Since 1978, 30 different college football coaches have led teams to at least a share of a national title.

Only two - Oklahoma's Barry Switzer and Alabama's Gene Stallings - left their schools within four years of winning it all. Switzer resigned in early 1989 after the cocaine arrest of his star quarterback and ensuing NCAA rules violations while Stallings "retired" under pressure following the 1996 season.

Over that same span, no coach who led a team to a final No.-1 ranking has been fired. That could change this season as several big-name coaches face life on the dreaded "hot seat."

It starts at Tennessee with Vols coach Phillip Fulmer, who led UT to its first national title in 47 years with a magical 13-0 season in 1998. That's an all-too distant memory for many disgruntled UT alums, upset that the Vols haven't won the SEC since.

A preseason No. 3 selection last year, the Vols inexplicably collapsed to a 5-6 finish, missing a bowl game for the first time since 1988.

Larry Coker, Miami

Meanwhile at Miami, it strains belief that a coach could be 53-9 in five years and be in trouble. But that's where Hurricanes coach Larry Coker is. After all, there's no program that has expectations quite like Miami, which with all its success over the last 25 years, might have the most spoiled fans around.

All nine of Miami's losses under Coker have come after he won his first 24 games in 2001-2002, including the '01 title. The 'Canes did him no favors by blowing a spot in the inaugural ACC title game last year with an inexplicable home loss to Georgia Tech in November. Disinterested Miami was then a no-show in a 40-3 debacle to LSU in the Peach Bowl.

Unacceptable at "The U" critics howl. The 'Canes' Sept. 4 opener with arch-rival Florida State at the Orange Bowl will go a long way toward determining Coker's future. A win would make an ACC title and BCS bowl a distinct possibility. A loss? Don't ask.

And then there's Michigan's Lloyd Carr, architect of the Wolverines' 1997 Associated Press national crown. Again, Carr's 102-34 mark means little to Michigan fans peeved by last year's 7-5 finish - the Wolverines' worst since 1984. Four losses to Ohio State in the last five years is not going to cut it either, even though Michigan still won the Big Ten in 2003 and '04.

With talented QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart around, the Wolverines need to do better than 55th in the nation (7th in the Big Ten) in total offense.

With a schedule that includes trips to Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State, Carr had better win his home games and hope for the best.

And, of course, there are some who actually deserve to be on the hot seat.

chuck amato, n.c. state

N.C. State's Chuck Amato tops that list. His 46-28 record in seven years in Raleigh doesn't sound that bad, until you consider the Wolfpack is 19-16 the last three years including a dismal 6-7 ACC mark at Carter-Finley Stadium. So maybe it's a good thing that the Pack plays four of its last six on the road, including consecutive November visits to rivals North Carolina and Clemson, who have beaten NC State the last two years.

joe tiller, purdue

Purdue and coach Joe Tiller might have been the second-biggest disappointment in the nation last year at 5-6. Despite a schedule that featured seven home games and no Ohio State or Michigan, the Boilermakers floundered, losing six in a row before finally defeating lowly Illinois and Indiana to finish 5-6. It was the first time in Tiller's nine years that Purdue had missed the postseason.

dirk koetter, Arizona state

Out west, patience may be wearing thin for Arizona State's Dirk Koetter, a modest 33-28 in five years in Tempe. The scenario has been the same - ASU's offense (second in the nation in total offense, 518.1 yards per game) can score on anybody while the defense (last in the Pac-10, 114th in the nation in total defense, 468.7 ypg) can't stop anybody. The Sun Devils are also just 5-10 on the road since 2003 - an ominous sign considering ASU visits USC, Cal, Colorado and Arizona.

And don't count out Texas A&M's Dennis Franchione (16-19 in three years), SMU's Phil Bennett (11-34 in five years) and North Carolina's John Bunting (24-36 in five years).