I guess we know how clawson really felt about BG

[Falcon137]

I think the thing to remember is that if you don't want to lose the coach so quickly, then the pay needs to increase and the attendance needs to increase. If we continue to be successful, the attendance will get better. If we can get our pay up to 600-700k a year, we may stand a chance on keeping a coach for a little longer than we currently do. But, as it is now, you cannot blame a coach for wanting to get that pay raise. Clawson will now make some serious cash and have an opportunity to make one of the BIG bowls (a better chance than at BG).

Coaches that leave the MAC aren't getting pay raises of a few hundred thousand, they are getting pay raises of a few MILLION. Money isn't the problem in retaining coaches. You could argue the MAC is the only sensible conference in paying coaches. Hell, Boise paid Chris Peterson 2.1 million and couldn't keep him from going to Washington. 700k wasn't keeping Clawson from bolting for 2 million and a chance at a BCS school.

Clawson was smart and worked his deal last year to include a minuscule buyout (200k) even with the contract extension and raise. He knew he was gone after this year and he didn't want a buyout to stand in the way. I'm appreciative of the things he did here and completely turning the program around. But, I don't believe for 1 second Wake was his dream school or this was the toughest decision he's ever made. It's a business and he made a business decision. Just like he would have last year if Wisconsin would have offered after he interviewed. I'm fine with that.

An NIU poster here said Carey's buyout was $750,000. If BG is able to get a guy like Durkin I would hope they make his buyout the same.

[footballguy51]

I think the thing to remember is that if you don't want to lose the coach so quickly, then the pay needs to increase and the attendance needs to increase. If we continue to be successful, the attendance will get better. If we can get our pay up to 600-700k a year, we may stand a chance on keeping a coach for a little longer than we currently do. But, as it is now, you cannot blame a coach for wanting to get that pay raise. Clawson will now make some serious cash and have an opportunity to make one of the BIG bowls (a better chance than at BG).

Coaches that leave the MAC aren't getting pay raises of a few hundred thousand, they are getting pay raises of a few MILLION. Money isn't the problem in retaining coaches. You could argue the MAC is the only sensible conference in paying coaches. Hell, Boise paid Chris Peterson 2.1 million and couldn't keep him from going to Washington. 700k wasn't keeping Clawson from bolting for 2 million and a chance at a BCS school.

Clawson was smart and worked his deal last year to include a minuscule buyout (200k) even with the contract extension and raise. He knew he was gone after this year and he didn't want a buyout to stand in the way. I'm appreciative of the things he did here and completely turning the program around. But, I don't believe for 1 second Wake was his dream school or this was the toughest decision he's ever made. It's a business and he made a business decision. Just like he would have last year if Wisconsin would have offered after he interviewed. I'm fine with that.

An NIU poster here said Carey's buyout was $750,000. If BG is able to get a guy like Durkin I would hope they make his buyout the same.

Actually, I agree with you that we seem to be the only sensible ones when it comes to pay. But, when I advocated for a pay raise, it's because you have to stay competitive. In the landscape of employment, you can pay a sensible wage, but if all of your competitors pay much higher wages you'll struggle to gain and retain employees.

Unfortunately, I do not see a trend of Universities tapering off their salaries for coaches. In fact, it seems quite the opposite.

[Flipper]

We're never going to be able to pay enough to dissuade a coach from leaving here to go to a "power" conference school that budgets as much money for football as we do to field 18 sports. We need to make sure we're paying enough to our HC and his staff to make coming here to build the rep needed to move up a viable option.

[mscarn]

That's the most attractive part about DJ Durkin. He's not a mercenary. We can't expect he'd be here forever but if he does advance it's for something truly huge and not a lower-tier BCS job.

Earlier in the year there was a Tweet that was pushing the SI article about Clawson rebuilding programs. It was from the sports agency firm that represents him. This seems to have been in the works for a while.

[hammb]

We're never going to be able to pay enough to dissuade a coach from leaving here to go to a "power" conference school that budgets as much money for football as we do to field 18 sports. We need to make sure we're paying enough to our HC and his staff to make coming here to build the rep needed to move up a viable option.

Exactly.

We can't even think about upping our coach's salary to the $700k range. Coach salaries are skyrocketing at the power conferences because their revenue is skyrocketing. They're starting television networks or signing massive TV deals with existing networks. On top of that I'm sure the new 4 team playoff will make even more money for these conferences by straight up adding 2 additional premium dollar games.

We are NOT seeing that same growth in revenue. Hell, I bet we're not really seeing a revenue growth at all. Do we even get paid by ESPN for our TV deal yet? It wasn't that long ago that we were paying ESPN to put us on TV just to market the conference. If we are making money from them I'm sure it's not much. Our ticket revenues aren't going up either as our attendance is blah and the ticket prices haven't really gone up.

We have to pay enough to get guys that are young up & coming coaches. Enough that they'll take this job over a coordinator job elsewhere to kickstart their careers as head coaches. It's life in the MAC.

The only alternative, I see is if you want a retread that has baggage. Solich or Bowden are good examples. They're not likely getting another big job. I'd rather keep developing coaches...I like being a cradle for coaches.

[Schadenfreude]

I'm not opposed to the right retread. Frank Solich was a great hire for Ohio. He got recruits to take another look at them. Looks like the same thing is happening in Akron with Bowden.

Obviously, a lot of things are working well right now for us. But the right name coach could help us take the next step. I'm not an Ohio State fan, nor am I a fan of how Jim Tressel handled himself in that scandal.

But if he was available? That would really put BG in a new light. It would be electrifying.

We will probably go with an up-and-comer. But that's not the only path.

[svillefalcon]

I'm not opposed to the right retread. Frank Solich was a great hire for Ohio. He got recruits to take another look at them. Looks like the same thing is happening in Akron with Bowden.

Obviously, a lot of things are working well right now for us. But the right name coach could help us take the next step. I'm not an Ohio State fan, nor am I a fan of how Jim Tressel handled himself in that scandal.

But if he was available? That would really put BG in a new light. It would be electrifying.

We will probably go with an up-and-comer. But that's not the only path.

+1 I would LOVE Tressel here. It's not going to happen so I will just leave it there, but it would be sweet.

[Falconfreak90]

I won't blame DC one bit for taking the WF job for all the reasons mentioned. I hate to see him leave, I really do. He did a great job here, won the MAC, kept the kids out of the police blotter and had the highest APR scores our program's ever had. Are we a steppng stone? Yes. It is what it is.

My wish list is Durkin, Scheier or Narduzzi. BG is an attractive job...

[BGFalconfromCincy]

I will trade in a head coach for a MAC title in football every damn time.

Let's face it: we just don't win them that often here. We used to, but not lately. It was 21 years between titles this past time, so if it means we win four titles in a row and have to hire new coaches each year, then I say: HALLELUJAH!!!!!! Because it also means the program is SOLID and continuing to bring in both solid players and coaches.

Right there with you man, if winning the MAC means we lose our head coach to a bigger job I still want to win the MAC each year. Hell look at Arkansas State, they have won the Sun Belt the last three years and are about to be on their fifth head coach in five years

[doughash]

Narduzzi turned down the UConn job today so unfortunately I doubt that we are a consideration for him.

[mscarn]

Narduzzi seems comfortable where he and afraid to have all the responsibility on him. He's probably seen how Enos and Treadwell fared and doesn't want the aggravation.

[Flipper]

I think Narduzzi...as the DC for what is arguably the top defense in the country...feels that he can do better than UConn. I tend to agree with him there. Brown is leaving Texas...Saban might be leaving Alabama, those moves are going to create some openings. Would 'Bama or Texas look to Dantonio as a possible replacement....or is he too vanilla. Either way, there could be some intriguing career prospects for a guy like Narduzzi in the near future