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twitterRON KANTOWSKI:
Stay on, Coach, and earn it first
Why UNLV should ignore Mike Sanford’s overtures to extend his contract
Sam Morris
UNLV head coach Mike Sanford cheers his team after it scored during the first quarter of the game against TCU on Nov. 1, 2008.
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 | 2 a.m.
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Did you catch Mike Sanford on the Channel 8 news Monday night, talking about a contract extension in a tone that bordered on defiance?
Sanford supposedly will meet with Athletic Director Mike Hamrick after Thanksgiving or whenever San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley is done throwing TD passes, whichever comes first, to discuss a contract extension.
An extension is the wrong topic for Sanford and Hamrick’s conversation.
Sanford should instead apologize to Hamrick for losing to one of the worst teams in college football by three touchdowns with a bowl berth riding on the outcome, and leave it at that.
The coach said it’s important the athletic director — geez, you’d think they’d be on a first-name basis after four years — show him some love by granting him an extension of a contract that doesn’t even run out until after next season.
I guess this is what happens when you win a few close games against inferior opponents. All of a sudden you become Amos Alonzo Stagg, or one of those other coaching legends who have Division III playoff games named for them. Actually, Charlie Weis is more like it. More on him later.
The status quo in college football is that coaches receive contract extensions that will keep them at a school for a minimum of three years, but usually for five. This ostensibly is done so they can tell Johnny “Blue” Chipper that if he verbally commits to good ol’ State U., he can do so knowing the next Amos Alonzo Stagg isn’t going to bolt for the greener pastures of Disco Tech before Chipper stops going to class, blows out a knee or transfers to Baylor because of lack of playing time.
Just ask the boosters who lured Nick Saban to LSU how that works.
“I don’t know why they do it. These contracts are becoming too one-sided,” Mike Brown, a Clemson grad who represents Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, told CBSSports.com.
Brown compared the buyout clauses in these contracts to a prenuptial agreement. “They call it liquidated damages, but when they’re being negotiated there’s no bean counter who comes up with an Excel spreadsheet. The coach says, ‘What number can I live with if I get fired’ and the schools say, ‘What number can I live with if I fire you?’ ”
These contract extensions turn out of be college football’s version of Wall Street’s golden parachutes.
Let’s look at Weis. After guiding former Notre Dame coach Ty Willingham’s players to a 9-2 record in 2005, he was rewarded with a 10-year — 10-year! — contract extension halfway through the next season. Two years later, Notre Dame can’t even beat hapless Syracuse. Now Notre Dame — or at least a great majority of its fans — wants to ditch Weis the same way the cool kids want to dump the tag-along class nerd.
If Hamrick is even thinking about throwing more money that UNLV doesn’t have at Sanford, he must first consider Charlie Weis and Notre Dame. Or at least try to schedule them. Then he must consider the financial institutions and the automakers and the passengers on the S.S. Minnow and anybody else seeking a bailout.
And then he must consider the taxpayers who will help pay for it.
The economy is shot and a lot of kids won’t be getting an Xbox or even a G.I. Joe with the kung-fu grip for Christmas and Sanford has the gumption to ask for a contract extension? Move over, Billy Bob Thornton, there’s a new Bad Santa in town.
If Sanford is concerned rivals are going to use his contract against him in recruiting, he should first have the past two decades of UNLV football expunged from the record books because that’s the more potent ammunition against UNLV recruiting.
I can just hear Pete Carroll now. “Son, you don’t want to go UNLV. They stink. And the parking lot at the stadium is a mess. So why don’t you come to USC instead? We’ll even put your name on one of the seats at the end of our bench. Then, after a couple of years, you can always transfer to UNLV, where they will anoint you savior of the program before you blow out your knee.”
One more thing about the fallacy of these long-term contracts. A kid who signs with a school has a guaranteed scholarship, regardless of who the head coach is. Sure, you might have to prove yourself to a new coach. That didn’t seem to bother Casey Flair, who was recruited by John Robinson but blossomed into the Rebels’ all-time leading pass receiver under Sanford.
Do I think Sanford should be back as coach? Absolutely. And despite his 11-36 record. The Rebels were much improved this season, and that’s the first time in his four seasons that anybody who doesn’t look at the program through scarlet and gray colored glasses could say that. Besides, it’s not like they’re going to get Urban Meyer to take his place.
Do I think he should receive a multiyear contract extension before his current one is up? Absolutely not. And that’s not just because UNLV is in no jeopardy of losing him or because the economy is shot. That’s because I grew up the son of a steelworker who believed that if a man worked hard until the big whistle blew, the foreman would be more than happy to have him back the next day.
Isn’t that the American way? It is in Gary, Ind.
I think Mike Sanford is a nice guy who might even turn out to be a decent football coach, although the jury is still way out on that one. But when he sits down with the athletic director next week, and it is determined a contract extension is forthcoming, rather than accept it he should tell the athletic director to use the money so the team and cheerleaders can get to next year’s games on an airplane instead of a bus.
Discussion: 23 comments so far…
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Much improved? Maybe a little, but that's not saying much after the prior failures. Sanford is a loser, a terrible coach and needs to be replaced. If he's unhappy, let him quit. The supposed offensive genius behind the success of Urban Meyer and Alex Smith at Utah is a fraud. He's no game tactician, can't recruit and he's a ticking time bomb as we saw at Iowa State a year ago.
"That's because I grew up the son of a steelworker who believed that if a man worked hard until the big whistle blew, the foreman would be more than happy to have him back the next day."
Really? All the steelworkers in Gary I know are members of the United Steelworkers Union, Local 1066... Believe me, they have a contract, Buddy, and it gets extended long before the thing runs out.
Sanford is building from scratch at UNLV and all AD's are aware of next to impossible task he took on.
No one has EVER run the Spread better than Sanford did at Utah... With the last three national champions running the offense Sanford helped create (this year's contenders all run the Spread as well), he'll be snapped up in a skinny minute if your penny-pinching AD doesn't sign him.
I'm a Gator fan, and our current OC appears to be moving on to a head coaching job. Man oh man, would I love to see Sanford as OC running the Spread with the lights-out talent we have in G'ville.
I'll start the message boards buzzin' in the Gator Nation that Sanford may be available for '09.
Looks like the buzz has already started... imagine that.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/86169...
I have to agree with Rockne .
Both about using the "hard working" union steelworker analogy (albeit for a different reason -- too many "Journeyman" union guys in every trade rest on their laurels and slide by, working only as hard as necessary....just ask the hardworking apprentices....) but also on Sanford's skill at putting together a good and often exciting offense.
He finally will have his own recruits in place. He has not one but two quarterbacks that might both actually have the smarts, talents and leadership capabilities to be able to finally give us play above and beyond just the hype we've seen from their predecessors the past 8 years.
I think Ed Graney at the RJ has the idea... bring in Rocky Long to run the defense... if the egos can co-habitat on UNLV's tiny budget there might be a chance to really build UNLV into not only a league power house but a perennial bowl contender.
Give them both 5 years and lets see what can be done. Sanford is a proven offensive commodity and he is passionate about coaching. He isn't always candid and is full of cliches in interviews but I think he deserves a chance to finish what he has started here.
I am a CA. transplant-- here for almost 15 years now... I have been a loyal UNLV fan for all of them (I wish the games weren't played on the other side of the world in a dust bowl) I feel I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am not a masochist and I can't stand the idea of starting all over with another regime.
Give Sanford 5 more and lets get a new stadium! ...it is a shame that the money isn't here for one... especially in this town, where money is the main commodity.
Mike Sanford has never won a MWC Road Game! He is 0-16 at UNLV vs. the MWC on the road! This bum is demanding a contract extension? HE HAS NEVER WON A MWC ROAD GAME! 0-16. SHOW HIM THE DOOR! He should have been fired last December.
Three out of the Five teams UNLV beat this season FIRED THEIR COACHES! Utah State, New Mexico and Wyoming all told their coaches to hit the road. SDSU also fired their coach who was 3-0 against Mike Sanford.
Demanding a contract extension? Sanford has never won a Conference Road Game. Get the F out of here!
Rocky Long running the D and Sanford running the O? Sounds like a winning combination.
Sanford finally has SOME of his recruits in place and ready to play ball... about 50% of a team he can call his, by my count... if you don't count Freshmen... I don't.
Let's remember, Sanford's Spring '05 recruiting class was pretty much a done deal before Sanford started coaching at UNLV... not really his recruits. So, he had only his Spring '06 and '07, (and Freshman '08 class) to work with this year.
Next year, he'll have three developed recruiting classes, '06, '07 and '08. Getting rid of Sanford before he can field a team of his own players would be... well, kinda dumb.
HOLY CRAP!!!!!
I just Googled Sanford's salary and found Kantowski's missive on the subject. $150,000????? Unbelievable!!!
Sanford must be enormously committed to the UNLV program to put up with a paycheck like that. He'd make THREE TIMES that as OC at any major program in the country! He probably has a few offers in his back pocket as we speak.
$150,000??? I'm floored!
Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach. Sign Coach.
When I first saw the title for the article I thought, here we go again, nothing but negativity from the usual dilweeds who know next to nothing about football and the basic knowledge of running a program. Refreshingly, we actually had a lot of posts with very good merit and solid points. Kudos to Rockne and Tryin2cope, you've articulated what I've been trying to express over the course of the season to non believers. Sufferin' is his usual loser self I see and Jenna, well, I think the name says it all. Can't recruit? Well, for example (although there are many), he had enough vision to give Omar Clayton a shot as a walk on when no one else would. Last I checked, that turned out very well, as did so many others, especially on offense. Hiring Rocky Long would go a long way towards legitimizing the program. I hope Sanford sees it that way too.
I've gone back and forth on the subject of keeping Sanford. Bottomline is that 2008 was an improved year over the previous years fiasco. Sanford seems to get his team up for "headline getting" games like Iowa and Arizona but fails at preparing the Rebels for the games that REALLY matter. (See CONFERENCE GAMES)
Guys that have been successful at the offensive coordinator level don't always transfer that talent when taking on the title of head coach. Think Weis or Martz. That being said, if Sanford steps back from his apparent/current ego trip in the face of a miserable San Diego showing, giving him a few more years (at a paltry salary to boot) shouldn't do any further damage to a program that has been struggling to find itself for years.
Until consistent success arrives we can all be thankful that Rebel basketball is back on track.
Logic 101 pop quiz for Mike Kantowski...
Subject: The timing of Sanford's request for an extension.
Quiz Questions:
What is Sanford's reason for urgency... couldn't this be done in March?
When will other coaching jobs most likely be filled? March? or in the next few weeks.
Has the Spread gained huge momentum in the past few years?
What 10 names would be on your list of Spread OC's if you were head-hunting this Fall?
Can you read the Handwriting on the wall?
What does it say?
Hamrick might want to take a shot at the above pop quiz as well.
One more question for Kantowski... do you think you could get your dad's union rep to cut Sanford's new deal with Hamrick? With Sanford's 80 hour workweeks and year-round responsibilities, he'd make a helluva lot more money under the steelworker's contract than the contract he's under now... do the math! :)
Valid points Rockne: Keep Sanford!
The real University of Nevada owns the Fremont Cannon and Nevada Coach Ault will always out coach Mike Sanford
Ty Willingham could win with Sanford's players. UNLV would find the dough to pay him.
Another OC "guru" with a mediocre head coaching record: Norv Turner.
Good for Sanford, maybe his calling is OC for some BCS school. Maybe our fit is better with someone else.
Mike Sanford should get Chris Ault to speak to Hamrick on his behalf regarding the extension.
Coach Sanford could use some psychological counseling as well.
Didn't you morons also lose last Saturday. Go post on your own moronic sites.
anyone who wants sandford back was not at reno game this year... or last year... or the year before that. he's not good. mabye unlv is a lost cause, but sandford is not good at what he does.
To Rockne, et al:
Glad to see a lively discussion about this topic.
A couple of follow-up points and observations:
--- That $150,000 salary mentioned is Mike Sanford's base salary only. With his coaching show and other perks, it's roughly $425,000, if memory serves. (I had a copy of his contract on my desk but the cleaning crew or the Utah secondary must have made off with it.)
--- My old man didn't believe in unions. He thought if a man worked hard, they were unnecessary. All I know is when the union went on strike when I was a kid, my mom had to break open our piggy banks so we could eat. So although their purpose was well intended, I'm not a big fan of unions, either.
--- Nobody on this end of the computer wants Mike Sanford gone. I just think it would be prudent to see how he does next year before redoing his contract during brutal economic times.
--- I will never be a fan of long-term contracts, or at least contract extensions. But if the Rebels have a winning season next year, you won't hear me complain (at least not too loudly) about Mike Sanford getting one.
--- As for him joining Urban Meyer at Florida, I'm told they're not exactly best pals anymore, at least not since Sanford said he -- and not Meyer -- was responsible for the Utah spread. As I recall, the Utes did OK against Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl without Sanford, but that's not to say he didn't have anything to do with its success.
--- Oh yeah -- Happy Thanksgiving to all you guys. Even if we don't always agree, one of the things I always give thanks for at this time of the year are those who read and write.
Thanks for the comments, Ron. I would also like to see Sanford stay. I'm a football fan first and foremost, and am a huge admirer of the Spread offense. As to the Utah Spread... I think no one has run the Spread better than Sanford at Utah, before or after. Mullen at Florida hasn't come close (though with blue-chip talent six-deep, he's done well enough).
My sense is that Sanford is looking for a little support from the administration in the form of an extension (and that he is already fielding serious and lucrative offers)... at 150K base, I can't see the problem for UNLV. The additional monies typically come from shoe companies and TV sponsors and the like... no skin off the AD's nose. If the AD is skittish, let any increases by derived from stated goals... 8 wins, bowl appearance, MWC standings, etc.
If you really want Sanford to stay, Ron, you may want to reconsider tying Hamrick's hands (as to a contract extension) from your influential position in the UNLV forum of public opinion... would a three year extension be so bad? (if '09, '10, and '11 look anything like I'm guessing, you may wish you went for a much longer deal, though).
I've been following the Spread since Jack Elway ran a form of it in the 80's. If I were making a very short list of the best Spread OC's for a big-time program, it would be Coach Rod, Chip Kelly at Ore., and Mike Sanford... Sanford would be #1. Mullen at Florida would be at 10 or 11.
All that said Ron, I enjoy your wit and your insights, and I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving.
If they give Stanford a contract extension and raise tuition 25% next semester like they say they might there will not be any students to go to the game. I for one will not be able to afford a 25% tuition increase and will not be able to go to school for a while. They need to put that money into the students rather than an unproven football coach. 5-7 is an improvement but not enough to be rewarded a contract extension.
Kudos to Alex and Christine on the video... brilliant piece of work.