Coach Contract Questions

[statsman 5,511]

For blue blood schools, for years, the model to follow in hiring a new coach has been “Hire the most proven successful coach you can”. A few years ago, Texas was going to try that with Urban Meyer, even getting a serious offer together, but we were rebuffed. 
 
Here is an observation that I think is right, but y’all might have better info. Texas hiring Sark and Florida hiring Napier are similar strategies. The idea being that each school really decided to reconfigure their football program, boosting support functions (scouting, personnel, analysis) to mimic what Alabama does. The idea is that the tasks have grown too large (recruiting is year round, and you scout the entire nation, HS through college junior year), and organizational roles and responsibilities have to be rethought. 
 
To that end, Florida and Texas hired coaches that didn’t come to the job expecting traditional “King Coach” roles. Sark makes a little less that $6M per year with a buyout of 65% of his remaining contract. Napier makes $7M per year with a buyout rate of 85%. The idea is- they are paid to coach, and they have the senior roles in recruiting, but nobody is asking them review submitted recruit tape, or even make the first down select of positional offers. 
 
(Down the road, Jimbo Fisher operates a traditional “King Coach” role. Have you heard about his contract?)

I think what I’ve posted is right. There isn’t a lot written about this huge shift in philosophy. Is Kirby Smart successful because he successfully imitated the Alabama program at Georgia? I think so, but I don’t know for sure. 
 
Brent Venables makes $7M per year, with no buyout discount. Has OU reconfigured their program, or is it still organized the way Riley left it? I don’t know. 
 
Im curious as to your thoughts. 

[BigHornedLurker 1,996]

This is true in any business, If you work with someone like nick saban for years who is a master in their craft you better damn well try to learn as much as possible from them

Edited October 19, 2023 by BigHornedLurker

[BabaYaga 15,379]

Coaching "trees" matter to some schools.  It's such an important hire, trying to emulate prior success at the hands of a mentor is part of the calculus for sure.  This, and their production in the roles at the prior school.  

[statsman 5,511]

24 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Coaching "trees" matter to some schools.  It's such an important hire, trying to emulate prior success at the hands of a mentor is part of the calculus for sure.  This, and their production in the roles at the prior school.  

That’s why I’m trying to nail down whether some ADs are making philosophical shifts. Brent Venables is from two trees- Stoops’ and Swinney’s. I’m pretty sure neither approach is the right one, unchanged, for the future. 

[BabaYaga 15,379]

2 minutes ago, statsman said:

That’s why I’m trying to nail down whether some ADs are making philosophical shifts. Brent Venables is from two trees- Stoops’ and Swinney’s. I’m pretty sure neither approach is the right one, unchanged, for the future. 

[TwiceHorn 31,687]

I'm not so sure Sark's relatively niggardly salary stems from anything other than him being somewhat damaged goods.

As you note, he has a lot of positives, but a less-than-illustrious head coaching career tarnished by a fairly spectacular alcoholic flameout.

Somewhat similarly, Napier has a relatively thin record as a head coach, but a lot of good background.

Both of them are chancier hires than some relatively big name assbag like Brian Kelley.

And any paradigm shift may have been forced by the lack of attractive, experienced big name head coaches available at the time of their hiring.

 

[Texasrocks 2,195]

A paradigm shift implies that there is a single paradigm, whereas ADs take several approaches. Sometimes with a proven coach (Texas hiring Mack Brown), sometimes an assistant (OU hiring Stoops, Georgia), sometimes it's based on an existing relationship (Dabo at Clemson, Freeman at ND), sometimes a conman needs a soft landing (Jimbo). It's almost always a crap shoot.

[LTtxfan 49,406]

If you want specific numbers, this thread has some info:  "CFB Salaries for Head Coaches & Asst Coaches"

 

Recent Head Coach Numbers as of 10/2/23

 

Crazy that Sark is currently #30

[Tex Long 4,511]

Didn't notice anyone mentioning 0U hiring only non-HC since last century. Seems to have worked out fairly well for them.