As the 2025 college football season approaches, several high-profile coaches entering their second year with new programs are already facing significant pressure to deliver. Whether due to underwhelming results in their debut seasons, high expectations from fan bases and administrations, or aggressive investments in facilities and recruiting, these coaches are entering what could be defining campaigns. The honeymoon phase is over, and Year Two could very well determine their long-term viability.
Billy Napier – Florida
Few coaching jobs come with as much scrutiny as the one in Gainesville, and Billy Napier is learning that firsthand. After a rocky first year filled with inconsistent play, quarterback instability, and losses to key rivals, Napier enters 2025 needing to show tangible progress. Florida fans are impatient, especially with Georgia dominating the SEC East and rivals like Florida State on the rise.
Napier has overhauled his offensive staff and dipped heavily into the transfer portal to patch holes on both sides of the ball. However, if the Gators struggle early against a tough schedule that includes games against Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Georgia, the noise around his job security will only grow louder.
Deion Sanders – Colorado
Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders took college football by storm with his arrival at Colorado, bringing unmatched media attention and a flurry of transfers. However, after a hot start in 2024, the Buffaloes faltered down the stretch and exposed major issues on the offensive line, in the run game, and on defense.
Year Two for Sanders comes with both promise and pressure. Colorado has upgraded its trenches and brought in more experienced players, but with the spotlight squarely on him and his sons—quarterback Shedeur Sanders and defensive back Shilo Sanders—another losing season won’t be easily excused. The Pac-12 (or what’s left of it) remains wide open, but expectations have been raised, and national media scrutiny hasn’t gone anywhere.
Matt Rhule – Nebraska
Matt Rhule inherited a proud but struggling Nebraska program, and while his first year showed some culture improvement, the results on the field weren’t enough to ignite full-scale optimism. Nebraska’s fan base is desperate for a return to national relevance, and Rhule’s history as a program-builder at Baylor and Temple means the bar is high in Year Two.
With a full recruiting cycle and more of his players in place, Rhule will need to prove that Nebraska is taking meaningful steps forward. A bowl game is expected, and failure to get there could start to shake the confidence in his long-term vision.
Hugh Freeze – Auburn
Auburn football is always under the microscope, and Hugh Freeze knows that well. He managed to stabilize the program somewhat in 2024, but the Tigers were still far from contending in the brutal SEC West. Freeze enters 2025 with a stronger recruiting class and an upgraded quarterback room, but the pressure to compete—and win—against rivals Alabama, Georgia, and LSU remains unrelenting.
Freeze’s previous controversies at Ole Miss mean his leash may be shorter than most, and Auburn’s booster culture is not known for patience. A 7-5 season might not be enough if it includes blowout losses to top competition.
