With the end of the regular season, it is time to look at the changes in coaches that will be upcoming in the PAC 12.
U$C - Fired their HC before he had the chance to lose to Utah. Should never be spending their last 2 games of the season trying to become bowl eligible. Considered by some as the best job in the PAC 12, and the country as a whole. The truth is, it isn’t. It is the most “Blue Blood” job opening in the PAC 12. The interim HC did nothing to prove he is the future, so onto the carousel they go.
Washington - The Huskies we’re having a bad season even before they cut Lake loose. Given the facilities and location, in a lot of ways Washington is the premier job opening in the PAC 12 this season. Again, the Interim HC did nothing to make the case he was the answer, so onto the carousel they go.
Wazzu - The Rolo experiment ended on the end of a needle (or the lack of the end of a needle) when Rolo and a bunch of his assistants got whacked by the State of Washington for not getting vaccinated. The fact the Interim HC was able to keep,the ship afloat, get bowl eligible, and keep the doors open for a possible CCG bid means it is likely the Cougs will be ripping the interim tag off. NO CAROUSEL FOR YOU!
Now to the “iffy” crowd…
Cal - No they aren’t firing their HC. That said, his name is coming up a lot as a possible candidate for a number of higher profile gigs - one of which is Washington. As Wilcox is a Husky, going home to Seattle might be just what the Huskies need. Don’t be surprised if Cal is looking for a new HC. Carousel ride pending.
‘Furd - David Shaw has been dealing with some hard times of late. That said, recruiting elite football talent to one of the most academically exclusive universities in the nation is a challenge unto itself. The truth is he is still finding a lot of talented players and the team is generally competitive. The injury bug and lack of depth in talent reared its head this season. Depth in talent has always been a problem at the Tree. He is likely staying, but there have been rumblings in Palo Alto. Shaw is also a name that gets thrown around for other job openings, and given the sheer number of top tier out there…Carousel pending.
Oregon - The Cristobal speculation is always out there at this point in the season. He had another good one. The money isn’t an issue in Eugene with Uncle Phil around. Yet, the rumors keep rolling. Like Washington, if Mario were to leave to another job, the Ducks would instantly become a better job option than USC. Carousel pending (only because).
bASUra - Herm has consistently underachieved in Tempe since his arrival in the eyes of their alumni. This season was supposed to be their breakout with them winning the PAC 12 South. Well, that didn’t happen 
. Going back to the words of Frank Kush at an alumni legends gathering when talking about Utah, he believes losing to Utah is simply unacceptable. Herm has lost to Utah a lot. Do they - Don’t they…One thing is for sure nobody is looking to hire Herm out the trash heap. Carousel pending.
UCLA - The Chip 2.0 experiment may be on its way out. Again, a team that has chronically underachieved in the eyes of the alumni. When Troy Aikman starts commenting (and he has), it doesn’t bode well. That said, winning the Crosstown Game probably bought Chip another season. UCLA alums tend to consider winning that game a reprieve maker, kind of like beating BYU was one at Utah for a long time. Also, competing for a HC at the same time as U$C feels a little desperate. Only because of Cristobal does UCLA get a mention here because of the perpetual swirling rumor if Cristobal were to leave, Chip would be on Oregon’s speed dial to fill the vacancy. Carousel pending (only because).
NO CAROUSEL RIDE FOR YOU!!!
Utah - As if there was going to be a ride here, Utah will not be getting on the carousel this season. After what could be best described as the hardest season to coach Utah Football in its entire existence, Kyle Whittingham is only leaving if he decided to. Is that possible? Yes. If it were to happen, it would be for a “mic drop moment” - Utah winning the PAC 12 Championship and the Rose Bowl. The truth is he has cemented his name and legacy in the results of this program in ways most coaches could only dream of doing. After noting all that, he seems to be energized by this year’s results, and he has used a number of looking forward terms in recent interviews. NO CAROUSEL RIDE FOR YOU!!!
Oregon State - Smith has the Beavs playing their best football since Mike Riley. They like him so much, he got something even Mike Riley never got - a contract extension prior to playing their rivalry game. Could he be a target for the HC job at another school? Given what the Beavs have done, absolutely. But he has intimated he really likes living in Corvallis. Based on the extension and comments - NO CAROUSEL RIDE FOR YOU!!!
Colorad9 - was considering putting them on the Carousel Ride Pending list, but after reading the list of comments in Buffs World, nobody is ready to dump another coach and go for the ride again right now. The fact that some felt the Buffs overachieved against Utah is enough to keep things quiet. NO CAROUSEL RIDE FOR YOU!!!
Arizona - The team is a dumpster fire. The facilities are mediocre (at best), and you’re living 3 feet away from the sun. Sumlin had a nice all-expenses paid vacation in Tucson before getting rolled. Jedd Fisch, though his team lost a lot of games…a lot of games, never really got rolled, and showed some hope for the future. As you have to be Sark to go “one and done” in a HC job, Fisch will have several more years at the helm to see what he and his staff can do. NO CAROUSEL RIDE FOR YOU!!!
