What is acceptable as HC at Nebraska

[DaveH]

I think what people are failing to realize is that really, it could get worse than this.

 

There is a chance we could be talking about this all over again in 4 years. People have faith in Tom but really we could easily be in this same position in the near future.

[Dan_F_30]

You asked me what I wanted to see as a fan, and this is it bubba.

 

How'd you know my name was Bubba?

 

I uh, didn't know your name was bubba. I just like that name, that's all.

 

OK Man, this is a negotiation and I'm willing to give on certian things. Maybe we should re-structure this agreement to read more like:

 

Base Salary is $x.

If you win 6 - 8 games in regular season play, you get paid $x much.

If you win 9+ games in regular season you get an additional $x.

If you win big 12 title game $x bonus.

Bowl game bonus if not result of big 12 title game $x

National Championship bonus $x.

 

The conversations ensuing prior to any offer made, the candidate should be made very aware that the expectations of the Athletic Department, University, Student Athletes, Alumni, Boosters and the fans in general that worst case scenerio we go 9 - 3 and go to a bowl game. Best case we win the national championship. Anywhere in between you're doing OK. Anything less than that and investigations and inquires are going to be made as well as a thourough performance evaluation, hint hint. (I'm not saying wack him right away, but work is going to be awfully uncomfortable unitl he rights the ship).

 

I assume that we agree on principle about rebuilding of walk-on program, recruiting on skill positions, behaviour during press interviews and strength and conditioning programs??

 

Also, I have to point out that in the business world, pay and tenure of job are very often tied to performance objectives. I'm in sales, and if I don't hit my number I don't keep my job. CEO's contracts are very often tied to things like stock price, Price/Earnings ratio, EBITDA, etc... etc... We do it in big business where CEO's get paid millions of dollars a year, I don't see why it can't be applied to sports coaching jobs where they get paid millions of dollars a year. Do you think it's easier for a CEO to control stock price in a bad year than it is for a coach to control egress of players to NFL, injuries, loss of coaching staff, etc...?

 

No coach is ever going to be perfect, but there needs to be some teeth in the contract where we can protect ourselves and have an out if we need it. I'd like to have a coach who has got the guts to agree to something difficult and exceed expectations. I want a tiger who is all full of piss and vinegar, who'll motivate the players and be a good ambassador for the university.

 

Now I can agree with this. I think incentives are a better motivator that reprimandations. That would also be attractive to candidates. But it's no problem with a coach being told what expectations are and really a coach coming here would probably know that anyway. But basing a whole coaching job solely on wins/losses I don't think is an option because too much can happen to ruin seasons. Good talk.

 

Bubba

[Hingle McCringleberry]

You asked me what I wanted to see as a fan, and this is it bubba.

 

How'd you know my name was Bubba?

 

I uh, didn't know your name was bubba. I just like that name, that's all.

 

OK Man, this is a negotiation and I'm willing to give on certian things. Maybe we should re-structure this agreement to read more like:

 

Base Salary is $x.

If you win 6 - 8 games in regular season play, you get paid $x much.

If you win 9+ games in regular season you get an additional $x.

If you win big 12 title game $x bonus.

Bowl game bonus if not result of big 12 title game $x

National Championship bonus $x.

 

The conversations ensuing prior to any offer made, the candidate should be made very aware that the expectations of the Athletic Department, University, Student Athletes, Alumni, Boosters and the fans in general that worst case scenerio we go 9 - 3 and go to a bowl game. Best case we win the national championship. Anywhere in between you're doing OK. Anything less than that and investigations and inquires are going to be made as well as a thourough performance evaluation, hint hint. (I'm not saying wack him right away, but work is going to be awfully uncomfortable unitl he rights the ship).

 

I assume that we agree on principle about rebuilding of walk-on program, recruiting on skill positions, behaviour during press interviews and strength and conditioning programs??

 

Also, I have to point out that in the business world, pay and tenure of job are very often tied to performance objectives. I'm in sales, and if I don't hit my number I don't keep my job. CEO's contracts are very often tied to things like stock price, Price/Earnings ratio, EBITDA, etc... etc... We do it in big business where CEO's get paid millions of dollars a year, I don't see why it can't be applied to sports coaching jobs where they get paid millions of dollars a year. Do you think it's easier for a CEO to control stock price in a bad year than it is for a coach to control egress of players to NFL, injuries, loss of coaching staff, etc...?

 

No coach is ever going to be perfect, but there needs to be some teeth in the contract where we can protect ourselves and have an out if we need it. I'd like to have a coach who has got the guts to agree to something difficult and exceed expectations. I want a tiger who is all full of piss and vinegar, who'll motivate the players and be a good ambassador for the university.

 

Now I can agree with this. I think incentives are a better motivator that reprimandations. That would also be attractive to candidates. But it's no problem with a coach being told what expectations are and really a coach coming here would probably know that anyway. But basing a whole coaching job solely on wins/losses I don't think is an option because too much can happen to ruin seasons. Good talk.

 

Bubba

 

 

FYI guys this is already in the contracts to some degree. BC has a base of ~1.75 mil, depending on how the season turns out he can get up to 450,000 more (for NC i think). we are giving him a HUGE motivator to win and win BIG, I assume this was true with Solich and who ever takes over from BC..... GBR

 

some info about contract http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3003879

 

read the entire story funny the comments about him.....

 

GBR

[Ohio Pete]

Dont forget that Glen Mason got KU to the top10 a couple of times and look what he's done over the course of his career .

Oh crap. Say it ain't so. Our next coach is Glen Mason.

 

Well he definitely will get you a running game.

[shyndy]

I'm sorry but there is absolutely no reason that even the first season should be marked off as "rebuilding." That's a term for hack coaches to fall back on (like Callahan & Co. did). So more than anything I'd say I want a coach that doesn't give excuses, period, and interestingly, that is exactly the sort of person Pelini is. I'm not saying we should be in title contention, but there is no reason we can't be at least competitive in all our games next year.

[junior4949]

This is an excellent question, since it brings about one of the most important factors in any job - accountability. Which obviously Callahan doesn't think he has. Anyway, I'm going to give this from the perspective of hiring a new coach, because that's the situation we're looking at.

 

1. The first two years are going to be rebuilding years, getting your own players, teaching them your system, etc.... So I'll understand if it's rough but should win at *least* 6 games in each of those 2 seasons. Not only that, recruiting needs to be extremely important to say the least. Need to recruit top ranked players for skill positions. Need to bring back the walk-on program to it's former strength.

2. Need to have an intense strength and conditioning program. We need to get back to playing very physically dominating football.

3. By the coaches third season, the coach will need to have notched 9 wins under his belt, go to the big 12 title game and make a decent, strong showing, not like last year. It's ok to lose as long as the team looks like it actually came out of the locker room for the second half.

4. By their fourth year they should be in contention for a BCS bowl game, if not the national championship.

5. Moving forward, they need to hold up to the same standards we were used to when T.O. was coaching. NO LESS THAN 9 wins per season, period. If they fall below that mark appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. Past performance will be evaluated when deciding what the aforementioned punitive action will be. It needs to be understood that 9 wins per season is the MINIMUM EXPECTATION.

6. When talking to the press, it's that the player(s) played hard and did an excellent job. Be humble and quick to give the credit to all of your supporting staff and players. I don't want to hear any more of this "product of the system" crap. Admit when you make mistakes and own up to them, including ANY AND ALL LOSSES.

7. If during first half play: A. the offense scores on every possession, AND B. Every time the defense walks on the field the opposing offense is 3 and out - if those conditions are met then you don't need to make halftime adjustments, otherwise you do regardless of what is on the scoreboard.

 

Everything else should fall into place after that, provided the coach achieves all these objectives and continues to put out a consistent body of quality work.

 

THESE EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR CONTRACT. It's there in black and white, very measurable, and you signed your name agreeing to meeting these expectations. Did you or did you not do these things? If you can't do it, we'll get someone else.

 

I don't think any coach would sign a contract that put a stipulation on number of wins by when.

 

Agreed there is no way a coach would go for this, and the way he has it if you win 5 in your first year you out also. you would have to pay millions a year to even try this, and we would be the worst team in the nation with this....

 

 

Then look at my suggestion as something that changes and modifications can be made to. Since you seem to know so much about what coaches would and would not agree to, let's hear your 2 cents. I'm a firm believer that somewhere expectations need to be written down and have a coach held accountable to them.

Would you agree to a job contract that put a finite amount on a job you have to do that may be above what you deemed successful or else you are fired with no questions asked? What if they have a down year from graduating a lot of seniors or his best players leave to the NFL? Then they have a rebuilding year and DO NOT make the stipulations, then they are fired. And you can't just "modify" the contract when it is convenient to keep a coach around because you like the direction the program is going even though they didn't win your stipulated amount of games, because then you have to "modify" it back when you aren't happy with the results. Nobody is going to agree to a contract that states in stone the win/loss record that must be achieved or you are fired because a lot of coaches (and fans) think there is more to success than win/loss. Nebraska would be a laughing stock if they stipulated that in a contract and would have a hard time finding anyone to take them seriously. The evaluation period has to be taken in context on a year in/year out basis by a board within the athletic department that gauges success on many different fronts and takes into account what is going on in the program at that time. You get yourself into trouble when you put such a black and white ultimatum on expectations.

 

 

First off, people sign contracts every day with stipulations. Anyone in sales signs contracts with stipulations. They are given X amount of dollars for base salary. Then the contract is laced with incentives. If the person accepting the job within 2 to 3 years isn't bringing in a big enough volume through sales to even meet the base salary, they are fired or let go. This is common place in business particularly in service based jobs.

 

Second, trying to compare KU football to NU football is absurd. When was the last time KU was ranked before Manigino stepped in? When was the last time they made a bowl game before Mangino? When was the last time they even had a winning record before Mangino? Clownahan didn't take over a team that wasn't used to winning. He took over a team that was rated the year before with a top 20 defense. If you want to compare NU football to something in Kansas, try comparing it to KU basketball. See how long any coach would last as KU's basketball coach with a 57% winning percentage. If KU didn't make the post season tournament 2 out of 4 years, their coach would be out on the street. IMO, makeing a bowl game is easier than making the NCAA BBall tournament. There is a real possibility we won't make a bowl game this year making it 2 out of 4 years.

[Dan_F_30]

This is an excellent question, since it brings about one of the most important factors in any job - accountability. Which obviously Callahan doesn't think he has. Anyway, I'm going to give this from the perspective of hiring a new coach, because that's the situation we're looking at.

 

1. The first two years are going to be rebuilding years, getting your own players, teaching them your system, etc.... So I'll understand if it's rough but should win at *least* 6 games in each of those 2 seasons. Not only that, recruiting needs to be extremely important to say the least. Need to recruit top ranked players for skill positions. Need to bring back the walk-on program to it's former strength.

2. Need to have an intense strength and conditioning program. We need to get back to playing very physically dominating football.

3. By the coaches third season, the coach will need to have notched 9 wins under his belt, go to the big 12 title game and make a decent, strong showing, not like last year. It's ok to lose as long as the team looks like it actually came out of the locker room for the second half.

4. By their fourth year they should be in contention for a BCS bowl game, if not the national championship.

5. Moving forward, they need to hold up to the same standards we were used to when T.O. was coaching. NO LESS THAN 9 wins per season, period. If they fall below that mark appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. Past performance will be evaluated when deciding what the aforementioned punitive action will be. It needs to be understood that 9 wins per season is the MINIMUM EXPECTATION.

6. When talking to the press, it's that the player(s) played hard and did an excellent job. Be humble and quick to give the credit to all of your supporting staff and players. I don't want to hear any more of this "product of the system" crap. Admit when you make mistakes and own up to them, including ANY AND ALL LOSSES.

7. If during first half play: A. the offense scores on every possession, AND B. Every time the defense walks on the field the opposing offense is 3 and out - if those conditions are met then you don't need to make halftime adjustments, otherwise you do regardless of what is on the scoreboard.

 

Everything else should fall into place after that, provided the coach achieves all these objectives and continues to put out a consistent body of quality work.

 

THESE EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR CONTRACT. It's there in black and white, very measurable, and you signed your name agreeing to meeting these expectations. Did you or did you not do these things? If you can't do it, we'll get someone else.

 

I don't think any coach would sign a contract that put a stipulation on number of wins by when.

 

Agreed there is no way a coach would go for this, and the way he has it if you win 5 in your first year you out also. you would have to pay millions a year to even try this, and we would be the worst team in the nation with this....

 

 

Then look at my suggestion as something that changes and modifications can be made to. Since you seem to know so much about what coaches would and would not agree to, let's hear your 2 cents. I'm a firm believer that somewhere expectations need to be written down and have a coach held accountable to them.

Would you agree to a job contract that put a finite amount on a job you have to do that may be above what you deemed successful or else you are fired with no questions asked? What if they have a down year from graduating a lot of seniors or his best players leave to the NFL? Then they have a rebuilding year and DO NOT make the stipulations, then they are fired. And you can't just "modify" the contract when it is convenient to keep a coach around because you like the direction the program is going even though they didn't win your stipulated amount of games, because then you have to "modify" it back when you aren't happy with the results. Nobody is going to agree to a contract that states in stone the win/loss record that must be achieved or you are fired because a lot of coaches (and fans) think there is more to success than win/loss. Nebraska would be a laughing stock if they stipulated that in a contract and would have a hard time finding anyone to take them seriously. The evaluation period has to be taken in context on a year in/year out basis by a board within the athletic department that gauges success on many different fronts and takes into account what is going on in the program at that time. You get yourself into trouble when you put such a black and white ultimatum on expectations.

 

 

First off, people sign contracts every day with stipulations. Anyone in sales signs contracts with stipulations. They are given X amount of dollars for base salary. Then the contract is laced with incentives. If the person accepting the job within 2 to 3 years isn't bringing in a big enough volume through sales to even meet the base salary, they are fired or let go. This is common place in business particularly in service based jobs.

 

Second, trying to compare KU football to NU football is absurd. When was the last time KU was ranked before Manigino stepped in? When was the last time they made a bowl game before Mangino? When was the last time they even had a winning record before Mangino? Clownahan didn't take over a team that wasn't used to winning. He took over a team that was rated the year before with a top 20 defense. If you want to compare NU football to something in Kansas, try comparing it to KU basketball. See how long any coach would last as KU's basketball coach with a 57% winning percentage. If KU didn't make the post season tournament 2 out of 4 years, their coach would be out on the street. IMO, makeing a bowl game is easier than making the NCAA BBall tournament. There is a real possibility we won't make a bowl game this year making it 2 out of 4 years.

Ya, and I also stated in a later post that incentives are a better idea and will motivate a coach more than fearing reprimandation for not hitting the 9 win mark every year.

 

Also, no one has addressed my question if you put these stipulations that were suggested by Dingo (9 wins by season 3 and no less from there on out or you are fired) in that require a new coach to coach to the same or better level than TO (Who is the best college football coach in the history of the sport) then how do you expect to get anyone to sign it? You can not go around telling your candidates,"Hey, you know TO? He won at least 9 games every year. He's one of the best college football coaches of all time. You need to perform to that level or higher or you are fired." Does that sound stupid to anyone else? In effect you are telling the new coach, he has to be one of the best college football coaches of all time or else he is fired. That's my problem with basing a football contract on cut and dry marks or you are fired. Sales doesn't have an injured star player, or a suspended key player that could ruin it's chance at making the mark, football does.

[clone]

 

 

so in the hypothetical scenario, our coach at year one and 2-10 and second year at 6-7 is ok.

 

year three at 4-7 he'd be out having not reached the 9 win threshold.

 

Everyone I've asked has said year three, he's gone.

 

 

No, I mean 1st season coach wins at least 6 games, 6-6, or 6-7. Second year the same, need to win at least 6 games. 3rd year, need to win 9 games, or he's out.

 

 

Ok, so in the first season at 2-10 you'd fire him. I would have fired him at year three.

 

 

That win loss record--

 

2-10

6-7

4-7

7-5

6-6

 

belongs to Mangino, who, in his sixth year is currently 10-0. A coach that takes six years to reach 10-0 would not last more than three years (using his win/loss record) at NU.

 

 

BEAT CU!!

 

And if NU gets its act together and Oklahoma and Texas wind up on the sched, is he a 10-0 coach? Dont forget that Glen Mason got KU to the top10 a couple of times and look what he's done over the course of his career . I like Mangino's team, but I think you're reaching on trying to compare Mangino's year against its current sched to a school of NU's tradition and expectations. You're right, he probably wouldnt last at NU, based on his previous records, and most NU fans would probably be OK with that. Now if Mangino rolls off 5 straight 10 wins seasons or something fairly comparable, then I'd be willing to buy the point youre trying to sell.

 

 

HUH??

 

he's 10-0 right now, future scheduling doesn't affect THIS YEAR'S win loss record. He can't do worse than 10 wins this season because he already has them!!

 

Point is simply this.... there is at least one real life coaching example of a coach (mangino) that needed SIX years to get to 10-0.

 

Mangino's win/loss record looks like sh!t until his SIXTH season.

 

 

At NU... that ain't happening. Solich was the last to get six years. No coach since will get that much time (i.e. Cally).

 

From now on... the coaching revolving door is in service.

 

 

PJ for HC

 

 

 

 

BEAT CU!!

[Dan_F_30]

 

 

so in the hypothetical scenario, our coach at year one and 2-10 and second year at 6-7 is ok.

 

year three at 4-7 he'd be out having not reached the 9 win threshold.

 

Everyone I've asked has said year three, he's gone.

 

 

No, I mean 1st season coach wins at least 6 games, 6-6, or 6-7. Second year the same, need to win at least 6 games. 3rd year, need to win 9 games, or he's out.

 

 

Ok, so in the first season at 2-10 you'd fire him. I would have fired him at year three.

 

 

That win loss record--

 

2-10

6-7

4-7

7-5

6-6

 

belongs to Mangino, who, in his sixth year is currently 10-0. A coach that takes six years to reach 10-0 would not last more than three years (using his win/loss record) at NU.

 

 

BEAT CU!!

 

And if NU gets its act together and Oklahoma and Texas wind up on the sched, is he a 10-0 coach? Dont forget that Glen Mason got KU to the top10 a couple of times and look what he's done over the course of his career . I like Mangino's team, but I think you're reaching on trying to compare Mangino's year against its current sched to a school of NU's tradition and expectations. You're right, he probably wouldnt last at NU, based on his previous records, and most NU fans would probably be OK with that. Now if Mangino rolls off 5 straight 10 wins seasons or something fairly comparable, then I'd be willing to buy the point youre trying to sell.

 

 

HUH??

 

he's 10-0 right now, future scheduling doesn't affect THIS YEAR'S win loss record. He can't do worse than 10 wins this season because he already has them!!

 

Point is simply this.... there is at least one real life coaching example of a coach (mangino) that needed SIX years to get to 10-0.

 

Mangino's win/loss record looks like sh!t until his SIXTH season.

 

 

At NU... that ain't happening. Solich was the last to get six years. No coach since will get that much time (i.e. Cally).

 

From now on... the coaching revolving door is in service.

 

 

PJ for HC

 

 

 

 

BEAT CU!!

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The thing is with me, I would love to keep BC around to keep working this thing out IF he was a little more curtious with how he spoke of Nebraska and the fans, etc. I don't mean kiss our asses, but just be a stand up guy. That's all you can ask for. I like what he is doing on one side of the ball. He would have had to recognize a defensive problem and correct it but he again is too stubborn to do so. So again, I would have been more patient than a lot of Husker fans and been happy with him staying but BC has just burned the bridges. Even if TO would keep him and change the D and some other coaches I wouldn't complain. I wish he didn't burn those bridges though, because once you saw when he has an athletic QB to run the offense (And he's not a system QB) that it can do good things, albeit, against K-State. And if he'd been on good standing with the fans and staff in the AD, then he might get some leeway and patience. He's just to much of a stubborn, cowardly guy to stand up and make changes.

[junior4949]

This is an excellent question, since it brings about one of the most important factors in any job - accountability. Which obviously Callahan doesn't think he has. Anyway, I'm going to give this from the perspective of hiring a new coach, because that's the situation we're looking at.

 

1. The first two years are going to be rebuilding years, getting your own players, teaching them your system, etc.... So I'll understand if it's rough but should win at *least* 6 games in each of those 2 seasons. Not only that, recruiting needs to be extremely important to say the least. Need to recruit top ranked players for skill positions. Need to bring back the walk-on program to it's former strength.

2. Need to have an intense strength and conditioning program. We need to get back to playing very physically dominating football.

3. By the coaches third season, the coach will need to have notched 9 wins under his belt, go to the big 12 title game and make a decent, strong showing, not like last year. It's ok to lose as long as the team looks like it actually came out of the locker room for the second half.

4. By their fourth year they should be in contention for a BCS bowl game, if not the national championship.

5. Moving forward, they need to hold up to the same standards we were used to when T.O. was coaching. NO LESS THAN 9 wins per season, period. If they fall below that mark appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. Past performance will be evaluated when deciding what the aforementioned punitive action will be. It needs to be understood that 9 wins per season is the MINIMUM EXPECTATION.

6. When talking to the press, it's that the player(s) played hard and did an excellent job. Be humble and quick to give the credit to all of your supporting staff and players. I don't want to hear any more of this "product of the system" crap. Admit when you make mistakes and own up to them, including ANY AND ALL LOSSES.

7. If during first half play: A. the offense scores on every possession, AND B. Every time the defense walks on the field the opposing offense is 3 and out - if those conditions are met then you don't need to make halftime adjustments, otherwise you do regardless of what is on the scoreboard.

 

Everything else should fall into place after that, provided the coach achieves all these objectives and continues to put out a consistent body of quality work.

 

THESE EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR CONTRACT. It's there in black and white, very measurable, and you signed your name agreeing to meeting these expectations. Did you or did you not do these things? If you can't do it, we'll get someone else.

 

I don't think any coach would sign a contract that put a stipulation on number of wins by when.

 

Agreed there is no way a coach would go for this, and the way he has it if you win 5 in your first year you out also. you would have to pay millions a year to even try this, and we would be the worst team in the nation with this....

 

 

Then look at my suggestion as something that changes and modifications can be made to. Since you seem to know so much about what coaches would and would not agree to, let's hear your 2 cents. I'm a firm believer that somewhere expectations need to be written down and have a coach held accountable to them.

Would you agree to a job contract that put a finite amount on a job you have to do that may be above what you deemed successful or else you are fired with no questions asked? What if they have a down year from graduating a lot of seniors or his best players leave to the NFL? Then they have a rebuilding year and DO NOT make the stipulations, then they are fired. And you can't just "modify" the contract when it is convenient to keep a coach around because you like the direction the program is going even though they didn't win your stipulated amount of games, because then you have to "modify" it back when you aren't happy with the results. Nobody is going to agree to a contract that states in stone the win/loss record that must be achieved or you are fired because a lot of coaches (and fans) think there is more to success than win/loss. Nebraska would be a laughing stock if they stipulated that in a contract and would have a hard time finding anyone to take them seriously. The evaluation period has to be taken in context on a year in/year out basis by a board within the athletic department that gauges success on many different fronts and takes into account what is going on in the program at that time. You get yourself into trouble when you put such a black and white ultimatum on expectations.

 

 

First off, people sign contracts every day with stipulations. Anyone in sales signs contracts with stipulations. They are given X amount of dollars for base salary. Then the contract is laced with incentives. If the person accepting the job within 2 to 3 years isn't bringing in a big enough volume through sales to even meet the base salary, they are fired or let go. This is common place in business particularly in service based jobs.

 

Second, trying to compare KU football to NU football is absurd. When was the last time KU was ranked before Manigino stepped in? When was the last time they made a bowl game before Mangino? When was the last time they even had a winning record before Mangino? Clownahan didn't take over a team that wasn't used to winning. He took over a team that was rated the year before with a top 20 defense. If you want to compare NU football to something in Kansas, try comparing it to KU basketball. See how long any coach would last as KU's basketball coach with a 57% winning percentage. If KU didn't make the post season tournament 2 out of 4 years, their coach would be out on the street. IMO, makeing a bowl game is easier than making the NCAA BBall tournament. There is a real possibility we won't make a bowl game this year making it 2 out of 4 years.

Ya, and I also stated in a later post that incentives are a better idea and will motivate a coach more than fearing reprimandation for not hitting the 9 win mark every year.

 

Also, no one has addressed my question if you put these stipulations that were suggested by Dingo (9 wins by season 3 and no less from there on out or you are fired) in that require a new coach to coach to the same or better level than TO (Who is the best college football coach in the history of the sport) then how do you expect to get anyone to sign it? You can not go around telling your candidates,"Hey, you know TO? He won at least 9 games every year. He's one of the best college football coaches of all time. You need to perform to that level or higher or you are fired." Does that sound stupid to anyone else? In effect you are telling the new coach, he has to be one of the best college football coaches of all time or else he is fired. That's my problem with basing a football contract on cut and dry marks or you are fired. Sales doesn't have an injured star player, or a suspended key player that could ruin it's chance at making the mark, football does.

 

 

Sales may not have injured or suspended key players, but they do have a little think called factory recall; management pricing, etc. If you're selling prescription drugs to pharmacies and your #1 drug gets suspended, yeah that's a big hit. If you're in auto sales and your #1 selling vehicle gets hit with a big factory recall, yeah it's a hit. Go ask any Firestone tire salesman if they took a hit in sales when their tires were being blamed for nearly every wreck week in and week out.

 

No matter what occupation we choose in life, there has to be some accountability. I would guess that academic colleges like Stanford and such have certain criteria for football coaches. It might not be wins and losses, but it could be about player GPA's, graduation rates, etc.

[DingoAteYourBaby]

This is an excellent question, since it brings about one of the most important factors in any job - accountability. Which obviously Callahan doesn't think he has. Anyway, I'm going to give this from the perspective of hiring a new coach, because that's the situation we're looking at.

 

1. The first two years are going to be rebuilding years, getting your own players, teaching them your system, etc.... So I'll understand if it's rough but should win at *least* 6 games in each of those 2 seasons. Not only that, recruiting needs to be extremely important to say the least. Need to recruit top ranked players for skill positions. Need to bring back the walk-on program to it's former strength.

2. Need to have an intense strength and conditioning program. We need to get back to playing very physically dominating football.

3. By the coaches third season, the coach will need to have notched 9 wins under his belt, go to the big 12 title game and make a decent, strong showing, not like last year. It's ok to lose as long as the team looks like it actually came out of the locker room for the second half.

4. By their fourth year they should be in contention for a BCS bowl game, if not the national championship.

5. Moving forward, they need to hold up to the same standards we were used to when T.O. was coaching. NO LESS THAN 9 wins per season, period. If they fall below that mark appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. Past performance will be evaluated when deciding what the aforementioned punitive action will be. It needs to be understood that 9 wins per season is the MINIMUM EXPECTATION.

6. When talking to the press, it's that the player(s) played hard and did an excellent job. Be humble and quick to give the credit to all of your supporting staff and players. I don't want to hear any more of this "product of the system" crap. Admit when you make mistakes and own up to them, including ANY AND ALL LOSSES.

7. If during first half play: A. the offense scores on every possession, AND B. Every time the defense walks on the field the opposing offense is 3 and out - if those conditions are met then you don't need to make halftime adjustments, otherwise you do regardless of what is on the scoreboard.

 

Everything else should fall into place after that, provided the coach achieves all these objectives and continues to put out a consistent body of quality work.

 

THESE EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR CONTRACT. It's there in black and white, very measurable, and you signed your name agreeing to meeting these expectations. Did you or did you not do these things? If you can't do it, we'll get someone else.

 

I don't think any coach would sign a contract that put a stipulation on number of wins by when.

 

Agreed there is no way a coach would go for this, and the way he has it if you win 5 in your first year you out also. you would have to pay millions a year to even try this, and we would be the worst team in the nation with this....

 

 

Then look at my suggestion as something that changes and modifications can be made to. Since you seem to know so much about what coaches would and would not agree to, let's hear your 2 cents. I'm a firm believer that somewhere expectations need to be written down and have a coach held accountable to them.

Would you agree to a job contract that put a finite amount on a job you have to do that may be above what you deemed successful or else you are fired with no questions asked? What if they have a down year from graduating a lot of seniors or his best players leave to the NFL? Then they have a rebuilding year and DO NOT make the stipulations, then they are fired. And you can't just "modify" the contract when it is convenient to keep a coach around because you like the direction the program is going even though they didn't win your stipulated amount of games, because then you have to "modify" it back when you aren't happy with the results. Nobody is going to agree to a contract that states in stone the win/loss record that must be achieved or you are fired because a lot of coaches (and fans) think there is more to success than win/loss. Nebraska would be a laughing stock if they stipulated that in a contract and would have a hard time finding anyone to take them seriously. The evaluation period has to be taken in context on a year in/year out basis by a board within the athletic department that gauges success on many different fronts and takes into account what is going on in the program at that time. You get yourself into trouble when you put such a black and white ultimatum on expectations.

 

 

First off, people sign contracts every day with stipulations. Anyone in sales signs contracts with stipulations. They are given X amount of dollars for base salary. Then the contract is laced with incentives. If the person accepting the job within 2 to 3 years isn't bringing in a big enough volume through sales to even meet the base salary, they are fired or let go. This is common place in business particularly in service based jobs.

 

Second, trying to compare KU football to NU football is absurd. When was the last time KU was ranked before Manigino stepped in? When was the last time they made a bowl game before Mangino? When was the last time they even had a winning record before Mangino? Clownahan didn't take over a team that wasn't used to winning. He took over a team that was rated the year before with a top 20 defense. If you want to compare NU football to something in Kansas, try comparing it to KU basketball. See how long any coach would last as KU's basketball coach with a 57% winning percentage. If KU didn't make the post season tournament 2 out of 4 years, their coach would be out on the street. IMO, makeing a bowl game is easier than making the NCAA BBall tournament. There is a real possibility we won't make a bowl game this year making it 2 out of 4 years.

Ya, and I also stated in a later post that incentives are a better idea and will motivate a coach more than fearing reprimandation for not hitting the 9 win mark every year.

 

Also, no one has addressed my question if you put these stipulations that were suggested by Dingo (9 wins by season 3 and no less from there on out or you are fired) in that require a new coach to coach to the same or better level than TO (Who is the best college football coach in the history of the sport) then how do you expect to get anyone to sign it? You can not go around telling your candidates,"Hey, you know TO? He won at least 9 games every year. He's one of the best college football coaches of all time. You need to perform to that level or higher or you are fired." Does that sound stupid to anyone else? In effect you are telling the new coach, he has to be one of the best college football coaches of all time or else he is fired. That's my problem with basing a football contract on cut and dry marks or you are fired. Sales doesn't have an injured star player, or a suspended key player that could ruin it's chance at making the mark, football does.

 

I'm telling ya buddy, it's not stupid at all. Matter of fact it would be most effective if TO himself sat across the table from a candidate and told him: "I won 9 games a season, you can at least do that, right?" Yes, TO is one of the greatest college coaches of all time, now it's time for us to find the next one-of-the-great-coaches-of-all-time. Anything less and we're wasting our time. Hear me now, listen to me later; there are guys out there like that. There are coaches out there who will agree to meeting those standards. It happens all the time in business, it can happen here too.

[Dan_F_30]

Fair enough. I think we both have our opinions and our reasons to believe them. I respect yours. I'm tired of beating this horse...