Fresno State football is off to its worst six-game start in the last five years. The Bulldogs are ranked dead last in Western Athletic Conference scoring defense, sixth out of eight in total offense and are coming off the worst whipping in Bulldog Stadium history.

Internally, the formal affairs conducted by the football program are kept relatively close to the vest, as holds true with almost every program from Hawaii to Maine. But internal affairs can’t drown out public interest, and plenty are interested in a change of leadership.

Blame it on the simplistic play calling or the dwindling attendance over the years from the home opener to senior night, but some are beginning to grumble that it may be time to show coach Pat Hill the door.

After all, pointing the finger and canning the head coach in major college football seems to be a favorable trend across the nation. Arizona just fired Mike Stoops on Monday after the Wildcats dropped 10 straight Football Bowl Subdivision games dating back to last season. Likewise, New Mexico gave its head coach Mike Locksley the boot because, well, when you win just two of your 28 games while in charge, D-Day is on its way.

While the Bulldog faithful are over seeing questionable calls in crucial situations, or brutal beat downs from formidable opponents, consider some of the following before calling for Hill’s departure.

Since that 2006 season that Fresno State started off a disastrous 1-7, 108 coaching changes have happened, some fired, some moved on or retired, etc. Of those 100-and-change, only 34 schools have posted winning records in their first season with a new coach. That’s 31 percent for those of you without a calculator. Moreover, 45 of those 108 coaching changes occurred in the past two seasons.

Those 45 changes have seen just four immediate winning records. That’s 8 percent, ya’ll.

Hill’s 14-plus seasons at the helm need to be addressed with the begging question of could we really do better?

We could hire internally, but what good would an understudy be for a coach some people are unsatisfied with? We could play the market, but let’s weigh some available options. There’s Mike Leach, but what are the chances that pirate lover is going to want to go from the Big 12 to the Mountain West Conference? There’s Rich Rodriguez, but let’s face it: yeah…right. Rich Rod was leading a school that leads college football in wins a year ago. Not happening.

Every so often mid-major programs like Boise State and TCU will find diamonds in the rough such as Chris Petersen and Gary Patterson. But for every Petersen and Patterson there are as many big names in big places that just don’t get it done.

Hiring and firing coaches is a lot like what drives college football programs to the Bowl Championship Series or into the ground: recruiting. Coaches want to go to a place they feel they can succeed, just like recruits do. Facilities, reputation and administration are the bait on the hook, and let’s face it, Fresno State isn’t quite bringing in prize marlins with any of these.

For a mid-major program, Fresno State is doing relatively well, but before you decide Pat Hill’s win-loss record this season calls for change, ask yourself if we could realistically do better?

I say no.