Coaching Searches are Not What They Used to Be

Michigan was in the market for a new head coach two short years ago. As a Michigan fan, I was excited for the first time in 40 years to bring in a high quality coach. I was really surprised that Michigan didn't have it's choice of any college football coach out there. I thought high profile coaches would be lining up to coach the Wolverines. I was wrong and so are the ND fans that are throwing around names like Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops.

Here is what I learned regarding coaching searches. So fans from Notre Dame, Louisville, and Virgina please take note of the following bullets:

• Coaching Searches help current coaches get extensions and raises: The coaches that stay at their programs are the big winners in coaching searches. The mention of their names with any opening gets them big raises and contract extensions. For example look at TCU and Gary Patterson, he just got an extension yesterday on the belief teams would be asking him to interview. Notre Dame made one of the biggest mistakes in the history of college football when Charlie Weis name came up for an NFL job and they quickly gave him a 10 year - $40 Million contract.
• Big name jobs are not what they used to be: With the big name programs comes big spotlight. If coaches can stay at Iowa or Rutgers and still make the same money, why move? The expectations are lower and the pressure/stress is lower. Look at Rich Rodriguez as the example. He took the Michigan job: has won 8 games in two years, paid a large buyout, has an entire state hate him, been called a "Snake Oil Salesman" by another Big Ten coach and had a local newspaper accuse him of overworking his players which has lead to an NCAA investigation. I'm pretty sure none of those things would have happened to him if he had stayed in West Virgina. Good thing Ann Arbor is a great place to raise a family.
• Coaches are hired to be fired: Remember the last time ND was looking for a head coach? They went after all the big names like Shanahan, Gruden, Meyer, etc. Well, Shanahan, Gruden, and Belichick are Super Bowl winning coaches and available. What? They are not on a short list at ND now? Why? Because they got fired? They are still the same coach they were five years ago.
• If your at a major program and make big dollars why move? What would be the motivation for a Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer to take the ND job? I can't think of one reason. Both are at top successful programs that compete for national champions each year. Why would they want to rebuild ND?

So where do you go if you need a head coach?

You need to look at coaches at schools that can't match the money your going to spend. For example, University of Cincinnati can't pay Brian Kelly $4 Million a year. If your Louisville, Central Michigan can't pay Butch Jones a couple Million a year. That is where you have to look for your next coach. Don't forget Ohio State found Jim Tressel in Division 1A.

So ND swing for the fences and talk to Urban and Bob through third parties and have them tell you quietly "no thanks" and move on to the Brian Kelly's of the world quickly. The longer this plays out the worse it's going to get. You almost have to do what Ole Miss did a couple of years ago; Houston Nutt left his job at Arkansas and 10 minutes later was announced as the coach at Ole Miss. You almost need to have a "silent and quiet" deal with the replacement before you let your current coach go. That is why Athletic Directors hire 3rd party firms, so they can contact the coaches and gauge interest, salary, buy out, etc.

BTW: Terry Bowden is doing a great job at the University of North Alabama and is available to interview anytime you like.