Under review: Coaching winners and losers from Week 8

— -- Coaches always say the first possession of the second half looms large. So how did the men on the sideline fare as they begin the home stretch of the 2016 season?

Here's a look at the coaches who stood out, those who didn't, and who is feeling the heat after Week 8.

Four weeks ago, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was sweating out a replay review that would eventually (and correctly) give Auburn an 18-13 win against LSU and signal the end for Tigers coach Les Miles.

At the same time, Charlie Strong was spending an open week brainstorming ways to bolster Texas' defense, which had allowed 50 points in a loss to Cal, two weeks after allowing 47 in a win over Notre Dame.

Both Malzahn and Strong had time to get things right. Both had time to repair the units they knew best -- offense for Malzahn, defense for Strong -- and make staffing and schematic tweaks. Both had an opportunity to make it harder for their employers to cut bait.

The in-season fix is never easy, but it can be done.

Only one has succeeded. Auburn's historic 56-3 whipping of No. 17 Arkansas, its first 50-point win against an SEC opponent since 1990, confirms that the Tigers have turned their season around.

"We played a complete game," Malzahn said.

Hours earlier, Texas rallied at Kansas State but ultimately fell 24-21, unable to overcome a slow start despite a 3-0 edge in turnovers. Watching the Longhorns' defense flail at Wildcats quarterback Jesse Ertz, I recalled something a Power 5 coach told me in August: "Good players. Didn't have any kind of fundamentals."

If Texas' defense was just a bit better, the Longhorns could have two or three more wins. Instead, Strong is 3-4 for the third straight season at Texas, which hasn't had three such starts since the mid-1950s.

"We had so many opportunities," Strong said.

Whether you think Strong A) never had a chance at Texas B) should get more time no matter what or C) should have it right by now, it's hard to make a case that things are improving. The coaching carousel is relatively quiet, but agents say everyone is waiting on Texas to make a move.

Malzahn, meanwhile, could be headed for a renaissance. While Strong's staff tinkering has been excessive and ineffective, Malzahn has seen the Tigers' defense blossom under first-year coordinator Kevin Steele. After Auburn's slow start on offense, Malzahn delegated playcalling duties to coordinator Rhett Lashlee for the LSU game. Auburn hasn't lost since and has scored 152 points in its last three games.

The Tigers still have trips to Ole Miss and Georgia, and Malzahn's status, like many of his SEC colleagues, can turn with one bad week. But few would flinch if Auburn enters the Iron Bowl at 9-2.

Who would have thought that when the sun rose on Sept. 24?

Coach of the week: Penn State's James Franklin

It's tempting to go with Malzahn or Colorado's Mike MacIntyre, who bought his team In-N-Out Burger after its win at Stanford. But Franklin shocked the college football world as Penn State beat No. 2 Ohio State. A banged-up Nittany Lions defense overwhelmed Ohio State's young offensive line, and Penn State came up with the special-teams play of the season to take a late lead. It's the biggest win of Franklin's career, and Penn State's future suddenly looks very bright.

Group of 5 coach of the week: SMU's Chad Morris

At some point, things were going to turn the right direction for SMU. Morris is simply too good of an offensive mind for the Mustangs to languish. SMU took advantage of a suddenly slipping Houston team, building a 28-7 lead and never looking back. Morris' offense showed great balance, but it was the Mustangs' defense, under the direction of coordinator Van Malone, that shut down? Greg Ward Jr. and the Cougars. SMU's future is bright, and it could make things interesting down the stretch in the American.

Worst call: BYU's fake punt from its own end zone

It's not easy to secure this demerit before the Saturday games even kick off, but BYU did something Thursday night at Boise State that you don't see -- and shouldn't see. Down 14-10 and facing 4th-and-19 from its own 5-yard line, BYU had punter? Jonny Linehan, lined up nine yards deep in the end zone, attempt a fake punt. Linehan was tackled at the BYU 2-yard line. Amazingly, the call didn't hurt BYU as Boise State went backward and missed a field goal.

"On film we thought we had it," first-year BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. "We wanted to be aggressive."

There's aggressive, and there's reckless. Sitake, please don't do that ever again.

Coaching quick takes

• Purdue is making it clear to prospective coaches that it will make a powerful commitment to its football program. The school is lagging behind its Big Ten competitors in facilities, although it approved a $60 million upgrade in March. More could be on the way. "It makes it more interesting, and they're saying all the right things," an agent told ESPN.com this week. "They've gone kind of cheap their last two hires there, and it hasn't really worked out." New athletic director Mike Bobinski wants to make a splash, and Purdue can sell an easier path to the Big Ten title game in the West division. Bottom line: Don't be surprised if this job attracts not only top coordinators but some Power 5 coaches.

• Could MacIntyre go from the preseason hot seat to a better job? Remember that MacIntyre grew up in the South, as his father, George, coached at Clemson, Vanderbilt and other spots. If LSU doesn't get its top choices, perhaps it looks at MacIntyre, who has worked wonders in Boulder. Other SEC schools with vacancies should consider the Buffs coach. Another possibility could be Georgia Tech, where MacIntyre finished his playing career.

• The contract extension Steve Addazio signed in December 2014, which runs through the 2020 season, could save the Boston College coach. But Addazio dropped his 12th straight ACC game on Saturday. Two years without a league win would be tough for any Power 5 coach to survive. But would Boston College let athletic director Brad Bates (who hired Addazio) make the next hire?

Trending up:? Wisconsin's Paul Chryst, Alabama's Nick Saban, Temple's Matt Rhule, Louisville's Bobby Petrino, Utah's Kyle Whittingham, Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry, West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Troy's Neal Brown, Middle Tennessee's Rick Stockstill

Trending down: Houston's Tom Herman, UCLA's Jim Mora, Miami's Mark Richt, Stanford's David Shaw, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, Bowling Green's Mike Jinks, Air Force's Troy Calhoun, Missouri's Barry Odom