Where ACC football coaches fall on the annual hot seat rankings for 2024 season

With the beginning of every college football season comes the "hot seat" for some coaches. It's the way the job is now and will always be. CBS Sports released their annual hot seat rankings and for ACC coaches, some are finding the seat getting warm while others are safe.... for now.

Dennis Dodd uses a six-step ranking, "0" which is untouchable, "1" which is safe and secure, "2" which is all good.... for now, "3" which is pressure is mounting, "4" which is start improving now, and "5" win or be fired. As far as Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry is concerned, his ranking was a 2 going into the 2024 season. Where did each ACC coach rank?

No ACC coaches rank in 4 or 5, while two are "untouchable''

As far as the rankings go for all ACC coaches, there were none that received a 4 or 5, for now. Of course, during the season, that could change, but at the beginning of camps, nobody is feeling a ton of pressure, but that doesn't mean that weren't some who have the pressure mounting.

Miami's Mario Cristobal received a 3, up from two spots from last season and Pittsburhg's Pat Narduzzi is at a 3 after a 1 last season. Cristobal is facing a massive amount of pressure after a sub-par 2023 campaign and with the addition of Washington State transfer QB Cam Ward, expectations are high in South Florida for this fall. Virginia coach Tony Elliott received a 3 and first-year ACC member California coach Justin Wilcox also was identified as a 3.

Joining Pry with a 2 is Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who did not make any additions from the transfer portal for the 2024 season. Brent Key of Georgia Tech received a 2, as did Dave Doeren of North Carolina State and Mack Brown of North Carolina. That could set up a pressure seat game late in the season for those two coaches in their annual battle on Nov. 30. Troy Taylor of Stanford got a 2, as did first-year Syracuse coach Fran Brown.

Four coaches received a 1, first-year Boston College coach Bill O'Brien, Duke first-year coach Manny Diaz, Rhett Lashlee of SMU, and Dave Clawson of Wake Forest. According to Dodd, Mike Norvell of Florida State, and Jeff Brohm of Louisville deemed two coaches untouchable. This list will likely change as the season goes along.