As a national headhunter, this was something I've thought about and am extremely torn. You have to factor one's ambition vs. family & security. Although (college football) is not a profession you get into and think about security.
Here are currently the BEST college football openings and what they pay their head coaches. Things to take into account are, salary, family, cost of living standards, recruiting / booster base, team / fan expectations, climate, perks,...etc.
I'd be curious to read your positives and negatives with each job (as I don't have insight to all of them). And which you REALLY believe is the best long term position.
Based on 2015 coaching salaries:
15th nationally, South Carolina - Spurrier $4,028,600 (mild expectations - just beat Clemson, loyal fan base, strong recruiting areas - Carolina's and Florida, Augusta National membership, low cost of living and crystal clear beaches just 90 minutes away - Spurrier had an exclusive beach house worked into his deal).
20th nationally, Mizzouri - Pinkel $3,768,889 (rising SEC expectations, loyal fan base, Kansas City and St. Louis recruiting base, low cost of living, no in-state competition for talent, tough yearly SEC schedule).
36th nationally, Southern California - Sarkisian $2,875,000 (extremely high expectations, can be fickle as a fan base, extremely strong recruiting area, LA sunshine = positive, LA traffic and cost of living = negative, national recruiting platform with great football tradition and history).
38th nationally, Virginia Tech - Beamer $2,775,925 (pedestrian expectations, extremely loyal fan base, low cost of living, good regional recruiting, mountain living, tenured opportunity, dominate divisional ACC competition).
42nd nationally, Miami - Golden $2,539,315 (relatively low base pay, bad facilities, extremely high fan expectations, fertile recruiting area, solid fan base, great weather, good football tradition, private school standards, with possible campus culture clash).
For the record, Bob Stoops is currently 4th - $5,400,000 a year.
Which USC would you take? If you're in your 40's or younger, you'd go with So Cal - ambition and possible dynasties, trump all else. But if you are in your 50's or up, you'd probably take South Carolina for quality of life and reasonable expectations.
Here are currently the BEST college football openings and what they pay their head coaches. Things to take into account are, salary, family, cost of living standards, recruiting / booster base, team / fan expectations, climate, perks,...etc.
I'd be curious to read your positives and negatives with each job (as I don't have insight to all of them). And which you REALLY believe is the best long term position.
Based on 2015 coaching salaries:
15th nationally, South Carolina - Spurrier $4,028,600 (mild expectations - just beat Clemson, loyal fan base, strong recruiting areas - Carolina's and Florida, Augusta National membership, low cost of living and crystal clear beaches just 90 minutes away - Spurrier had an exclusive beach house worked into his deal).
20th nationally, Mizzouri - Pinkel $3,768,889 (rising SEC expectations, loyal fan base, Kansas City and St. Louis recruiting base, low cost of living, no in-state competition for talent, tough yearly SEC schedule).
36th nationally, Southern California - Sarkisian $2,875,000 (extremely high expectations, can be fickle as a fan base, extremely strong recruiting area, LA sunshine = positive, LA traffic and cost of living = negative, national recruiting platform with great football tradition and history).
38th nationally, Virginia Tech - Beamer $2,775,925 (pedestrian expectations, extremely loyal fan base, low cost of living, good regional recruiting, mountain living, tenured opportunity, dominate divisional ACC competition).
42nd nationally, Miami - Golden $2,539,315 (relatively low base pay, bad facilities, extremely high fan expectations, fertile recruiting area, solid fan base, great weather, good football tradition, private school standards, with possible campus culture clash).
For the record, Bob Stoops is currently 4th - $5,400,000 a year.
Which USC would you take? If you're in your 40's or younger, you'd go with So Cal - ambition and possible dynasties, trump all else. But if you are in your 50's or up, you'd probably take South Carolina for quality of life and reasonable expectations.
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