The 2025 HBCU Football season has reached the halfway point.
While plenty of schools are still in contention for conference championships and postseason invites, there are a few schools whose head coaches might be sweating a bit waiting for that end-of-the-season meeting.
Which coaches are on the hot seat? There aren’t that many, but the ones that are, well…those could be some high-profile situations.
Here’s a look at jobs and situations to watch across Division I and Division II
Division I
Cedric Thomas, Alcorn State
The Braves’ struggles are not entirely Thomas’ fault. A trusted assistant of Fred McNair, he got the job after McNair resigned following a fall-out with university brass.
Alcorn (6-6 5-3) was in the thick of the SWAC West race for most of 2024, but they’ve fallen fast in 2025, their only win to date coming against a school that may or may not be patterning themselves after Bishop Sycamore.
The Alcorn State brass may realize they made a mistake in letting McNair walk, and Thomas, unfortunately, may be the one to pay for that mistake.
James Colzie III, Florida A&M
Losing Willie Simmons was tough for the Rattlers. Still, after a successful campaign among stakeholders, they had their man in Colzie, a veteran assistant coach and a family member of South Florida football royalty.
After a second-place SWAC East finish in 2024, FAMU sits at 1-5 in 2025, with its lone win coming against Division II Albany State, and that didn’t come easy.
Two years removed from a Black College National Championship, the Rattlers, who also have an athletic director situation to be concerned about, might be looking at a tough decision once this season ends.
Mickey Joseph, Grambling
After the NFL-to-HBCU approach with Hue Jackson didn’t work, the Tigers turned to Joseph, a veteran coach who’s had success at all levels, including leading Langston to a Central States Football League title in 2011.
After a 5-7 record in 2024, Grambling sits at 3-3 this year and is already two games behind Prairie View and Texas Southern in the SWAC West, with the latter defeating the Tigers for homecoming.
Grambling may need a serious win streak to turn the heat down, but another year without a chance at the SWAC title will have a fan base accustomed to being near or at the top very impatient.
Division II
Frank Turner, Lincoln (Pa.)
In total fairness to Turner, no one has won at Lincoln since the school restarted football in 2008, so that is an institutional issue.
However, 0-6 doesn’t look very good, even in a competitive conference such as the CIAA.
Could Lincoln take football seriously enough to make a change in how they manage the program? They should.
Will Turner be a casualty? Unfortunately, that will likely be the case.
Aaron James, Tuskegee
The star quarterback for the two-time (2000, 2001) HBCU national champion Golden Tigers is finding that coaching at your alma mater comes with expectations.
Following a 2nd place finish in 2023, ‘Skegee finished 5-6 last year and is currently mired in a four-game losing streak, with Morehouse being the latest team to defeat them.
Could Tuskegee move on from one of their own following the season? It won’t be the first time a school has done so. And likely won’t be the last.
Robert Massey, Winston-Salem State
Ram nation is getting restless after a stunning 20-13 loss at Shaw this past weekend.
With a conference record of 1-3, Winston-Salem State appears to be just about out of the picture for the CIAA title game
With their last championship game appearance in 2016, Massey could unfortunately face the wrath of a malcontented fan base.
