By Trey Wallace

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At what point do other schools follow the lead of Oklahoma State, UCLA, Virginia Tech and make a move on their head coach? With Mike Gundy now gone, fans in Gainesville, Madison and Fayetteville are starting to grow restless with their athletic departments. The hot seats for Billy Napier, Sam Pittman, and even Luke Fickell are getting uncomfortably warm. Preseason optimism has already collapsed. Florida’s struggles, in particular, shouldn’t surprise anyone—DJ Lagway hadn’t thrown a pass until fall camp, yet expectations were sky-high. We put too much faith in Napier turning things around in 2025. The Gators sit at 1–3, and the supposed return of Lagway from shoulder surgery has turned out to be a dud. For now, Florida is dragging out a decision, hoping something changes, but the signs suggest otherwise. Does anyone in Gainesville really believe Florida will suddenly find an offense? If not for their defense against Miami and LSU, the losses would look far uglier, and Napier might already be gone. Mike Gundy Fired By Oklahoma State After 21 Seasons, Search For Replacement Begins Are Schools Holding Out Hope Or Strategically Planning? The situation isn’t much different in Arkansas. Razorbacks fans have largely checked out, especially after athletic director Hunter Yurachek admitted the program isn’t equipped to compete for national titles. That honesty might have been refreshing, but it also crushed hope. Donors, already frustrated after losses like the one to Memphis, won’t find much comfort in excuses. Pulse: Dabo Swinney’s Not Changing, SEC Officiating Blunders, A Glorious Weekend Of Football Awaits The reality: schools like Florida and Arkansas are stalling. Athletic directors are already reaching out to agents, testing the waters for potential replacements. But no head coach is walking out midseason; at best, you land a coordinator. So why wait? Moving sooner at least gives schools a chance to hold on to players before the transfer portal floodgates open. This isn’t just about wins and losses—it’s about business. Season ticket sales, booster money, and NIL investments all hinge on confidence in the program. Schools leaned heavily on donors before the House settlement to lock in players, front-loading contracts that now look like wasted investments. Asking for more money while results plummet is a tough sell. But, outside an offensive or defensive coordinator, no head coach is going to leave for another school in the middle of their season. So, does it make sense to move in a different direction before December arrives? Sure it does, given that the school has to at least start hanging on to players, and the fans. Is It Better To Move Now On Coaches Or Wait? Tricky Spot Even though there will be plenty of openings after the 2025 season ends, some football programs need to move faster than others. Not only are you losing the fans, but you’re also losing the big-money donors. Ok, now go back to that same booster and ask for more money, while they look over their finances and see that the return-on-investment has been nonexistent. See where I’m going here? In this era, when selling season tickets is a top priority, schools like Florida, Arkansas and Wisconsin aren’t doing much to sell them the future. Sure you can hitch your wagon to a quarterback that could be a Heisman contender one day, but we’ve seen how that played out in Gainesville this season. We are entering a dire time for plenty of college football programs who are holding on to hope that it is dwindling by the day. What happens when Sam Pittman potentially loses to Notre Dame this weekend, or Billy Napier loses to Texas in eleven days? Are they going to make a move that could’ve already been made? Or, do they continue working phones behind-the-scenes to gauge the interest of potential candidates while the programs continue to flounder? I’m going to go with the second option, based off past evidence. Oklahoma State decided it was time, as did UCLA. We’re about to find out how much heat the school can take before finally making a move that will give them time to reassess the future of their programs. Tick tock.