I've always kind of felt like search firms are more to provide a layer of cover and act as the school's agent more than actually identifying candidates. Allows active coaches to say things like "I've never been contacted by the University of Nebraska" and allows the firm to put out initial feelers without anyone knowing who it's for. Trev doesn't pick up the phone and call the coach directly and say, "Hey, you interested in the Nebraska job?" He makes that call the the search firm, who makes that call to the agent, who makes that call to the coach. It's like having a buyer's agent and a seller's agent in real estate. You may find the house you want yourself, then you let the agents hammer out the details for you. They're just another go-between to keep things cleaner.