropped in his lap. The administration has made the right moves to keep him there.
Dabo Swinney, Clemson: 3.0
My take: This is also too high for Swinney, who has already taken the Tigers to two ACC title games and won one. I would guess the only reason he got a three is because he's struck out against South Carolina and flopped in the Orange Bowl, but the recruiting has been encouraging and his contract was recently sweetened.
David Cutcliffe, Duke: 3.5
My take: Sigh. Cutcliffe is in a tough spot. The man is a good person and a good coach, but he's also at Duke. If he doesn't get to a bowl game this year, his job status will likely start to be questioned just as it would at any other school. He needs to continue to build depth, particularly on defense.
Frank Spaziani, Boston College: 4.0
My take: Spaziani was a better defensive coordinator than he has been a head coach. There has been too much turnover on the staff, particularly at the offensive coordinator position. It's a must-win season.
Randy Edsall, Maryland: 4.0
My take: Boy, would it look bad if AD Kevin Anderson had to find money the athletic department doesn't have to fire another coach. Maryland will win more than two games this year, and I think Edsall's job will be safe, but I also think he could get a 5.0 next year in Dodd's scale.