On Monday, my colleague Dan Bohm wrote a column criticizing the recent firings of three prominent college football coaches as just another example of how modern sports are “too soft.” While I agree with Bohm’s argument and have no problem with a coach showing a player a little tough love (this column has previously called out Stanford intramural sports for contributing to the softening of its students), we need to ask ourselves if these coaches are the men we want raising the next generation of adults.
I obviously do not condone locking players in storage closets, making players crawl on sun-scorched Astroturf until their hands are burnt or physically assaulting players, but I believe there are worse things for players to be subjected to.
Like their coach deserting them for more money.
The hottest trend in college football since the spread offense has been coaches skipping out on the final years of their contract to take a job at a more prestigious program. What message does that send to their players?
This one: When an opportunity presents itself to add a few more zeroes to your bank account, by all means go ahead and stab in the back an institution that gave you a chance.
The most glaring example is the case of Brian Kelly at the University of Cincinnati. In his fourth season at Cincinnati, Kelly had his preseason unranked Bearcats sitting at a perfect 12-0 and a date against the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl. On the cusp of the most important football game in the history of the school, Kelly decided to leave. Just packed his bags and hightailed it to his new higher paying coaching gig at Notre Dame.
Predictably, Cincinnati was systematically dismantled by Florida, 51-24.
When a coach goes on a recruiting trip, he tries to sell the player on the program. “Hey five-star recruit, I want you to be part of the (insert school name) family. Here at (school name), we don’t look at you as just a player, we treat you like a brother and a son.”
Sounds good. Until Pete Caroll bounces to the NFL before the NCAA doles out sanctions for alleged violations by Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight.
Sounds good. Until Rich Rodriguez signs a contract with Michigan, refuses to coach West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl and then refuses to pay his buyout clause to WVU.
Sounds good. Until Bobby Petrino, only six months after signing a 10-year contract with Louisville, leaves the Cardinals to coach the Atlanta Falcons.
These are the coaches who are supposed to be shaping young men into strong adults?
Even if these coaches were not role models and father figures for the players, there is still an ethical reason for honoring their contracts. When a university signs a coach to a multiyear contract, it is taking a gamble. No matter how bad a coach turns out to be, the university still must pay the contract (or pay a ridiculously high buyout).
Either way, the coach is guaranteed a set amount of money regardless of performance. In turn, the coach tells the university, no matter how good he turns out to be, he will continue to work for the university at the agreed upon rate, for the agreed upon time.
Apparently these coaches play by a different set of rules. And by that, I mean no rules.
Is it really any wonder there are players like Brandon Marshall and JaMarcus Russell — me-first, money-hungry, locker room detractors — in the NFL? Where do you think they learned their selfish behavior? From their me-first, money-hungry college football coaches.
With all due respect, a bruise from a coach’s punch will fade away. The lessons players learn from their coaches do not.
Mike Lazarus is honoring his contract with the Daily’s Ink Bowl team despite interest from the NFL. Congratulate him at mlazarus “at stanford.edu.