IU coach gets raise and extension.

[Sjslhill]

Sound familiar? The same mistake Barnyard made.

[Pobilly]

AD's are running scared when big jobs open. Helps any coach doing a great job at a school not known as much for football.

[KYWILDCAT41035]

As much as I hate IU and believe you me I hate that school. That dude is doing an amazing job there.

[largebluej]

$93.25 million fully guaranteed, according to what I read. Through 2033.

[Jaxcat]

Big mistake. 8 year extension for a coach who's 64 years old? Once the players he brought from George Mason are gone, are they going to be able to sustain this level? I doubt it as their history is every bit as dismal as ours. So, IU may be stuck with an older coach who can keep them around 7-5 and bumping up against the ceiling of OSU, MI, USC, PSU, IA, WI - very difficult to break through and maintain against those programs with MUCH more money to spend, more emphasis on football and much longer/better history (just ask UK).

[Trueblujr]

As much as I hate IU and believe you me I hate that school. That dude is doing an amazing job there.

But after just a year and a half of success, they're ready to reward him by making him the third highest paid coach in college football? That's a nonsensical contract.

[Trueblujr]

Big mistake. 8 year extension for a coach who's 64 years old? Once the players he brought from George Mason are gone, are they going to be able to sustain this level? I doubt it as their history is every bit as dismal as ours. So, IU may be stuck with an older coach who can keep them around 7-5 and bumping up against the ceiling of OSU, MI, USC, PSU, IA, WI - very difficult to break through and maintain against those programs with MUCH more money to spend, more emphasis on football and much longer/better history (just ask UK).

Actually their history is quite a bit more dismal than ours. Until last season they had only two 9 win season in their history. Zero ten win seasons and just 13 Bowls. Their history is more akin to Vanderbilts than ours.

[Catsrock]

You guys sound just like Paul Finebaum. And he is right. Cignetti’s all shiny and new right now. But they’ll regret that contract.

[BlueHeaven]

Big mistake. 8 year extension for a coach who's 64 years old? Once the players he brought from George Mason are gone, are they going to be able to sustain this level? I doubt it as their history is every bit as dismal as ours. So, IU may be stuck with an older coach who can keep them around 7-5 and bumping up against the ceiling of OSU, MI, USC, PSU, IA, WI - very difficult to break through and maintain against those programs with MUCH more money to spend, more emphasis on football and much longer/better history (just ask UK).

Color me shocked if IU, or any other school for that matter, would falter without players from James Madison. IU has a much worse football tradition than we do. Outside of the Anthony Thompson and Antwan Randle El years, there has been zero excitement with their program until last season. Cignetti is obviously a really good coach. Goes to show that you don't need a big name coach in a power conference to be successful.

[Jaxcat]

But after just a year and a half of success, they're ready to reward him by making him the third highest paid coach in college football? That's a nonsensical contract.

I guess IU hasn't learned a thing from Franklin at PSU and UK's handcuffs with Stoops. In the next couple of years when IU is struggling to reach .500, will their admin look at this contract and think it makes sense? Realistically, IU has almost no chance of being able to sustain this level. I tend to believe their ceiling in the B10 is akin to ours in SEC: .500 or so in conference, 6-9 wins. They cannot compete year after year with USC, PA St, OSU, MI, even WI, IA - just too many variables that they don't have in their favor. Cignetti is obviously a good coach and, unlike the dolts on our staff, he's running a system that doesn't require NFL talent to execute efficiently. But, the fact remains that the big dogs in the conference have a ton of in-state talent, a long history of excellent football, almost unlimited resources, great staffs, etc. I just can't see them being able to do this every year. And, if they become a perennial 7-6, 8-5 team is that REALLY worth >$11M per year?

[Matt Dillon]

I guess IU hasn't learned a thing from Franklin at PSU and UK's handcuffs with Stoops. In the next couple of years when IU is struggling to reach .500, will their admin look at this contract and think it makes sense? Realistically, IU has almost no chance of being able to sustain this level. I tend to believe their ceiling in the B10 is akin to ours in SEC: .500 or so in conference, 6-9 wins. They cannot compete year after year with USC, PA St, OSU, MI, even WI, IA - just too many variables that they don't have in their favor. Cignetti is obviously a good coach and, unlike the dolts on our staff, he's running a system that doesn't require NFL talent to execute efficiently. But, the fact remains that the big dogs in the conference have a ton of in-state talent, a long history of excellent football, almost unlimited resources, great staffs, etc. I just can't see them being able to do this every year. And, if they become a perennial 7-6, 8-5 team is that REALLY worth >$11M per year?

I guess it depends on one's expectations. Given their history, IU might be tickled to death with a .500 conference record and 6-9 wins every season. If Stoops could manage that, I wouldn't be wanting rid of him, 10 million a year salary and all.

[CrimsonCats]

No arguing that it isn’t a big risk after one and a half seasons. I’m not sure the comparison to Stoops is a slam dunk though. With last year’s playoff appearance and beating Oregon on the road this year, he’s arguably already hit higher peaks than Stoops ever did, and now reportedly has huge money flowing into the program from people like Mark Cuban. I could see a world where this more or less works out ok for them. It’ll be interesting to revisit this in a few years.

[Sjslhill]

Mark Cuban, a billionaire changes everything.