2025 CFB Coach Carousel

[West Coast Johnny]

I remember when the pro football teams would barnstorm as basketball teams in the off season. The world champions Eagles came to my high school in 1960, led by Sonny Jourgerson (sp). All that I really remember is meeting a defensive a defensive end who played his college ball at TCU and of course Sonny. I also remember them paying the players after the game, in cash, with their share of the gate receipts. I got to go into the locker room after the game. God I'm old.

I saw the Chicago Bears play a basketball game in my Junior-High gym against an all-star team, comprised of teachers from the school.

 

[An-Cap Frog]

Jay Hill to Arkansas?

Or is it Kalani Sitake?

Ironically, I am sippin' some Whistle Pig 12-year...

 

[SW toad]

I don't think this is a good idea. These big programs are getting a lot of TV money, but if you're endlessly paying out $10M a year in buyout money there's a good chunk of your media cash gone up in smoke.

The first school that figures out the right formula on coaching contracts in the new market is going to get ahead of the competition for a while. I feel like it makes much more sense now to hire a good GM who coordinates a long-term recruiting strategy built on revenue share/NIL, then the school hires head coaches to three-year contracts that are competitive (say $6-10M/yr plus bonuses for conference titles, etc.) but with no long-term guaranteed buyouts and no extensions until the third year. If another school hires him away, you let him go and just find another who can coach the system your GM recruits for. It's quicker to hire a coach for your roster than the other way around.

I know it's not as easy as this makes it sound, but broadly this has to be a better strategy than promising a guy $100M and hoping he doesn't fail.

I asked 2 weeks back, how did this buyout money get established? Well, it is pretty evident you have this cabal of lawyers who've become beyond power hungry and have concreted the market...for the time being.

Market forces will force a change, and I think the outcome in '26/'27 will prove out. [ What the heck? ] did buy out money originate??? There are a handful of coaches, maybe 4-5, who warrant buyouts. Brent Key at Georgia Tech comes to mind. Can you think of the others? Certainly not L Kiffin, J Franklin or Jason Candle at Toledo.

About 20 months ago, General Managers were being hired at a market rate of 500k to 800k per annum. 18 months ago, I was fire flamed for asking who TCUs General Manager was. We should all be able to name the TCU General Manager is. Who is it? and what is he or she making? I still don't know. Do you?

OK, now waiting for the born contrarians.

 

[BrewingFrog]

I asked 2 weeks back, how did this buyout money get established? Well, it is pretty evident you have this cabal of lawyers who've become beyond power hungry and have concreted the market...for the time being.

Market forces will force a change, and I think the outcome in '26/'27 will prove out. [ What the heck? ] did buy out money originate??? There are a handful of coaches, maybe 4-5, who warrant buyouts. Brent Key at Georgia Tech comes to mind. Can you think of the others? Certainly not L Kiffin, J Franklin or Jason Candle at Toledo.

About 20 months ago, General Managers were being hired at a market rate of 500k to 800k per annum. 18 months ago, I was fire flamed for asking who TCUs General Manager was. We should all be able to name the TCU General Manager is. Who is it? and what is he or she making? I still don't know. Do you?

OK, now waiting for the born contrarians.

While I stand behind no one in my contempt for the "Legal" profession, no one put a gun to these University solons and made them sign anything. They are playing with Other People's Money, and the long-term health of the Institution isn't even on the radar anymore.

When Mr. Bigshott Coach comes swaggering into the room, there's no reason at all they couldn't say, "No." There's plenty of good candidates to choose from that won't cost $100,000,000, or even a tenth of that. But the temptation of being seen as a Big Time Player in the SportsWorld is too strong.

 

[frog9999]

Interesting. Did not know Sonny played for anyone other than the skins. . . Iirc, think he still does color for their local broadcast team. Was a pretty major celeb when I was a kid. I remember seeing him come on one of the talk shows, maybe Carson, and playing piano and singing. . . “Sonny,” lol.

It was after the 1960 season when the Eagles played Green Bay. Sonny was the Eagles QB.

You're just a youngster lol

 

[SW toad]

While I stand behind no one in my contempt for the "Legal" profession, no one put a gun to these University solons and made them sign anything. They are playing with Other People's Money, and the long-term health of the Institution isn't even on the radar anymore.

When Mr. Bigshott Coach comes swaggering into the room, there's no reason at all they couldn't say, "No." There's plenty of good candidates to choose from that won't cost $100,000,000, or even a tenth of that. But the temptation of being seen as a Big Time Player in the SportsWorld is too strong.

There are PLENTY of good candidates. I will say at least at least 15 to 25 stellar candidates that I'd take over the current coach in Ft Worth. None of them at SEC schools (as far as HEAD coaches)

Why oh why is Andy Kotelnicki & Jim Knowles not being talked about?? In the aftermath of the PSU chaos, these 2 dudes should be on a top 5 list. After all is said and done, I think at least one of these guys ends up being a Head Coach somewhere and succeeds.

Brian Hartline at OSU. If he has the gravitas, he moves to the SEC. Hartline is a better coach than Brian Day.

The last 2 are Mike Shanahan, Indiana & Colin Klein from TeXAS A&M.

You overshot my General Manager query.

 

[bc puckett]

It was after the 1960 season when the Eagles played Green Bay. Sonny was the Eagles QB.

You're just a youngster lol

Sonny was the back-up to Norm Van Brocklin on the !960 championship Eagle team (he entered the league out of Duke in 1957) and was traded to Washington for Norm Snead following the 1963 season.

 

[bmoney214]

Thought for sure his ass was going to end up in Florida.

 

[ShreveFrog]

That’s what a loss to Wake will getcha. Suddenly he’s not the hot coach. Better sign that SMU extension before getting shellacked by Miami.

 

[jack the frog]

That’s what a loss to Wake will getcha. Suddenly he’s not the hot coach. Better sign that SMU extension before getting shellacked by Miami.

Yep, now signed through 2032 in the $10mm a year range. Looks like a panic blitz by smu. Well played by his agent.

 

[frog9999]

Sonny was the back-up to Norm Van Brocklin on the !960 championship Eagle team (he entered the league out of Duke in 1957) and was traded to Washington for Norm Snead following the 1963 season.

Good call and excellent memory. I wish I could say the same about myself. But, alas, I'm too old and only really remember the TCU defensive end I met, although, for the life of me, I can't remember his name.

 

[bc puckett]

Good call and excellent memory. I wish I could say the same about myself. But, alas, I'm too old and only really remember the TCU defensive end I met, although, for the life of me, I can't remember his name.

Have to admit it was a little bit not much before my time. First recollection of Sonny was with Washington in the mid 60’s.

 

[TopFrog]

 

[SW toad]

I am almost certain that Jon Sumrall, Tulane, has been contacted by at least a few 100 people over the last week. I am almost certain that Kiffin has been contacted by several 100 over the last week. I guess the question is .... how many times has Dabo Sweeney, James Franklin, Sarkisian, Alex Golesh @ USF been contacted over the last week or even last few years? Clemson and to a lesser extent PSU have one of the best rosters in CFB History. You have to ask why Sweeney was saddled with a questionable defensive coordinator who was ultimately responsible for giving up 46 points to DUKE. [ What the heck? ] is going on at Clemson??

I think that some of these head coaches like Sweeney and even Golesh are jockeying for their Platinum parachute.

 

[Double D]

 

[TopFrog]

Kelly will go to Auburn and Freeze will go to LSU. That is how it works.

 

[HornyWartyToad]

Life is so funny. You invest aaaaall this time honing your craft, learning from your mistakes, elevating your game. . . And JUST when you’ve perfected maintaining your burner phones to keep up with your hookers, something like this happens. Just goes to show you.

 

[NewFrogFan]

Crawler on ESPiN2 broadcast says the governor of Louisiana announced a commission (!) to hire LSU’s next coach, and that the LSU AD would not hire the coach.

WUT?

Did my eyes betray me?

Yes, he said the AD, heavily responsible for the 2 largest buyouts in history AND ridiculous contract length’s would not hire next coach. The LSU Board of Supervisors will be hiring the coach with significant input from longtime Asst AD Verge Ausberry who is a former player.

Alot of the problems started when Landry asked lawyers who is responsible for buyout if donors dont come up w money. He claims he was told taxpayers would be on hook. Much of his talk comes after LSU announced a ticket price increase.

 

[NewFrogFan]

Kelly will go to Auburn and Freeze will go to LSU. That is how it works.

Might happen at other schools but Freeze will never get a call to send in an app.

 

[NewFrogFan]

It was so much fun to turn on the Closed Captioning when he was talking. He does not translate well.

I was a huge EO fan but what he did to that school after his divorce, can not be excused. He let the program implode. Maybe a position coach or recruiting.