Has anyone considered changing the football coaches' salaries paradigm?

Instead of paying these coaches large guaranteed contracts and for a guaranteed number of years, why do we not offer them a set salary and then for each game they win, they get a guaranteed payment?

This would force coaches to actually coach and tie their paycheck to their success, instead of the current system in which these coaches get paid if they win or lose and then the universities have to buy out the large contracts for coaches who failed to produce.

For instance, a football coach could have a base salary of $500,000 and then get $100,000 for each game won. If you work that out, a coach has the potential to earn up to $1,800,000 ($500,000 + (13 x $100,000)). You also could give the coach $200,000 for winning a bowl game.

This structure would link coaches' performance to their pay just like every other profession.

I would also suggest universities finally implement a policy that allows them to release a coach without these huge buyouts.

MSU continues to bring in these coaches who all claim they can turn the program around and make it a success (who would not say that in an interview?), pays them huge sums of money and then gives them huge buyouts when they fail to produce. MSU has become the stomping ground for coaches looking for a large paycheck before retirement.

Maybe MSU should look for a young coach under the age of 50.

Jonathan Plante
MSU alumnus