The 2023 coaching carousel has started to spin and should reach full speed within weeks as schools act before the transfer portal opens in early December and recruiting peaks with National Signing Day in the middle of the month.
In the Pac-12 footprint, changes in conference affiliation could impact decisions, as well.
Welcome to the Hotline’s inaugural Hot Seat ratings of the 2023 hiring cycle, in which we assess the status of each school’s head coach from two angles: The likelihood of a school-initiated dismissal; and the chances of a voluntary departure.
The ratings will be updated regularly until the carousel stops spinning. When that will be, we cannot guess.
(Note: Compensation figures taken from USA Today’s invaluable salary database.)
Here we go …
Arizona
Coach: Jeff Fisch (third season)
Seat heat: Sub-zero
Nitty gritty: Fisch has worked wonders in Tucson, turning a 1-11 team (in 2021) into a contender for the Pac-12 championship. His use of the transfer portal, combined with sound recruiting, has upgraded Arizona’s play at the line of scrimmage to a level not seen in a decade.
Chance of vacancy: 33 percent
Comment: Fisch is due a significant raise from his current salary of $3.25 million annually, but his future in Tucson hinges on offers from other schools: He stands to be one of the hottest coaches on the market and could be lured away to a campus that prioritizes football. The sample size is small with only one winning season — this season — on his resume. For that reason, we don’t see Fisch as a candidate for vacancies with the bluest of bluebloods. But there could be numerous openings at the light-blue level that offer Fisch resources he doesn’t have in Tucson.
Arizona State
Coach: Kenny Dillingham (first season)
Seat heat: Nonexistent
Nitty gritty: We have been impressed with Dillingham’s work under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Battered by injuries and without a bowl berth available, the Sun Devils (3-7) are…
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