In Reply to: To me, the strategy should be to underpay on . . . posted by BluBlood on November 25, 2025 at 11:29:57
You could maybe try that with some guy you're taking a flyer on like Tony White or Tommy Rees, the learn-on-the-job types who just need to get their feet in the door.
But if you've identified a sitting head coach who you think is good, treat him as such. Don't nickel and dime him and create the impression you're standing guard over every penny. For guys like Bob Chesney that's probably one of his biggest fears, that UCLA won't support him in areas like assistant salaries, recruiting budget, facilities upgrades, NIL, etc. Now you're telling him right off the bat that you don't believe in him and he can collect his money if he wins. The guy is a very legitimate Plan B candidate at Penn St. and you treat him like a schmuck.
I think if you're going to negotiate wrt money, negotiate a reasonable not-for-cause buyout so we don't have to pay him $40-50 million to let him go in a few years, citing the furor around guys like Brian Kelly and all schools being increasingly reluctant to take on such risk. And negotiate a good buyout if some other team steals him away, because if Chesney were to win 8 games at UCLA next year, he could be one of the very top candidates on the board next year.
If you're gonna be cheap just fold up shop, be UCSD or Davis, play in Drake stadium, and charge $10 for tickets.