Interesting article on the hiring/firing of college HC's

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Deep in the heart of firing and hiring season, Sporting News takes a look at who's involved in the process and what goes on behind the scenes.


THE BOOSTER

You know this guy -- he's one of the fat cats, one of the big-money types who often get the ball rolling. A coach can run a clean program and graduate all the players he wants. But if the suits in the suites sipping top-shelf bourbon don't like the direction of the program (read: not enough wins), they'll let the athletic director know it. When big boosters aren't happy, support for the program (read: fat checks) drops off.

A recent example: Chan Gailey's firing at Georgia Tech. Athletic director Dan Radakovich said the decision was as much about business as wins and losses. Tech has made bowls in each of Gailey's six seasons, but raising funds became more of a challenge because the fan base no longer was behind him.

THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Any good A.D. already has anticipated his next move and keeps a list of coaching candidates tucked in the desk drawer. Before a coach is fired, the A.D. better have a guy he knows will say yes to the job -- or at least a couple of options he feels good about.

Depending on the type of school (big, small, storied tradition), the A.D. might get influential boosters involved in the search. At lesser programs, an A.D. may run the search himself. Regardless of the situation, almost every A.D. uses a search firm.

"Lots of A.D.s aren't well-connected," says a coach. "They only know finances. They don't know other coaches."

Another reason A.D.s use search firms: It generally keeps the process out of the news.

THE HEADHUNTER

Chuck Neinas, Bill Carr, Bob Beaudine, Dan Parker. You don't know their names, but you should. They are headhunters -- some of the most powerful behind-the-scenes players in college football. And they're paid well, with fees ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 per search .

These guys run search firms and are hired by A.D.s to canvas the country for qualified coaching candidates who are potential matches for their schools.

"Some schools know they may be making a change and will work with a headhunter on a contingency basis as early as August, just in case a change has to be made later in the fall," says an agent.

The headhunter contacts a candidate's agent to get an initial read. If the candidate is interested, the dialogue begins. Key to the discussions is the contract: What kind of deal does the candidate want, and how much will it cost to get him out of his current deal?

When the information gathering is complete, the headhunter presents his recommendations to the A.D.

"No doubt, they have favorites," says a coach. "It can be an old boys' network. You need to get in good with their network. The headhunters can help you, but they can hurt you, too."

THE AGENT

Call him slimy. Call him sleazy. But also call him necessary -- especially if you're a big-time coach. Or an assistant with big-time aspirations.

It's the agent's job to know which positions might come open and which would be improvements on his client's current gig. And, of course, to get his guy an interview.

Agents constantly work the phones, developing relationships with athletic directors and headhunters. It's about selling their clients all the way down to negotiating a contract.

"Coaches coach -- we look for jobs," says an agent. "And it's not good for a coach to deal with their boss directly about money issues. We are a buffer for that."

THE COACH

Every coach worth his headset wants to be The Bear . But major-college jobs are precious. One coach's misfortune (firing) is another coach's opportunity.

Losing is the quickest way for a coach to lose his job. He also could be in trouble if he's working for an athletic director who didn't hire him (see: Gailey).

"They usually want to get their own guy in there," says a coach.

Being a winning coach or an assistant for a hot program is a good start to landing a better job. Smart, aspiring coaches begin cultivating relationships with the athletic directors at their schools. It's also wise to get to know the associate A.D.s because they figure to be A.D.s in the future. It's all about knowing people.

Once a coach gets a job, it's important that he gets in good with the boosters. If a coach is struggling but the moneymen like him, he has a better chance of surviving even if fans are howling for his head.

"That's what is happening to (Mike) Stoops (at Arizona)," says a coach. "He has the backing of the money people."