College basketball hot seat: 13 coaches who may be in trouble

Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAYWed, February 18, 2026 at 11:47 AM UTC

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Jerome Tang called his Kansas State basketball team "embarrassing." No argument on that point. K-State fans wore paper bags over their heads. Embarrassed by all of it, the university fired Tang.

Tang won't be the last college basketball coach fired these next several weeks. The hot seat steams from Syracuse to LSU to Oklahoma and lands in between.

Adrian Autry, Syracuse

Why it’s hot: Syracuse is mired in a yearslong nosedive. Never mind the glory days, is it too much to ask the Orange to make the NCAA Tournament? No, it shouldn’t be too much to ask. It might be time for Syracuse to break with the Jim Boeheim coaching tree.

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Jeff Capel, Pittsburgh

Why it’s hot: This is Capel’s eighth season. He’s been to the NCAA Tournament once. This season has been a disaster, including losses to Hofstra and Quinnipiac. If Pitt keeps Capel, take that as a sign it’s too poor to pay his buyout. There’s no other case for retention.

Jake Diebler, Ohio State

Ohio State coach Jake Diebler reacts during the first half of the 2025 Cleveland Hoops Showdown against West Virginia at Rocket Arena on December 13, 2025 in Cleveland.

Why it’s hot: On one hand, Diebler’s buyout would be a de minimis housekeeping cost for a revenue behemoth like Ohio State. On the other hand, the Buckeyes are on the bubble for the Big Dance. If they go dancing, there’s probably nothing to see here. If not, stay tuned.

Kim English, Providence

Why it’s hot: Providence became an NCAA Tournament regular under Ed Cooley, English’s predecessor. With English, the Friars are a Big East doormat. A recent loss to St. John’s included a brawl, the latest embarrassing moment in a bad season.

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Steve Forbes, Wake Forest

Why it’s hot: Forbes won 25 games in his second season. An affable coach, he’s delivered some decent years and good soundbites. Eventually, though, every coach needs an NCAA bid. Forbes, now in Year 6, hasn’t gotten Wake Forest there.

Earl Grant, Boston College

Why it’s hot: Grant isn’t the sole problem at Boston College. This program lost its way almost 15 years ago and hasn’t found its way back. But Grant hasn’t been the solution, either. This bleak season includes a loss to Central Connecticut. That's the definition of a call to action.

Penny Hardaway, Memphis

Memphis' head coach Penny Hardaway reacts as a foul is called on Memphis during the game between Memphis and Tulane at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on February 1, 2026.

Why it’s hot: Hardaway is following a good year (he won 29 games last season) with one of his worst. Memphis probably would hesitate before firing one of its own, but Hardaway knows as well as anyone this program has standards. He’s not meeting them.

Bobby Hurley, Arizona State

Why it’s hot: It’s never a good sign when a coach admits he’s “failing.” Hurley offered that brutal assessment after a loss in January. Well, you said it, coach. Prep the buyout cannon, but hold off on firing after ASU’s upset of Texas Tech.

Matt McMahon, LSU

Why it’s hot: McMahon was great at Murray State. He’s gone splat at LSU. If LSU wants to be an “everything school,” it must fix its basketball program. What better time than with a new athletic director, new president and new board of supervisors chairman? Would Will Wade listen to a "strong-ass offer"?

Wes Miller, Cincinnati

Why it’s hot: Bob Huggins and Mick Cronin set a high bar for Cincinnati. Miller isn’t meeting the standard through five seasons. Cincinnati isn’t the type of program that’s OK with going 0-for-5 in NCAA bids under the same coach.

Porter Moser, Oklahoma

Why it’s hot: Like his SEC counterpart McMahon, Moser thrived at a mid-major but fizzled in the Power Four ranks. A tale as old as peach baskets. Oklahoma endured a nine-game losing streak earlier this winter. That’s the foundation for a firing.

Lamont Paris, South Carolina

Why it’s hot: Paris has a meaty buyout, and South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer will enter this season on the hot seat. How many buyouts do the Gamecocks want to stomach this year? And yet, two straight disaster seasons leave Paris in trouble.

Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech

Why it’s hot: Within an ACC with a handful of bad teams, Georgia Tech might be the worst.The decision here will be a test of how badly (and how quickly) first-year Georgia Tech athletic director Ryan Alpert wants to address this program.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball coach hot seat includes Penny Hardaway, Porter Moser

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