The entire university is experiencing a slowdown. Programs cut. Long term employees forced into retirement. Planned giving and planned building put on hold. Even in the athletic department, cuts have been made, and Im talking about more than just the golf program.
I wouldn't expect a booster (and there are far fewer than you might imagine) to come riding in ready to pay Graham money or pledge that amount while he/she raises it amongst their friends.
Even if TU COULD do that, it isn't a given they WOULD do that, given the environment on campus and in higher education as a whole. Add into that mix a new President and I would put the chances of matching money for Monty as pretty low, even if he wants to stay. The last thing a new President wants is a sizable portion of the faculty pissed off because a football coach is getting millions a year. Stead could get away with it because he was able to raise and spend other amounts to keep people happy, quiet, and in line. Its a different time now. 2007 is another world on campus.
Then there is the issue of the quality of these wins. We've won close games and the ones we have won have been by doing some fundamentally unsound things. Many of the wins have been won by the defense. He calls the plays. Some of the play calling has been questionable and his situational awareness has been suspect at time (admitting that he did not know his RB1 had 40 carries and was exhausted). We could easily be upside down in the W-L column. Do you throw down $10 million in a long term deal and have that turn into a series of 5-7 records?
Despite his volatility, TG was a much more proven commodity. We knew what he could do with the defense. We saw what he could do at Rice. He came back and won immediately at TU. Most importantly, all the people involved in the decision had been familiar with him for at least five to six years. Paying to keep him made sense. Here, there isn't that same level of familiarity, so the risk is higher.
Is it more risky to lay your money on him and weather the storm that will result on campus or is it more risky to go find another young coach just like him?
Kragthorpe, Graham, Montgomery, the people doing the deciding have a pretty good track record. I think we know what their decision will be.
