How many wins do these college football HOT SEAT coaches need in 2015? by Pete Volk and SB Nation team blogs

Photo: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Some of the biggest jobs in college football have opened up over the past two seasons, with national powerhouses Texas, Michigan, USC, Penn State and Florida among the schools making new hires.

The list of coaches potentially on the hot seat this season doesn't quite have the star power to match, but there are still plenty of big programs who could be searching for new leadership if things don't improve this season.

I picked 18 coaches whose jobs might be in trouble, then asked SB Nation's team sites how many regular season wins those coaches need to be safe.

Obviously anybody is likely in trouble with a one-win season, and some names like Kyle Whittingham, Mike Gundy and Pat Fitzgerald would be in trouble with four wins or so, but I'm mostly sticking with coaches who need to win around five games to keep their jobs.

It's time to impress

Al Golden, Miami

Regular season wins needed: Eight

According to the NFL Draft, Miami just had one of the country's most talented rosters ... and still went 6-7. However, State of the U's Cam Underwood says the 2016 recruiting class, currently ranked No. 3 in the country, could help Golden.

If an early signing period is instituted and some top guys sign, or if things on the recruiting trail are trending towards a strong finish on National Signing Day, that could save Golden from the chopping block ... for now.

Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Regular season wins needed: Eight or more

Notre Dame looks loaded offensively with a new quarterback, and expectations are high. One Foot Down's Eric Murtaugh:

Seven wins could potentially get Kelly fired. Eight to nine wins, and he'll be on a very hot seat.

Need a good season

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

Regular season wins needed: Seven

Could Ferentz force Iowa to pony up that massive buyoutBlack Heart Gold Pants's Patrick Vint says money will be a factor in other ways.

If Iowa averages more than 70,000 fans per home game, Ferentz could go 5-7 and keep his job, because this is a business. If Iowa averages fewer than 70,000 per home game, he probably has to go 7-5 with at least two trophy game (Iowa State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota) wins, which the athletic department could claim as some sort of forward momentum.

And if the AD gets fired or leaves, all bets are off.

Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia

Regular season wins needed: Seven or more

Matthew Kirchner of The Smoking Musket says Holgorsen's security could depend on how he gets along with his new boss.

There's a lot to be said with what kind of relationship Dana forms with new AD Shane Lyons. Holgorsen was previous AD Oliver Luck's hand-picked guy, and maybe that gave him a little more leeway. If they don't work together well, seven wins probably isn't enough.

Bowl game or bust

Tim Beckman, Illinois

Regular season wins needed: Six

Jim Vainisi of The Champaign Room says allegations made against Beckman could play a role.

Mike Thomas' only justification for keeping Beckman this long is that the team has gotten slightly better each season. It's possible Thomas could cave in to the increasing pressure from alumni/boosters and make a change if the Illini match their 6-7 mark from a year ago.

The Simon Cvijanovic situation will play a monumental role in Beckman's status. If even some of these accusations are proved true, he could be packing his bags before the season begins.

Norm Chow, Hawaii

Regular season wins needed: Six

Chris Turner of Mountain West Connection says Hawaii might finally be able to free itself of Chow's contract.

Right now, the only reason he was retained for a fourth year is money concerns. Hawaii's athletic department has been in the red for a while, so it would have cost a lot to cut ties. However, he can be bought out of his fifth year for $200,000. So unless Hawaii tears off a bowl bid, that fifth-year buyout is looking very likely.

Willie Taggart, South Florida

Regular season wins needed: Six

Ryan Smith of Voodoo Five says Taggart is on a short leash, despite dominant recruiting.

After two years of recruiting better than pretty much every mid-major but two awful seasons to show for it (six total wins, 99th and 123rd in F/+), it's pretty much a consensus around the program that USF has to at least make it to a bowl. This far into his tenure, there's no excuse for such a huge gap between recruiting and on-field success.

Mike London, Virginia

Regular season wins needed: Six, or just beat Virginia Tech

Streaking the Lawn's Jay Pierce gives London two different marks to hit.

Frankly, a 5-7 record could keep him employed, especially if one of those wins is against rival Virginia Tech. It would signal an institutional acceptance of running a clean ship, signing the occasional five-star recruit from the 757, and mediocrity on the field. That's a decision many fans dread, but none would be surprised to see.

Relatively safe

Kevin Wilson, Indiana

Regular season wins needed: Five

Kyle Robbins of The Crimson Quarry says Wilson should be back, barring a major setback.

Hoosier fans largely understand patience, and Indiana has been trending upward every season under Wilson. Attendance is up. They're producing early-round draft picks. Recruiting classes are as good as or better than ever.

And they've been fun to watch and competitive. Wilson took a team with its fifth-string-from-spring, true freshman quarterback into Ohio Stadium and led the national champs in the fourth quarter.

He doesn't need to make a bowl to save his job after losing Tevin Coleman, but he can't afford a major backslide.

Paul Rhoads, Iowa State

Regular season wins needed: Five

Wide Right & Natty Lite's Dan Becker isn't buying a six-win minimum.

The rumor out of Ames is that AD Jamie Pollard told Rhoads he's going bowl-or-bust, but I don't think Pollard really means it. Most Vegas prognosticators have the over/under on the season win total at 4.5, and I think where Rhoads falls on that determines his fate.

Randy Edsall, Maryland

Regular season wins needed: Five

I asked myself, Pete Volk of Testudo Times.

A week ago, this probably would have been six games, marking a third-straight bowl. But since the commit of four-star local quarterback Dwayne Haskins and a potential program-changing recruiting movement, Maryland is going to be a little more willing to cut Edsall some slack with a tough Big Ten schedule.

Scott Shafer, Syracuse

Regular season wins needed: Five

Sean Keeley of Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician says even with a new AD, Shafer has leeway.

He took Syracuse to a bowl in his first season and, while last year's 3-9 result was pretty rough, it's easy to point to a slew of injuries that would've derailed any season, no matter who was the coach. Shafer also just landed arguably Syracuse's best recruit in years in RB Robert Washington, and if Shafer goes, so will Washington.

Darrell Hazell, Purdue

Regular season wins needed: Four

Travis Miller from Hammer and Rails sets expectations low.

The schedule this year is tougher than last season, but the expectations are still very low because Purdue is recovering from a major overhaul. Purdue was only 3-9 in 2014 but still had some signs of incremental progress.

I think we need to see that continue. Winning 4-6 games with an upset or near-upset of a "name" team would be the next step for a team that only has 12 scholarship seniors.

Mike MacIntyre, Colorado

Regular season wins needed: Three

A new boss could complicate things, but Ralphie Report's Jon Woods thinks the coach is safe.

Three to five would still be a huge disappointment when considering the Buffaloes' experience and schedule, but I think the school would still give him one more year for stability, knowing that there is a very small class leaving after this season. But there is a new AD since his hiring, so that could come into play.

Wait, they wouldn't get rid of him, right?

Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech

Regular season wins needed: Six

Roy Hatfield at Gobbler Country says while Beamer intends to coach through 2016, a sub-.500 season could result in an early retirement.

Lane Stadium is the house that Frank built. What do 27 years, 100 percent graduation of seniors since 2012, 22 straight bowl games, and the best winning percentage in the ACC since 2004 get you? What does a national championship appearance and multiple BCS berths get you?

Simply put, it gets you time. Beamer's seat is definitely warmer than five years ago, but the Hokie Nation is perfectly willing to let Frank Beamer determine his own timeline.

Les Miles, LSU

Regular season wins needed: Six

Billy Gomila from And The Valley Shook says Miles doesn't really have anything to worry about.

Fans will be enraged at anything worse than 10 wins (and for some, anything short of an undefeated national title won't be enough), but Miles still has a significant dollar amount on the buyout of his contract, somewhere in the eight-figure range. He's not going anywhere unless LSU turns in some sort of sub-.500 disaster.

Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

Regular season wins needed: Five

Spurrier has built up too much good will for a forced change, Garnet and Black Attack's Chicken Hoops says.

Gamecock fans will want to see the defense improve under new management and would also like to hear fewer rumors about other coaches calling plays or Spurrier contemplating retirement. But when it comes to actually losing his job, it's still much more likely he walks away than we send him packing.

Larry Fedora

Larry Fedora, North Carolina

Regular season wins needed: ?

Instead of getting thoughts from UNC fans, we polled Twitter. Just know that Fedora should try to win as many games as he can.

SB Nation presents: Shocking pictures of college football coaches as kids!