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I've tried to come up with a list of the issues that might affect coaching stability at BG. Here it is:

Head Coach's Salary
Assistant Coaches' Salaries
Facilities
Attendance
The MAC
Recruiting Problems
TV/Media Exposure
Scheduling
The Football Budget
Marketing
The University--its Quality and Support for Athletics
Regional Perception and Support
Prospects for Achieving Greater National Respect and Recognition
Booster Support
Bowl Success and Number of Bids for BG and the MAC
Number of Division 1A Programs in the Region
Performance on the Field

I believe we have significantly improved in the last few years in most all of these areas.

I have chosen 4, however, where we have improved more slowly than many of us would like.

Head Coach's Salary--If Meyer was initially offered $400,000 by Utah and UNLV is offering $500,000, can or should BG upgrade it salary, let's say to the $250,000 to $300,000 range? Would this make a difference in holding on to our Head Coach?

Attendance--We have improved in this area but not as much as most of us would like. Last year had to be a disappointment. Surely Coaches Meyer and Brandon have been concerned about this. I've racked my brain but can't understand why it isn't better and don't have any solutions. If we continue the success we've had the last few years, I see attendance improving, but it may be slower than we'd like.

Regional Perception and Support--It seems to be improving but still remains a big problem. For decades, BG and the MAC have been perceived as "small school football". This is a hard nut to crack. Maybe greater TV exposure will eventually make the difference here.

Marketing--I have no idea what kind of resources BG puts into marketing. Could this be the hidden factor that might strengthen our program and improve coaching stability?

So--this is my list and some comments on issues that are affecting coaching stability at BG.

Can we continue to hire new, relatively inexperienced head coaches, have them stay a couple of years, then repeat the process and expect to see continued success and improvement in our program? Maybe. But one slip and we might lose momentum, perhaps go backwards. I think our future prospects would be much better if we could improve in those areas that affect coaching stability.

How do you see this?

I'm sorry you worked so hard. The issue is one thing, and one thing only:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Right, and whether our program, drawing as it does, can afford to pay a head coach that kind of money, and still have good assistants, a recruiting budget, etc. But its salary.

I think the point is all factors build to improve the top of the hierarchy.

1 Salary
2 Attendance
3 Product (MAC POY!)
4 Talent
5 Facilities

Each supports the next level. Unless you have a booster to throw 400,000. per year into salaries, or we can find a local legislature to siphon some free money away from OSU, the money has to grow. I hope AD has regular marketing brainstorming sessions to work on attendance. Maybe we should brainstorm our own ideas.

I'm assuming $$ for assistants are included in the salary figure. One of the things that hamstrung Blackney the worst was a lack of $$ for experienced assistants.

Yes, probably a minimum of 400,000. I do know that money wasn't the main reason Blackney lost his OC.

It's too bad there are no rules governing the timeframe coaches can be hired and fired. In some ways, football season should be locked-in until the teams last game. Doesn't seem right to hash this prior to a bowl game.

only MY OPINION -

Market the dang product!!!!

we've got a great team, staff, facility, tradition and 'they' don't tell any body about it!!

do some market research (you've got one of the top Marketing programs in the US), find out WHAT needs to be done, formulate a plan and then -

Promore PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE

Coaching stability comes down to one thing:


BTW, didn't BG's president say that the football coach would never make more than the university's president?

Not that i recall, and I have been here as long as he has been. I don't think he would do that. He knows more than anybody that we need to bring in every additional cent possible. Especially since we are down from around 60% state support in 1995 to around 34% now. And it's only going to get worse until we kick the morons down there out.

Or we jettison a few Universities from the bloated State University system...

I thought the notion that the President would earn more than any coach was an unwritten law around the MAC...I could be wrong about that. I was wrong when I said antibitics would never catch on...

man, I sure do like using the ellipse...

I too, think that money is the number one issue in keeping coaches. However, generating the funding is the root problem. What we need is a way for BG students and alumni to view the Falcons as their number one team. When I was at BG (89-90), many of the students viewed OSU, UM or ND as their favorite team.

It would be great if everyone with BG ties viewed the Falcons as "The Team". I live 2 hours from Knoxville and have seen the same type of behavior from fans in this area. ETSU dropped their football program because of lack of support. I can tell you that there are MANY ETSU alums who think of UT football as their one and only university football program. Let's get our giving to a level that we can afford to pay higher coaching salaries.

I would love to see more financial support (and attendance) from the BGSU students and alumni. The product on the field is great !! I'm doing all that I can to promote BG in Virginia but it's a little tougher sale here.

Go Falcons !

Anyone know how much Brandon makes this year. The Blade reported $130,000. UNLV was offering actually 600,000. Thats 4 times as much. Urban is now getting 2 million. If BG wants to keep its coaches it does need to offer more money.

SWVA BGSU Fan wrote:I'm doing all that I can to promote BG in Virginia but it's a little tougher sale here.

Yeah, tough sell in Philly, too ...

BG could still pay its head football coach 250,000 and he wouldn't make more than the President of the University - that's right.. Ribeau makes more than 250 Gs a year