Dave Sez

ACC Football Hot Seats

I was thinking that maybe I'd write an article about which ACC football coaches were on the proverbial hot seat, but Fanblogs beat me to it and did a mighty fine job. Check it out.

I do have a couple of extra comments though.

I'm nearly positive that both John Bunting and Chan Gailey are in positions where a losing record in 2005 will earn them pink slips. That's more of a certainty with Bunting, and unfortunately for him, some think that Carolina has the toughest schedule in the country. Sorry Big John. I think you'd probably be better off as an assistant in the NFL anyway. Actually, that's probably true of Gailey as well.

One other guy who's in an interesting spot is Tommy Bowden. He's pulled a Rasputin job several times in recent years, just yanking his head off of the stump as the executioner's IPTAY-logoed axe sliced the air. His 2003 season earned him a big fat contract though, and as Jeff Quinton has reminded me several times, Clemson is currently raising money for facilities improvements and can't really afford a buyout.

That said, the Tiggers went 6-5 last year, and that can't sit well with the disciples of Frank Howard. Add to that the arrival of Steve Spurrier at arch-rival South Carolina, and things get a bit more interesting. One more bad season, coupled with a loss to Visor-boy and/or a strong season by the Gamecocks and I bet that patience runs out and finances-be-damned, Tommy is tied down on that stump for the beheading.