The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will be fascinating to watch in the upcoming football season. Head coaching jobs will be on the line as teams battle it out in the collegiate athletic conference. Let’s look at five ACC coaches who are on the hot seat heading into the 2025 campaign.
Top 5 ACC Coaches Under Most Pressure in 2025
1. Mike Norvell (Florida State)
Mike Norvell’s job is on the line in 2025 after Florida State’s disastrous showing in the 2024 season. The Seminoles struggled mightily last season, finishing with a woeful 2-10 overall record. It was the first time in Norvell’s head coaching career that he managed just two victories in a single season.
Florida State’s performance last season came as a complete shock to many, as the Seminoles had secured double-digit victories in 2022 and 2023, posting a 23-4 record in that period. The pressure now is on Norvell to lead the Seminoles back to the top of the ACC after they finished last season with a 1-7 slate against conference opponents.
The Seminoles, who added wide receiver Duce Robinson and cornerback Jeremiah Wilson to their lineup, will open their ACC campaign with games against Virginia, Miami, and Pitt.
2. Tony Elliott (Virginia)
Tony Elliott is feeling the heat entering his fourth season as Virginia’s head coach. The Cavaliers have disappointed during Elliott’s reign, posting losing records in each of the past three seasons. Virginia finished last season with a 5-7 slate, performing slightly better than their three-win campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
Tony Elliott is the first UVA coach to not have a winning record in any of his first three seasons since Dick Bestwick in 1976-78.
Virginia is the only team in the ACC with a losing record in each of the past three seasons. pic.twitter.com/SyKOWyPQJB
— Danny Neckel (@DNeckel19) December 1, 2024
The Cavaliers, who added offensive tackle Monroe Mills and defensive lineman Hunter Osborne to their team this year, will begin their ACC schedule with games against Stanford, Florida State, and Louisville.
3. Brent Pry (Virginia Tech)
Brent Pry will enter his fourth season at Virginia Tech, with his coaching position not entirely secure. The 55-year-old, who joined in 2022, doesn’t have a winning record with the Hokies, posting a 16-21 record in his last three seasons.
Pry got off to a poor start in his coaching career at Virginia Tech, finishing the 2022 campaign with a 3-8 record. He bounced back in 2023, leading the Hokies to a 7-6 record, including a Military Bowl victory against Tulane. Virginia Tech returned to having a losing record in 2024 with a 6-7 slate, including a defeat against Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
The pressure is on Pry to get Virginia Tech back to winning ways in the 2025 season. The Hokies, who added offensive lineman Tomas Rimac and linebacker James Djonkam to their roster, will start their ACC regular-season campaign with matchups against NC State, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech.
4. Justin Wilcox (California)
The pressure is mounting on Justin Wilcox. The California head coach hasn’t led the Golden Bears to a winning season since 2019, with Wilcox carrying a 42-50 overall record. California has struggled in league play under Wilcox, posting a woeful 23-43 record against conference opponents, including a 2-6 slate last year against ACC teams.
The Golden Bears, who added quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and wide receiver Mark Hamper to their roster, will open their ACC regular-season campaign with games against Boston College, Duke, and North Carolina.
5. Dave Doeren (NC State)
Just like Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Dave Doeren experienced difficulty last season after a long period of success at NC State. The Wolfpack had their first losing season under Doeren since 2019, finishing the 2024 campaign with a 6-7 record.
NC State had secured at least eight wins in each of the four seasons from 2020 to 2023 before their dismal campaign last year. The program will need to start strong this coming season to ease the pressure on Doeren.
The Wolfpack, who added cornerback Brian Nelson and edge rusher Cian Slone to their roster, will start their ACC regular-season schedule with games against Wake Forest, Duke, and Virginia Tech.
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