Assistant coaches’ salaries spiking in football

Trickle down economics are alive and well in college football. With many contracts being negotiated or finalized, nearly a dozen schools in the NCAA’s 120-school Football Bowl Subdivision have made deals under which they will be spending at least 38% more on their offensive or defensive coordinator in 2010 than they did in 2009. These increases come a year after four assistants — Tennessee’s Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron, Texas’ Will Muschamp and Washington’s Nick Holt — joined Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher in having deals worth at least $600,000 a year. (Kiffin and Orgeron have moved to Southern California, and Fisher has become Florida State’s head coach.) They also come amid continuing financial distress within higher education. – USA Today

New Michigan AD: Football success is critical

(Dave) Brandon had a lot on his calendar Monday, his first day as Michigan’s athletic director, but acknowledged nothing on his list of things to do was more important than his plan for Rich Rodriguez and college football’s winningest program. “It’s critical,” Brandon said. “If you look at the annual revenues that drive this department, football is three-quarters of who we are. It’s essential for that program be successful if our entire athletic department is going to be successful. “I will continue to spend a lot of time with Rich and all of the people associated with the football program to understand it really well and to hopefully make an impact in terms of how we precede going further.” Michigan’s once-proud team has been embarrassed on and off the field lately. The NCAA notified Rodriguez and school officials two weeks ago that the football program is facing five potentially major rules violations in part because its report said Rodriguez “failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program” in regards to time spent on practice and football-related activities. Brandon backed his coach then and on Monday reiterated his support for Rodriguez. “He’s our coach for this season,” Brandon said. “There’s nothing within the framework of the NCAA allegations that led me to believe that it should change his status as our coach.” – Record- Eagle

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Rich Rodriguez won’t be judged on just wins, losses at Michigan

Incoming Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said he’s seen improvements in the football program under Rich Rodriguez and won’t mandate a number of wins Rodriguez needs to keep his job. So how will Brandon evaluate Rodriguez’s performance after the season? “Much like your boss, there’s a lot of different things you look at,” he told AnnArbor.com last month. “Certainly you need to see progress and some of that’s measured by wins and losses, but it’s also measured a lot of other ways. And when I’m in a position where I can evaluate as closely as I need to and I want to, all those metrics and all those measures will be clear between the coach and me.” Michigan is 8-16 in two seasons under Rodriguez and coming off a year in which it tied for last place in the Big Ten. – AnnArbor.com

Jay Jacobs is in control of Auburn athletics

Jay Jacobs is the most powerful Auburn athletics director since Pat Dye.

For 10 years in the big office, David Housel’s options were limited in a lot of areas. When it came to hiring and firing coaches in major sports and other major decisions, there were lots of fingers in the pie.

It became obvious just how dysfunctional the situation was when Housel, trustees Earlon McWhorter and Byron Franklin and president William Walker sneaked away to interview Bobby Petrino two days before the Iron Bowl in 2003.

The trip, along with its atrocious timing, wasn’t Housel’s decision. It was Walker’s. That, along with SACS probation that hit shortly thereafter, changed the way the Auburn athletic department runs.

Even before Housel officially retired, Hal Baird took over as the man in charge of Auburn athletics. But Ed Richardson, who followed Walker as president, was determined to make final hiring decisions. He wouldn’t seriously consider hiring Mike Anderson as basketball coach. He rejected John Pawlowski as baseball coach.

Six years later, Jacobs is firmly in charge of Auburn athletics. He made the call, controversial at the time, to hire Gene Chizik as football coach. He’ll make the call on whether Jeff Lebo returns as basketball coach and he’ll make the call on who replaces Lebo if a change is made.

President Jay Gogue puts it very succinctly: “I don’t fire coaches. I fire athletics directors.”

And that’s as it should be.

No one operates in a vacuum. I’m certain there are people who Jacobs turns to for advice and counsel. But the final decisions are his. The Board of Trustees and president have their proper roles to play, too. But, in the final analysis, for the first time in a long time, the drama and intrigue that were so much a part of Auburn athletics for so long are gone.

And that is refreshing.

Article courtesy AuburnUndercover.com

Notre Dame coaches serving dual roles

Notre Dame assistant football coaches Chuck Martin and Mike Elston will be serving dual roles for head coach Brian Kelly. Martin, the defensive backs coach, was named recruiting coordinator, and Elston, the defensive line coach, was named special teams coordinator Thursday. “Chuck will do a great job coordinating our recruiting efforts because he is very persistent and very organized,” Kelly said in a statement. “With Mike directing our special teams, I expect us to have a similar philosophy as our offensive and defensive units this season and that is to be well coached and aggressive.” Martin worked under Kelly at Grand Valley State and took over when Kelly left for Central Michigan. “We didn’t have a coach with the title of recruiting coordinator at Grand Valley State, so, in essence, I was the recruiting coordinator,” Martin said. “We’re going to be looking for the best players in the country, and we’ll continue to recruit nationally.” – Journal Gazette

USC adds special teams coach from Fresno State

USC announced Thursday that Fresno State assistant coach John Baxter was hired as the Trojans’ special teams and associate head coach. Baxter, 46, spent the past 13 seasons at Fresno State and was one of Bulldogs coach Pat Hill’s original assistants. Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling made 15 of 16 field goals last season, including a school- record 15 in a row. “Hiring John Baxter is something that I thought could probably never happen,” USC coach Lane Kiffin said. “Having him here will be huge for our team on and off the field. “He put together a 13-year run of special teams at Fresno State that were better than any in the country.” Fresno State blocked 83 kicks during Baxter’s tenure and leads the nation with 48 blocked kicks since 2002. – LA Daily News

Nevada’s Chris Ault not worried about hot seat

Chris Ault is approaching spring practice the same way he has his previous 25 spring practices — with a goal to build depth and evaluate newcomers. As for any added pressure coming on the heels of a 2009 season that ended in abject failure, the Nevada football coach said he doesn’t feel it. “Most coaches who won eight games would be pretty pleased. I’m not one of them — not the way it ended,” he said, referring to the Wolf Pack’s 8-4 regular-season record, which preceded a 45-10 loss to SMU in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve. “As far as feeling any pressure, it’s no more than any other spring since I’ve been here. I just want to get better.” – Reno Gazette-Journal

Alabama DC Kirby Smart could be future Georgia head coach?

Recently, Kirby Smart received a $390,000 raise to stay at Alabama as defensive coordinator, rejecting a bid from Georgia, his alma mater. His new deal will pay him $750,000 annually. Is he worth it? Have coaching salaries, particularly for assistants, gotten completely out of whack? Or if you are as good as Smart (did you catch Alabama’s defense this past year?) does it really matter? … My sense is Saban was probably not crazy about having to pay the $750,000 ransom money to keep Smart at Alabama. Not that it comes out of his pocket, but Saban knows that a large differential in pay among assistants is unhealthy and can create problems, even with a loyal and tireless worker like Smart. However, I think in the wake of the national championship (the Georgia offer was probably tendered before Smart even made it back to Tuscaloosa from Pasadena), and with recruiting at full speed, Saban probably signed off on the salary increase, took two aspirin and went to bed. As for the pesky coach in waiting question, I don’t think it ever came up with Smart. Nor do I think Saban is anywhere near the finish line of his career. And who’s to say that when the issue of Smart may arise again — perhaps in a year or two if the Mark Richt tenure comes crashing down in Athens. Certainly Smart had to think about that when the Georgia offer was made. However, I think his worth to Georgia will likely be higher, with perhaps another national championship at Alabama instead of being part of a sinking ship in Athens. – Mobile Press-Register

LSU hires Steve Ensminger

Steve Ensminger, a former starting quarterback for LSU, has been named the school’s tight ends coach, head coach Les Miles announced on Thursday. Ensminger, a 1982 graduate of LSU, played quarterback for the Tigers under head coach Charlie McClendon from 1976-79. Ensminger played in three bowl games at LSU and has followed that by coaching in 10 bowl games as an assistant. “We’re excited about having Steve join our staff,” Miles said. “He comes to LSU with a great deal of coaching experience in the SEC and he knows Louisiana very well. He’s demonstrated expertise in coaching on the offensive side of the ball and he gives us a coach who will be very valuable in recruiting. “He’s also an LSU guy, which just reinforces that this is the right hire for us.” Ensminger comes to LSU after serving as an assistant coach at Auburn from 2003-08. Ensminger spent the 2009 season as the passing game coordinator at Smiths Station High School in Auburn, Ala. – Bayou Bengal Insider

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