Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 9:30:08 GMT -5
Every Friday, the Friday Five will rank something in the world of college football -- anything and everything from the logical to the illogical. This week, we rank the most overpaid coaches in the sport.
Earlier this week Ohio State's Urban Meyer received a contract extension and a raise that will see him paid an average of $6.5 million per year in Columbus. My initial reaction to this news was that it made sense, and that $6.5 million per year is a lot of money for a coach. I then thought that, for Ohio State, Urban's likely worth at least that much to the school on an annual basis.
And then I began thinking about which coaches aren't worth what they're paid.
Which leads to this week's Friday Five. This week I've ranked the five coaches that are the most overpaid in the sport. Now, just in case you aren't one of the 85 percent of readers who have skipped past this introduction and gone straight to the list below, allow me to explain some of the parameters I worked with while compiling this list.
It was essentially math based. I took the salaries coaches were paid in 2014 according to USA Today's database and basically figured out how much each coach was being paid per win. Now, this was not a perfect method, because not every coach's salary is known, particularly at private schools that don't have to disclose such information.
Another requirement I used was that the coach has to have completed three years at his current job. The longer track record gives us a better indication because a coach could have inherited a total dumpster fire and needs time to put it out.
And that's basically it. Some of the coaches you'll see in this list won't come as a surprise to anybody that's been paying attention, but maybe one or two will catch you off guard. Let's find out, shall we?
5. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia, $3,080,000
Things started out very well for Holgo in Morgantown. During his first year with the Mountaineers he won 10 games, grabbed a share of the Big East title, and then laid an absolute beat down upon Clemson in the Orange Bowl. But then West Virginia joined the Big 12 and things haven't gone as smoothly. According to USA Today's database, Holgo was the 23rd highest paid coach in the country last season at $3.08 million, but he's only won 18 games the last three seasons, never finishing higher than fourth in the conference. Simply put, if coaches are judged and paid by results, Holgorsen's results just haven't justified his salary level the last few years.
4. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M, $5,006,000
Kevin Sumlin is hurt more by the amount he's being paid than his actual results here, but even if his spot here surprises you, it's warranted. In 2014 there were only three coaches in the country making more money than Sumlin: Nick Saban, Mark Dantonio and Bob Stoops. Saban and Stoops' track records speak for themselves, and Dantonio has completely turned around the Michigan State program, winning at least 11 games in four of the last five seasons. Sumlin, on the other hand, had a great start in College Station thanks to Manziel-mania. He went 11-2 that first year, beat Alabama, and it looked like the college football world would be his for the taking. But the Aggies' record has gotten progressively worse in the two seasons since, as A&M followed up a nine-win season in 2013 with an eight-win campaign in 2014. I don't think Texas A&M gave Sumlin that $5 million a year to watch the Aggies go 7-9 in SEC play the last two seasons.
3. Mike London, Virginia, $2,303,599
Compared to a lot of other Power Five coaches, Mike London really doesn't make that much. His salary is the 40th-highest overall, and it's the sixth-highest among ACC coaches. What lands London on this list is that he hasn't won much while being paid that salary. London has had one winning seasons in his five seasons with Virginia, and that was an 8-5 campaign 2011. In the three years since the Cavaliers have gone 11-25 overall and 5-19 in ACC play. So when you combine his salary with the lack of results on the field, there's a reason Mike also made another Friday Five list I put together back in January: coaches with the hottest seats in the country.
2. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa, $4,075,000
Kirk Ferentz was amongst the top 10 highest paid coaches in 2014, and all I can say about that is good for him. Seriously. You take whatever they're willing to give you. The problem is that while it's good for Ferentz, it hasn't been as good for Iowa as far as wins are concerned. Ferentz has been at Iowa for 16 seasons, and some of the early returns (particularly between 2002 and 2004 when Iowa won 31 games and two Big Ten titles) no doubt earned Ferentz's salary. The problem recent seasons. Iowa won 11 games in 2009 and then won the Orange Bowl, and since then things haven't gone nearly as well. In the last five seasons the Hawkeyes have averaged 6.8 wins per season (they've gone 34-30), and haven't won more than eight games in any season. They've also gone 19-21 in Big Ten play in that same span. Those results just don't seem worth $4 million per year to me.
1. Mike Leach, Washington State, $2,750,000
Like London before him on this list, it's not Leach's salary that does him in nearly as much as the amount of games he's won. Remember, his success at Texas Tech does not factor in here. Leach tops this list because in three seasons he's won a grand total of 12 games with the Cougars. Now, things looked to be headed in the right direction, as Wazzu followed up a 3-9 season in Leach's first season with six wins in 2013. But then the Cougars went 3-9 again last season. So in his three seasons at Washington State, Leach has made $7,250,000 for 12 total wins, or $604,166.67 per win. That's just not what Washington State was looking for when it hired him.
Honorable Mention: Paul Rhoads, Iowa State; Tim Beckman, Illinois; Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; Steve Spurrier, South Carolina; Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss
Earlier this week Ohio State's Urban Meyer received a contract extension and a raise that will see him paid an average of $6.5 million per year in Columbus. My initial reaction to this news was that it made sense, and that $6.5 million per year is a lot of money for a coach. I then thought that, for Ohio State, Urban's likely worth at least that much to the school on an annual basis.
And then I began thinking about which coaches aren't worth what they're paid.
Which leads to this week's Friday Five. This week I've ranked the five coaches that are the most overpaid in the sport. Now, just in case you aren't one of the 85 percent of readers who have skipped past this introduction and gone straight to the list below, allow me to explain some of the parameters I worked with while compiling this list.
It was essentially math based. I took the salaries coaches were paid in 2014 according to USA Today's database and basically figured out how much each coach was being paid per win. Now, this was not a perfect method, because not every coach's salary is known, particularly at private schools that don't have to disclose such information.
Another requirement I used was that the coach has to have completed three years at his current job. The longer track record gives us a better indication because a coach could have inherited a total dumpster fire and needs time to put it out.
And that's basically it. Some of the coaches you'll see in this list won't come as a surprise to anybody that's been paying attention, but maybe one or two will catch you off guard. Let's find out, shall we?
5. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia, $3,080,000
Things started out very well for Holgo in Morgantown. During his first year with the Mountaineers he won 10 games, grabbed a share of the Big East title, and then laid an absolute beat down upon Clemson in the Orange Bowl. But then West Virginia joined the Big 12 and things haven't gone as smoothly. According to USA Today's database, Holgo was the 23rd highest paid coach in the country last season at $3.08 million, but he's only won 18 games the last three seasons, never finishing higher than fourth in the conference. Simply put, if coaches are judged and paid by results, Holgorsen's results just haven't justified his salary level the last few years.
4. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M, $5,006,000
Kevin Sumlin is hurt more by the amount he's being paid than his actual results here, but even if his spot here surprises you, it's warranted. In 2014 there were only three coaches in the country making more money than Sumlin: Nick Saban, Mark Dantonio and Bob Stoops. Saban and Stoops' track records speak for themselves, and Dantonio has completely turned around the Michigan State program, winning at least 11 games in four of the last five seasons. Sumlin, on the other hand, had a great start in College Station thanks to Manziel-mania. He went 11-2 that first year, beat Alabama, and it looked like the college football world would be his for the taking. But the Aggies' record has gotten progressively worse in the two seasons since, as A&M followed up a nine-win season in 2013 with an eight-win campaign in 2014. I don't think Texas A&M gave Sumlin that $5 million a year to watch the Aggies go 7-9 in SEC play the last two seasons.
3. Mike London, Virginia, $2,303,599
Compared to a lot of other Power Five coaches, Mike London really doesn't make that much. His salary is the 40th-highest overall, and it's the sixth-highest among ACC coaches. What lands London on this list is that he hasn't won much while being paid that salary. London has had one winning seasons in his five seasons with Virginia, and that was an 8-5 campaign 2011. In the three years since the Cavaliers have gone 11-25 overall and 5-19 in ACC play. So when you combine his salary with the lack of results on the field, there's a reason Mike also made another Friday Five list I put together back in January: coaches with the hottest seats in the country.
2. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa, $4,075,000
Kirk Ferentz was amongst the top 10 highest paid coaches in 2014, and all I can say about that is good for him. Seriously. You take whatever they're willing to give you. The problem is that while it's good for Ferentz, it hasn't been as good for Iowa as far as wins are concerned. Ferentz has been at Iowa for 16 seasons, and some of the early returns (particularly between 2002 and 2004 when Iowa won 31 games and two Big Ten titles) no doubt earned Ferentz's salary. The problem recent seasons. Iowa won 11 games in 2009 and then won the Orange Bowl, and since then things haven't gone nearly as well. In the last five seasons the Hawkeyes have averaged 6.8 wins per season (they've gone 34-30), and haven't won more than eight games in any season. They've also gone 19-21 in Big Ten play in that same span. Those results just don't seem worth $4 million per year to me.
1. Mike Leach, Washington State, $2,750,000
Like London before him on this list, it's not Leach's salary that does him in nearly as much as the amount of games he's won. Remember, his success at Texas Tech does not factor in here. Leach tops this list because in three seasons he's won a grand total of 12 games with the Cougars. Now, things looked to be headed in the right direction, as Wazzu followed up a 3-9 season in Leach's first season with six wins in 2013. But then the Cougars went 3-9 again last season. So in his three seasons at Washington State, Leach has made $7,250,000 for 12 total wins, or $604,166.67 per win. That's just not what Washington State was looking for when it hired him.
Honorable Mention: Paul Rhoads, Iowa State; Tim Beckman, Illinois; Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; Steve Spurrier, South Carolina; Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss