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The lineup of head coaches at Big 12 media days last week was mullet-less.
OSU and Utah have new coaches — Eric Morris and Morgan Scalley — for the first time in 20 years.
Jimmy Rogers represented Iowa State in place of Matt Campbell, who had been on the job for a decade. For Kansas State, it was “Klein” on the placard instead of “Klieman.”
Let’s take stock of the Big 12’s coaches and where they sit entering the 2026 season . Whose seat is hot? Whose is not?
Coaches are listed in tiers by job security, from most to least. The higher their number, the safer their seat.
More: How Oklahoma State football QB Drew Mestemaker impressed at Manning Passing Academy
Favorite sons who chose to stay at their alma maters. Hot-seat scale: 1/10
16. Kalani Sitake, BYU: Sitake turned down the Penn State job, according to multiple reports, opting to stay at his alma mater. What a win for BYU and for the Big 12, of which Sitake is now the longest-tenured coach. He’s entering his 11th season in Provo. The Cougars have gone 23-4 over the last two seasons and should once again compete for the Big 12 crown. Sitake will have this job for as long as he wants. His flirtation with Michigan probably turned out to be a massive fundraiser for BYU football.
15. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: Dillingham pulled a Sitake, rebuffing a Big Ten giant (Michigan) to return to his alma mater. The 36-year-old inked a new deal with the Sun Devils that will pay him $7.5 million annually. Dillingham has pulled Arizona State out of irrelevancy. The Sun Devils won the Big 12 two seasons ago as first-year members and took Texas to double overtime in the College Football Playoff. Arizona State is 13-5 since joining the Big 12. If Dillingham goes anywhere, it’ll be his decision.
First-year coaches. Give them time. Hot-seat scale: 2/10
14. Collin Klein, Kansas State: The former K-State star quarterback could join the Sitake/Dillingham tier in short order. Of the four first-year coaches, Klein will probably be given the most grace — should he need it. After serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator under Chris Klieman, Klein had a two-year stay as Texas A&M’s OC before returning to his alma mater as head coach in the wake of Klieman’s retirement.
13. Eric Morris, Oklahoma State: Morris has the same number of Big 12 wins in the last two seasons as Mike Gundy and Doug Meacham combined. The Cowboys went from a proud program to an embarrassment in a blink. Morris has a plan to bring the Pokes back. OSU might mess around and win a few conference games this season. The leash for Morris is long. Following a legend, even one who fell off, is extremely difficult.
12. Jimmy Rogers, Iowa State: If only Sitake would’ve taken the Penn State job. Matt Campbell and his curved brim might still be in Ames. Iowa State can’t play the what-if game, but it’s hard not to given the sustained success Campbell had with the Cyclones. Like Morris at OSU, Rogers is replacing the all-time wins leader at Iowa State. Rogers won an FCS national championship at South Dakota State in 2023 — his first-ever season as a head coach. He left Washington State after one season to take the Iowa State job.
11. Morgan Scalley, Utah: Scalley didn’t “just get here.” In fact, he’s only ever been at Utah. He was born in Salt Lake City. He played linebacker for the Utes. And he’s been on Utah’s coaching staff since 2007. The 10-year defensive coordinator was elevated to head coach after Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan. Scalley was in line for the job anyway, having already been named “coach in waiting.” There’s going to be pressure on Scalley to maintain the status quo, which under Whittingham was winning a lot of games.
More: Justin Wrobleski gives Oklahoma State baseball its first MLB All-Star since Robin Ventura
Third-year coaches who have their programs pointing upward. Hot-seat scale: 3/10
10. Willie Fritz, Houston: After going 4-8 in Year 1 at Houston, Fritz led the Cougars to a 10-3 (6-3 Big 12) mark last season. The Cougars were ranked as high as No. 21 by the College Football Playoff committee. Fritz is a flat-out winner. Credit to the Houston administration for luring him away from Tulane.
9. Brent Brennan, Arizona: Brennan isn’t as proven as Fritz, hence the slightly hotter ranking, but he had a similar turnaround from Year 1 to 2. From 4-8 (2-7 Big 12) in 2024 to 9-4 (6-3 Big 12) in 2025. The Wildcats were unbeaten in their final five conference games. The stakes are low at Arizona. Another season with Noah Fifita at quarterback helps Brennan’s job security.
A coach who has to keep pace with elevated standards. Hot-seat scale: 3.5/10
10. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: McGuire is in a tier of his own. Much like Texas Tech, which has separated itself as the Big 12’s biggest spender. McGuire isn’t on the hot seat, to be clear. But this is a high-pressure situation. The standard at Texas Tech has surged seemingly overnight. McGuire has made good on Texas Tech’s investment. He has an almost identical winning percentage (.660) as Mike Leach (.661). The Brendan Sorsby situation is a major stepback for a team trying to repeat as Big 12 champs and make it back to the playoffs.
Proven coaches who have performed miracles. Hot-seat scale: 4/10
7. Lance Leipold, Kansas: Kansas has gone 27-35 (16-29 Big 12) in five seasons under Leipold. In the five seasons before Leipold, the Jayhawks went 9-48 (3-41 Big 12). And the five years before that weren’t better. Sure, the Jayhawks might have been a tad worse than expected the last two seasons, but those expectations only existed because of Leipold. The Jayhawks would be crazy to fire him.
6. Sonny Dykes, TCU: Dykes is four years removed from leading the Horned Frogs to the national championship game. That’s an actual thing that happened. TCU fell far the next year, but the Frogs have rebounded with back-to-back nine-win seasons. Dykes has done extraordinarily well in following an icon in Gary Patterson.
A coach who’s bigger than the program. Hot-seat scale: 5/10
5. Deion Sanders, Colorado: The Prime shine has worn off a bit, but Colorado football will be relevant as long as Sanders is in Boulder. This experiment has already lasted longer than most of us expected. If a change is made, it’s likely to be Sanders’ decision. Hopefully he can avoid more health scares.
Coaches with plenty to prove. Hot-seat scale: 7/10
4. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: On one hand, Satterfield has improved from one Big 12 win in 2023 to three in 2024 to five in 2025. On the other hand, a 9-18 conference record isn’t inspiring. This could be a swing season for Satterfield and the Bearcats.
3. Scott Frost, UCF: It’s been nine years since the Knights achieved perfection under Frost, who subsequently left for Nebraska. In his last six seasons as a head coach, Frost’s teams have played in zero bowl games. Year 1 back in Orlando was a dud. How much good will does Frost have left?
2. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: Another retread who had a rough go in his first year back on the old job. The Mountaineers, like Frost’s Knights, went 2-7 in the Big 12. The second edition of the Rich Rod era is likely to end in disappointment.
A change is likely. Hot-seat scale: 9/10
1. Dave Aranda, Baylor: The 12-2 season of 2021 is but a distant memory. The Bears have been a sub-.500 program since. Only twice in Aranda’s six seasons has Baylor finished with a winning Big 12 record. After former Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades unceremoniously stepped down last November, university president Linda Livingstone — a Perkins native who played basketball at OSU — opted to retain Aranda. The reason was likely rooted in Aranda’s buyout. New AD Doug McNamee might have a big decision to make.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 football hot-seat rankings: Which coaches enter 2026 in danger?
Continue reading...
OSU and Utah have new coaches — Eric Morris and Morgan Scalley — for the first time in 20 years.
Jimmy Rogers represented Iowa State in place of Matt Campbell, who had been on the job for a decade. For Kansas State, it was “Klein” on the placard instead of “Klieman.”
Let’s take stock of the Big 12’s coaches and where they sit entering the 2026 season . Whose seat is hot? Whose is not?
Coaches are listed in tiers by job security, from most to least. The higher their number, the safer their seat.
More: How Oklahoma State football QB Drew Mestemaker impressed at Manning Passing Academy
“I’m not leaving”
Favorite sons who chose to stay at their alma maters. Hot-seat scale: 1/10
16. Kalani Sitake, BYU: Sitake turned down the Penn State job, according to multiple reports, opting to stay at his alma mater. What a win for BYU and for the Big 12, of which Sitake is now the longest-tenured coach. He’s entering his 11th season in Provo. The Cougars have gone 23-4 over the last two seasons and should once again compete for the Big 12 crown. Sitake will have this job for as long as he wants. His flirtation with Michigan probably turned out to be a massive fundraiser for BYU football.
15. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: Dillingham pulled a Sitake, rebuffing a Big Ten giant (Michigan) to return to his alma mater. The 36-year-old inked a new deal with the Sun Devils that will pay him $7.5 million annually. Dillingham has pulled Arizona State out of irrelevancy. The Sun Devils won the Big 12 two seasons ago as first-year members and took Texas to double overtime in the College Football Playoff. Arizona State is 13-5 since joining the Big 12. If Dillingham goes anywhere, it’ll be his decision.
“I just got here”
First-year coaches. Give them time. Hot-seat scale: 2/10
14. Collin Klein, Kansas State: The former K-State star quarterback could join the Sitake/Dillingham tier in short order. Of the four first-year coaches, Klein will probably be given the most grace — should he need it. After serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator under Chris Klieman, Klein had a two-year stay as Texas A&M’s OC before returning to his alma mater as head coach in the wake of Klieman’s retirement.
13. Eric Morris, Oklahoma State: Morris has the same number of Big 12 wins in the last two seasons as Mike Gundy and Doug Meacham combined. The Cowboys went from a proud program to an embarrassment in a blink. Morris has a plan to bring the Pokes back. OSU might mess around and win a few conference games this season. The leash for Morris is long. Following a legend, even one who fell off, is extremely difficult.
12. Jimmy Rogers, Iowa State: If only Sitake would’ve taken the Penn State job. Matt Campbell and his curved brim might still be in Ames. Iowa State can’t play the what-if game, but it’s hard not to given the sustained success Campbell had with the Cyclones. Like Morris at OSU, Rogers is replacing the all-time wins leader at Iowa State. Rogers won an FCS national championship at South Dakota State in 2023 — his first-ever season as a head coach. He left Washington State after one season to take the Iowa State job.
11. Morgan Scalley, Utah: Scalley didn’t “just get here.” In fact, he’s only ever been at Utah. He was born in Salt Lake City. He played linebacker for the Utes. And he’s been on Utah’s coaching staff since 2007. The 10-year defensive coordinator was elevated to head coach after Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan. Scalley was in line for the job anyway, having already been named “coach in waiting.” There’s going to be pressure on Scalley to maintain the status quo, which under Whittingham was winning a lot of games.
More: Justin Wrobleski gives Oklahoma State baseball its first MLB All-Star since Robin Ventura
“We’ve got this”
Third-year coaches who have their programs pointing upward. Hot-seat scale: 3/10
10. Willie Fritz, Houston: After going 4-8 in Year 1 at Houston, Fritz led the Cougars to a 10-3 (6-3 Big 12) mark last season. The Cougars were ranked as high as No. 21 by the College Football Playoff committee. Fritz is a flat-out winner. Credit to the Houston administration for luring him away from Tulane.
9. Brent Brennan, Arizona: Brennan isn’t as proven as Fritz, hence the slightly hotter ranking, but he had a similar turnaround from Year 1 to 2. From 4-8 (2-7 Big 12) in 2024 to 9-4 (6-3 Big 12) in 2025. The Wildcats were unbeaten in their final five conference games. The stakes are low at Arizona. Another season with Noah Fifita at quarterback helps Brennan’s job security.
“I know what’s expected”
A coach who has to keep pace with elevated standards. Hot-seat scale: 3.5/10
10. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: McGuire is in a tier of his own. Much like Texas Tech, which has separated itself as the Big 12’s biggest spender. McGuire isn’t on the hot seat, to be clear. But this is a high-pressure situation. The standard at Texas Tech has surged seemingly overnight. McGuire has made good on Texas Tech’s investment. He has an almost identical winning percentage (.660) as Mike Leach (.661). The Brendan Sorsby situation is a major stepback for a team trying to repeat as Big 12 champs and make it back to the playoffs.
“Haven’t I done enough?”
Proven coaches who have performed miracles. Hot-seat scale: 4/10
7. Lance Leipold, Kansas: Kansas has gone 27-35 (16-29 Big 12) in five seasons under Leipold. In the five seasons before Leipold, the Jayhawks went 9-48 (3-41 Big 12). And the five years before that weren’t better. Sure, the Jayhawks might have been a tad worse than expected the last two seasons, but those expectations only existed because of Leipold. The Jayhawks would be crazy to fire him.
6. Sonny Dykes, TCU: Dykes is four years removed from leading the Horned Frogs to the national championship game. That’s an actual thing that happened. TCU fell far the next year, but the Frogs have rebounded with back-to-back nine-win seasons. Dykes has done extraordinarily well in following an icon in Gary Patterson.
“You need me more than I need you”
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A coach who’s bigger than the program. Hot-seat scale: 5/10
5. Deion Sanders, Colorado: The Prime shine has worn off a bit, but Colorado football will be relevant as long as Sanders is in Boulder. This experiment has already lasted longer than most of us expected. If a change is made, it’s likely to be Sanders’ decision. Hopefully he can avoid more health scares.
“Is it me or is it hot in here?”
Coaches with plenty to prove. Hot-seat scale: 7/10
4. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: On one hand, Satterfield has improved from one Big 12 win in 2023 to three in 2024 to five in 2025. On the other hand, a 9-18 conference record isn’t inspiring. This could be a swing season for Satterfield and the Bearcats.
3. Scott Frost, UCF: It’s been nine years since the Knights achieved perfection under Frost, who subsequently left for Nebraska. In his last six seasons as a head coach, Frost’s teams have played in zero bowl games. Year 1 back in Orlando was a dud. How much good will does Frost have left?
2. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: Another retread who had a rough go in his first year back on the old job. The Mountaineers, like Frost’s Knights, went 2-7 in the Big 12. The second edition of the Rich Rod era is likely to end in disappointment.
“I’m burning up”
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A change is likely. Hot-seat scale: 9/10
1. Dave Aranda, Baylor: The 12-2 season of 2021 is but a distant memory. The Bears have been a sub-.500 program since. Only twice in Aranda’s six seasons has Baylor finished with a winning Big 12 record. After former Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades unceremoniously stepped down last November, university president Linda Livingstone — a Perkins native who played basketball at OSU — opted to retain Aranda. The reason was likely rooted in Aranda’s buyout. New AD Doug McNamee might have a big decision to make.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 football hot-seat rankings: Which coaches enter 2026 in danger?
Continue reading...
