Dream Job?

Is leading The U a dream job? (Photo Credit: 247Sports.com)

Written By: Nathan Skinner (@Canedude08)
                 Canes Rising Contributor


What makes a position attractive to a candidate? While the answers vary between professions,  for a college football coach, an attractive position is one in which he can win at a high level.  In college football, there's only so many elite jobs available, and recently, ESPN attempted to rank the top 25 jobs in college football.  Miami was ranked 23rd, and while fans are up in arms, I'm here to say that the ranking was just.  The Miami job is a great job, but it isn't elite. 

What does a coach need in order to win? Obviously,  talented players are at the top of the list, no coach can consistently win big with mediocre talent.  In college football, coaches get to pick the talent via recruiting, and location is key.  Even though players can play anywhere in the country, thanks to mass media making most games easily accessible, most players choose to stay in their home region.  Therefore, jobs in  California, Texas, Florida and Georgia are a little more valuable, thanks to their proximity to top talent. It's a lot easier to sell a local kid on heading off to Local U, instead of leaving the region to attend another institution. Talent is worthless if it isn't put in position to succeed, that's where coaching has to come into play. It's safe to say that the head coach won't be teaching the second string offensive guard how to defeat a bull rushing defensive lineman, that's the job of his assistant coaches. Great assistants are as valuable as gold, and are just as expensive.  That's become even more true over the last decade, as salaries have exploded.  An elite assistant was once fortunate to make $250,000 per season, now assistants are earning more than ever.  How can a coach meet the steadily rising salary demands of assistants? Well connected, loyal boosters, that's how. Colleges are non profit organizations, so donors are key to any endeavor.  Most football powers have loyal alumni groups, who donate funds to the program, and make sure that the coaching staff is able to work with minimal distraction.  From the Texas Exes at UT-Austin, the Bull Gators at the University of Florida, all the way to the Golden 'Canes here at The U,  these groups make it possible for football programs to operate.  Need a new weight lifting complex? Consider it done.  Need to update the locker room? No problem whatsoever. Need to pay that hotshot offensive coordinator? Most will cut the check by the close of the business day. The point is that booster organizations are the financial backbone of athletic departments, and by extension, the football program.  Obviously, the larger and more loyal the booster organization, the better.  Therefore, it helps to have a large pool of potential donors, most of whom are alumni.  

Talented players, and unlimited resources are great, but it doesn't matter if you are forced to report to a gaggle of bean counters.  A leadership structure that doesn't cripple the program is crucial to success, especially when it comes to admissions.  Coaches need wide berth in regards to admitting academically marginal student-athletes, especially in states where public education isn't a priority.  At some institutions, coaches are given a set number of academic exemptions, and if those players remain eligible, the coach then earns more exemptions.  An example of this would be Pete Carroll at Southern Cal. At USC, exemptions are called "Presidentials", and as Carroll won on the field, and players stayed eligible and ultimately graduated, he was given more Presidentials every recruiting cycle.  That's a very attractive perk.  Quality of life is also something that makes a job desirable.  While some coaches prefer to live in small college towns, a lot want to live in metropolitan areas.  That makes places like Austin, Dallas and Los Angeles a little more attractive.

Is Miami a great job? That's what this is all about, considering that we're a Miami-centric blog.  That answer is very complex, and requires one to look at the Miami job objectively.  If you are a coach, and you are considering Miami, the first thing that jumps out at you is the local talent pool.  South Florida has some of the best talent in the country, and is full of difference makers at every position.  If you want proof, go and take a look at the ESPN 300, and note how many recruits are from the state of Florida.  A coach can exclusively recruit the state, and come away with a ton of talent.  It's even better when you realize how much of that elite talent is located south of Tampa.  Talent will never be an issue at Miami, barring total incompetence. Those student-athletes will be working in some of the best facilities in the country, as Miami has upgraded in that area.  While the facilities aren't as palatial as the ones found at other football powers, they are more than adequate, and for the first time in a while, Miami looks to be closing what was once a chasm.  Miami also offers a work environment that is relaxed to say the least.  Miami isn't a typical college town, it's a major metropolis, which means people aren't obsessed with the 'Canes.  There's professional sports, an active nightlife, and other diversions. You will rarely come across people like Phyllis from Mulga.  Miami fans are passionate about the program, but because of the fact that there's the NBA, NHL, and NFL readily available, the level of obsession isn't as high.  While that obsession may lead to more fannies in the seats on Saturdays, it also means that coaches have to deal with people who may be a little detached from reality. In the areas of quality of life, and available talent, Miami grades out very highly.  Let's now take a look at the University itself. 

Miami is a private institution with just over fifteen thousand students. That means that the administration is forced to act differently than their peers at larger institutions.  For example, Miami has academic standards that are slightly higher than the NCAA minimums.  It isn't because the administration hates athletics, it's because of a lack of fluff majors, due to the size of the institution.  In exchange for having higher academic standards, Miami coaches are allowed to recruit student-athletes from junior colleges, and preparatory schools.  Miami's athletic department with the help of the admissions department also formulates academic road maps that give at risk recruits a path to admission. Academic roadmaps aren't a topic of discussion amongst football observers, but it is a hot topic of discussion amongst coaches, especially coaches at smaller institutions.  Having a path to admission for marginal student-athletes isn't as good as having an open door policy, but it's far better than the alternative.

 Miami may be competitive in regards to student athlete admissions, but the financial support has been spotty over the least decade.  The University administration hasn't been  willing to open the purse strings.  Some of that can be attributed to a lack of funds thanks to a small donor base, and a fickle, inconsistent fanbase, but a majority of the problem is the administration itself. Miami, knowing that the donor base is small, and the fanbase isn't consistent enough to offset the shortfall, has rarely looked to fundraise.  When the 'Canes were on top in the early part of the last decade, the administration didn't take advantage of that success, choosing to ignore numerous revenue opportunities. That inaction has not only left Miami fighting from behind in regards to facilities, it's made Miami one of the lowest salaried positions in the country. Al Golden is currently making 2.25 million dollars per year, which makes him the  42nd highest paid coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision(FBS).  Compared to some of the upper end salaries, 2.25 million looks like minimum wage.  It's not only bad for the head man, Miami has historically been on the low end when it comes to assistant salaries as well.  While Miami isn't required to release salary information, it's well known that assistants are woefully underpaid.  This is a big knock against Miami, because no coach can win without good assistants.  It's hard to find good assistants as is, but to retain them when the salaries aren't competitive with peer institutions is almost impossible. There is hope however, as Athletic Director Blake James has taken the lead and started some aggressive fundraising campaigns: The Football Victory Fund, and Building Champions.  While The U may never be able to completely close the gap, salaries are increasing, as proven by James Coley's alleged $500,000 per year salary.  Having a responsive administration makes this job attractive, but the decade of neglect shows that the administration needs prodding on occasion.  That isn't the case at most football powers.

The question remains: Is Miami a dream job? Is it the kind of job that coaches see as their last stop? Miami isn't that job, there's too many obstacles in the way.  Most of those obstacles come as a result of being a private institution, and having a small donor base.  However, Miami is a very good job, it's a job in which a coach can realistically believe that a national championship is attainable. Four different coaches have won titles while at The U, and three of those coaches parlayed that success into bigger jobs.  Miami isn't the typical football factory, it does require a unique coach, someone that can navigate obstacles.  Howard Schnellenberger,  Jimmy Johnson, and Dennis Erickson successfully navigated those obstacles, and won as a result.  This job isn't for lifers,  this is a job that prepares you for the NFL, or for a larger program.  Fans shouldn't worry about whether successful coaches are going to stay until retirement, they should worry about whether the Athletic Director understands that any coach they hire that succeeds will leave and they will have to make another good hire.  Therefore, it's on the AD to always be on the lookout for qualified candidates.  It's a Moneyball approach, but with football coaches replacing second basemen.  Miami is a program that has to stray from the herd, The U has to find value where others don't. When done correctly, national championships invariably follow.