In a recent list from On3’s Andy Staples, three coaches from the Big 12 Conference were listed on the hot seat in 2025.
The trio of hot seat coaches included Arizona’s Brent Brennan, Cincinnati’s Scott Satterfield, and even Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, however, he earned a placement in a specific subsection of big-name coaches on the list.
SCOTT SATTERFIELD – CINCINNATI
“Satterfield jumped to Cincinnati two years ago to get out of Louisville, where his tenure soured after a flirtation with South Carolina when that job opened following Muschamp’s firing in 202,” Staples wrote. “The transition to the Big 12 has been rough for the Bearcats, who are 4-14 in conference play under Satterfield. Admittedly, Satterfield has faced tougher competition than Luke Fickell, Butch Jones, Brian Kelly, and Mark Dantonio did, but Cincinnati had grown accustomed to success. The Bearcats aren’t used to losing like this. Satterfield’s buyout drops from 100 percent of the remaining amount on his deal to 70 percent on Dec. 31. That’s a $3.5 million drop to $8.2 million, which is still fairly pricey for Cincinnati.”
Since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2023, Cincinnati has struggled in their new home. The Bearcats are just 8-16 overall and 4-14 in league play and appear to be trending in the wrong direction. Prior to accepting the job at Cincinnati, Satterfield led App State to a 51-24 overall record and then Louisville to a 25-24 record. He is undoubtedly a coach to watch in the upcoming season.
Related: Cincinnati Passed on Chip Kelly, Hired Scott Satterfield: Report
BRENT BRENNAN – ARIZONA
“It’s only year two for Brennan, but Arizona has a new athletic director (Desiree Reed-Francois) who didn’t hire Brennan,” Staples said. “In year one, Brennan went 4-8 (and 2-7 in Big 12 play) with a team that managed to retain most of its best players after Jedd Fisch left for Washington. Now stars such as receiver Tetairoa McMillan and offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea are headed to the NFL. The talent is down, but the record needs to get better.”
Second-year head coach Brent Brennan is one of the more intriguing names on the hot seat as he completed his first season of Big 12 football in 2024. He took over for Jedd Fisch and did an impressive job of retaining players like Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan, but the star-studded roster did not amount to much, finishing 4-8 overall and 2-7 in conference play.
MIKE GUNDY – OKLAHOMA STATE
“Gundy’s renegotiated contract includes a $1 million pay cut for 2025 that reduces his salary to $6.75 million,” Staples wrote. “Reportedly, his new deal also removes the automatic rollover clause that kept his buyout high. But he’s still signed through 2028. The deal also reportedly includes a lower buyout figure, but specifics haven’t been revealed. Under the old contract, a buyout following the 2025 season would cost about $18 million. Depending on how that number changed, Gundy might need to be moved into the other section. But it may not matter. This is the type of season — low expectations, back to the wall — where Gundy tends to shock everyone and go 10-2.”
The third and final Big 12 coach listed on the hot seat, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, was placed in a separate category on Staples list. While Gundy is listed on the hot seat, Staples also mentioned that Gundy is ‘Too expensive to fire, (maybe).’ The Cowboys were the worst team in the Big 12 Conference in 2024 despite returning some impressive pieces to their roster and being picked to finish third in the Preseason Media Poll.
Related: Mike Gundy Addresses Dramatic Contract Negotiation with Oklahoma State
