OT - Western rumored to be offering PJ Fleck $30 mil over 10 years to stay

He should go to Cincy if Oregon doesn't come through. No upside to staying at Western. Houston has shown what a well regarded AAC team can rise to and the mere fact that the CFPC was considering jumping Navy over Western should indicate to him how the conferences are perceived.  

He should go to Cincy if Oregon doesn't come through. No upside to staying at Western. Houston has shown what a well regarded AAC team can rise to and the mere fact that the CFPC was considering jumping Navy over Western should indicate to him how the conferences are perceived.  

He should definitely take this. All of the really hard work has already been done, and he can continue to focus on recruiting and such. WMU seems like they are trying to increase their stature as a school, and having a respected football program will help this a lot more than people realize.

Good money for the MAC but he's gone.

this is exactly what I heard last weekend from a friend who is a wmu alum. He says the money will come from multiple sources; a group working together to try and retain their man. Rumor has it that his dream job should not be open for roughly a decade, wherever that may be.   Obviously wouldn't be his alma mater - lateral move so thinking it could be a job in the BIG or another P5 school. But agree, 30 million for a guy that was teaching elementary school a few short years ago. Future is very bright and I can't see him turning down an offer of that nature. Have no idea what the head man is making in the MAC but I'm guessing this is keeping in line with what Kill made when he took the MN job. 

There is no way he will stay at WMU, at least for the long term. If there is no job he likes this year, he will likely wait another year or two to see if anything opens. Might as well take that money while he can and worry about buying the remaining contract money on a later date.

Wow, got to hand it to WMU. They ain't messin' around. I know Fleck has got bigger dreams than Kalamazoo, but he ought to at least consider it.

That's $30 million in the bank to continue being the big fish in a small pond. The question he has to ask himself is if he wants to compete at the highest level. Sorry, but WMU will never win a national title no matter what he does there.

Coaches learn their methods at a place like WMU. But they don't become great there. Not a legend. A school like Notre Dame, Texas, USC, OSU, or Michigan is where the world will remember your name. He seems like the kind of guy who will be filling those jobs one day.

what's left to row?

WMU currently loses $25 million each year on athletics. That's $1000 from each student at the school.

WMU (and EMU and CMU) need to be looking at ways to be cutting tens of millions of dollars from their budget deficits (e.g., dropping to FCS; getting a huge endowment from some rich dude), not potentially adding to it or just keeping the status quo.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/page/michigans_mac_colleges_subsidi…

Goes a real long way. Expectations aren't incredible as they are in other parts of the world. I'd have some kind of guarantee, I'd take it.

Take the $$$$, P.J.  You could totally Ferentz the next decade and cash in again with an extension after a decent year 8 win/loss record.

Take the money. Be the next Peterson. He'll only be 46 when the deal is up

If true, I agree with the majority on here: take the money. Making P5 money with lower expectations and not getting "Charlie Stronged" (or "Hoked" take your pick) if things don't go according to plan. Aside from money, it would be fun to become a legendary coach in one school that needs a strong leader to stay for the long haul. Think about it: we still have a thread about Bo on here every day...

and make WMU a powerhouse mid-major

If this is true, I hope he takes it, just as long as he gets rid of that stupid RTB slogan. Broncos don't have hands, how can they row?! But that's just my 2 cents

As a wealthy WMU grad, I called Kathy B direct on her mobile and offered her str8 cash, homey.

IF big money donors wanted to push WMU in to big time football now might be the time.

next few years may see big changes with expanded playoffs and limiting access to playoffs

on average best team in the MAC is not much.

NEEDS: coaching, facilities, recruiting budget, ? better conference.

 

 

 

i would take it and stay where the kids love you. small town is way  better than a big one. it is only money. 

There could be big changes in conference realignment in the next few years. Lets not assume the landscape will remain the same. Western may be in a position to capitalize when this happens. Also, I am willing to bet Western's incoming freshman class increases significantly next year. Paying $3 million for a good football team which drives campus enrolment may not be a bad deal. If Western can capture the K'zoo and GR area with even secondary interest to the big boys, they will have a nice audience. Point being, there are a lot of reasons to pay a coach to have a good football team.

Couldn't find more recent data in a tidy format.....

He will be rowing his boat in some cash for awhile.