Coaches on the hot seat after Week 5: Billy Napier, Jimbo Fisher, Neal Brown, and more among notable mentions

Week 5 of college football brought some unexpected results, and some coaches have entered hot seats. Ole Miss's victory over Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers, the third straight loss for Sam Pittman's Razorbacks and the fall of Billy Napier's Gators to the Kentucky Wildcats, among others.

Entering into the halfway mark of the college football regular season seems like the appropriate moment to start wondering which coaches should fear for their positions come the end of the season.

College football is coach-centric, with the head coaches having a bigger role than their NFL counterparts. In college football, the coach holds a position akin to the general manager of a professional sports franchise. They are in charge of the recruitment efforts, have some say in the business dealings and could be considered the lead marketeer for the team, the athletic program and the school.

The role model for this is Nick Saban, who has successfully led Alabama since 2007. Another prime example of this is Deion Sanders, no pun intended, who this year has revolutionized the Colorado football program, vastly improving their on-field performance and making them a national sensation.

For these reasons, no school can give itself the luxury of sticking with a coach who doesn't click. High-profile firings are common in college football. Lane Kiffin was famously left stranded at the LAX airport after USC decided to fire him immediately after a loss in 2011.

Let's take a look at the most embattled coaches this year

Top 5 coaches in the hot seat into Week 6

Billy Napier, Florida

The Gators' season has been a weird mix of ups and downs. In Week 1 they lost their encounter with a then-ranked Utah Utes team. The offense seemed unprepared, and transfer quarterback Graham Mertz seemed out of his element. Week 3 brought a 29-16 upset victory over No. 11 Tennessee, and Billy Napier seemed to breathe in.

Week 5 brought a devastating defeat against the unranked Kentucky Wildcats. It wasn't a close affair, with UK prevailing 33-14. Re'Mahn Davis made a mockery of the Gators' D-line, recording 280 rushing yards with three touchdowns. Florida is 3-2, and its season, as well as Billy Napier's employment status, could go either way.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas

The Razorbacks made a bold decision when they named the former Georgia offensive line coach their coach in 2020. The first season was a good one for a team in transition, with a 9-4 record and an Outback Bowl victory. The second one, while it brought a worse record at 7-6, also brought a Liberty Bowl victory.

Few would think Pittman would enter the hot seat this year, and the Hogs opened the season on a high with two victories. But three straight defeats at the hands of BYU, LSU and Texas A&M have derailed the Razorbacks year, in a season in which they were aiming high with their third-year starter in KJ Jefferson.

Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

The Week 6 encounter is crucial for the future of the Aggies coach. If Jimbo Fisher manages to beat Alabama, or at least make the game competitive, he will probably get off the hot seat. He will have to do so without Conner Weigman for the time being.

There were many questions entering this season about the Aggies coaching staff, with Bobby Petrino being entrusted with play-calling responsibilities as the offensive coordinator. Having a de facto second head coach is never a good thing. The loss against Miami did nothing but put Fisher in a more precarious situation.

He breathed a bit of fresh air after the victory over Arkansas, but he needs a big win fast.

Brian Kelly, LSU

For a team that was dreaming of playoff contention this year, the season isn't going well for the Tigers. An opening loss to Florida State showed the weaknesses of the team, a thrilling encounter with Arkansas showed even middle-of-the-pack teams could hurt LSU and the Ole Miss victory in Week 5 must have demoralized them.

Brian Kelly's lack of a cohesive answer to his team's problems should put him on the hot seat. "This is what we got" is not the answer you expect from the coach of one of the nation's premier programs.

Neal Brown, West Virginia

Entering this season with three losing records out of four years with the Mountaineers, Neal Brown couldn't be blamed for fearing for his job. Four straight victories and a 4-1 record can give the coach some breathing room.

West Virginia has only lost one encounter this year, and that was to be expected against the Penn State Nittany Lions. To finally get off the hot seat, he needs to get the Mountaineers to a winning season for which he needs at least two more wins.

Hot Seat honorable mentions

• Tony Elliott, Virginia
• Tom Allen, Indiana
• Dino Baber, Syracuse