CC: What can JH ask for in a contract?

Submitted by StephenRKass on

I'm curious how the coaching contract dance works. Is this done offer, counter-offer? Is this "take it or leave it?" I just don't know.

It seems to me, however, that JH is in a position of huge strength, and Michigan is not. As such, Jimmy would be able to ask for or demand conditions be met that he wouldn't otherwise have the leverage to expect. And should Stanford win the Orange Bowl, that leverage would only increase. Conversely, DB may feel the need to offer more than he might have otherwise.

Previously, there was always the sense in compensation offered of "this is Michigan. That should be enough." Our coaches were well paid, but not obscenely so. Now, I think that many in the Michigan fanbase and the administration would approve of opening the pocketbook to bring JH on as our new coach. And the fact that we are paying RR at least $2.5 mil to walk is not chump change either.

CRex

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:01 PM ^

I'm pretty sure right now JH could demand peoples heads on pikes and parts of the alumni base would be willing to deliver.

Seriously though I think we all realize we have to pay JH NFL money but ideally the payment will be done through clauses that lead to bonuses / payouts to cut down on the initial sticker shock.

Jon Benke

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^

Nick Saban - $6M

Mack Brown - $5.1M

Bob Stoops - $4.3M

Lane Kiffin - $4M

Les Miles - $3.9M

Jim Tressel- $3.8M

Kirk Ferentz - $3.7M

Mark Richt - $3M

Jim Grobe - $2.9M

Bobby Petrino - $2.7M

Gary Pinkel - $2.5M

Rich Rodriguez - $2.5M

Houston Nutt - $2.5M

Chip Kelly - $2.4M

Jeff Tedford - $2.3M

Paul Johnson - $2.3M

Turner Gill - $2.1M

Derek Dooley - $2.1M

 

I think it'll take UM 4M a year, and I hope they pay!

MBAgoblue

January 3rd, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^

No, exploding salaries are a reaction to revenue growth at the big schools. The piles of money OSU, Texas, and Florida earn must be spent on something other than players and ends up in coach salaries. Spending at the top pushes salaries up at lesser schools to stay competitive, even as they lose money

WolvinLA2

January 3rd, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^

Every coach on that list making 3+ million (8 coaches) has been to multiple BCS bowls (except Kiffin), five of them have made the BCS championship game and four (half) of them have won a BCS title. 

Now, does Harbaugh deserve that kind of money?  Probably, but his resume is weaker than all of the top 8 save Kiffin, unless you count his stint as an NFL head coach to be worth something.  I'd be OK with giving him Lane Kiffin money though, and if USC can give Kiffin 4 mil a year, we can give that to Harbaugh.  And based on what NFL teams tend to pay their rookie coaches, I think we'd get him with 4.

James Burrill Angell

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:05 PM ^

For sure, GOLDEN TOILET!!!!

Seriously, pretty much from a college, compensation only to a point. A point that most NFL teams can surpass. He would also likely try to minimize any kind of restraints (financial or otherwise) that would encumber a move to the NFL at some point. Although under ordinary circumstances, that would likely be a sticky point, with this many suitors, I'm sure Brandon would have to cave on this. Beyond this, control over the program and hirings and firings but i can't imagine that would be a sticking point. That and perhaps if he wants control over hirings among the administrative people who are ordinarily Athl. Dept. employees/hires. 

If its really just about the money, we're not going to be able to beat out a motivated NFL owner but we need to come up pretty close and then it will be about Alma Mater versus crazy cheese and whether he wants to stay out in California.

robpollard

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:06 PM ^

Seriously, if I were JH, I'd ask to be the highest paid coach in all of college sports.  Currently, that's Nick Saban at $6 mil a year.

JH has shown he is a man of no small ego (not unusual for a football coach, but he's still in the top percentile even among his peer group).  Unless he REALLY wants this job and no other job will do (which doesn't seem to the case), I'd ask for NFL money, plus a little something from all the old-school alumni who will be slobbering at his name.

Thus, I'd ask for $6.1 million a year, with an escalator for winning certain things (B1G championships, Rose Bowls), over 5 years.  If Brandon doesn't like it, tell him to enjoy the coaching search and I'll see him in the NFL.

WolvinLA2

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:21 PM ^

Yeah, no way.  JH is a hot commodity, but 6 mil is a lot and I doubt the NFL teams are offering him that.  If we were in the market for a 6 million dollar head coach, I think we'd have a lot of options.  I bet we could get him for 4, and there's no doubt the alumni would make that happen. 

We could probably find a group of 5-6 alumni who would pay JH's contract up front for the first 5 years if he came here. 

robpollard

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:31 PM ^

I agree new NFL coaches typically make around $3 million (they often don't announce terms, so it's hard to know), but it's impossible to have more leverage than JH does right now with UM.  That's why the # could be so high.

Seriously, if DB ends this week w/o JH, there is no one - not Brady Hoke (sample response: "What's he done?"), not Gary Patterson (sample response: "Sure he's won a BCS bowl, but he comes from a nothing conference -- just like RR did!), not Pat Fitzgerald (sample response: "You're replacing a 7-6 coach with another 7-6 coach who's never won a bowl game?") - who will remotely calm the fan base.

Top college coaches make $5mil plus a year. It's not remotely unprecedented for that amount to be spent. JH does not have the track record of Mack Brown, Urban Meyer, or Nick Saban (who are in that top group), but it doesn't matter -- DB (or to the point, alumni) will have to pay up if he wants his guy.

The NFL part is JH saying, "Fine, you don't want to give me that money.  I'll go coach the 49ers."  The man has options; DB really doesn't.

WolvinLA2

January 3rd, 2011 at 7:13 PM ^

The NFL part is JH saying, "Fine, you don't want to give me that money.  I'll go coach the 49ers."  The man has options; DB really doesn't.

That's only if the 49ers offer him that much, and if he'd rather coach the 49ers.  Let's say if the money is equal, JH would rather coach UM (not a bad assumption).  If he wants 5 million from us but the 9ers will only pay 3.5, then he doesn't have a lot of room to negotiate.  Unless an NFL team offers 5 million or more (which would make JH one of the highest paid HCs without any NFL experience and very little high-level college experience) we should be able to match an NFL offer. 

Pete Carroll is an outlier, he got paid like crazy, but he has coached in the NFL with decent success and was dominant at the NCAA level for nearly a decade. 

profitgoblue

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:07 PM ^

I googled "crazy contract clauses" and came up with the following site that lists a bunch of crazy clauses in MLB contracts.  Maybe Harbaugh could insist on some of these?  For example, he could insist on eight premium tickets for home games like Jason Schmidt of the Dodgers did in his employment contract.  Check it out:

http://jorgesaysno.blogspot.com/2009/08/crazy-contract-clauses.html

dr eng1ish

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:08 PM ^

Harbaugh holds all the cards. Everyone wants him, and he can play us all off of each other. I don't know how the process works but I imagine it's gonna take a boatload to get him, which probably hurts our chances given that we're bidding against NFL teams, but might not be significant

UAUM

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^

At some point, money is no object and it becomes about what you truly want and other aspects of the job.  Really, what's the difference between having $3.5 million per year or $5million.  Either way you can buy ANYTHING YOU WANT, pretty much for life.

And that is why Michigan is in a better position.  Michigan is a storied non-profit institution that JH could bring back from the dark ages.  He would be a hero.  He could stay as long as he was reasonably competitive.  Plus, the college athletes are much easier to coach - they don't have the $$ yet, so they're still willing to work hard to get ahead.  Pro athletes are already there and not as easily motivated.  Finally, there's no such thing as playing for the "pride" of your team in the NFL - it's just adult entertainment.  Nobody ever graduated from the 49ers or the Patriots.  People care about universities because they have a connection to them. 

Come on Jimmy!

hail2mich

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:10 PM ^

Well for starters he wants a calzone of his own... and a slice of pepperoni pizza and a large soda. And three times a week he will require a canolie .

Lebowski

January 3rd, 2011 at 5:12 PM ^

Lots of Skittles.  And none of those effing green ones.  Take 'em out!  If I walk into Blue Front, open a bag and see ONE FUCKING GREEN SKITTLE, I'M GONNA LOSE MY SHIT!

Oh. That reminds me.  I'll need a new crapper installed in my office.