This is very sobering, and runs a decade over 3 ADs. Posting this because case study on what not to do, made worse because by all accounts they want to fire their current coach, Brian Gregory, but don't want to be paying 3 coaches for several years. Firing him would require a $2.7M buyout to Gregory (through 2017-18 season) plus they're still on the hook for $3.6M to previous coach (through 2018-19 season).
Mistake 1 (by AD Dave Braine)
2004: After Ga Tech went to the hoops final in 2004, they gave Paul Hewitt a contract extension with an annual salary of $1.8M. The buyout, and I can't get over this: a rolling 5 years guaranteed. In other words, doesn't matter when they fired him, he was owed 5 years x $1.8M = $9M. They fired him in 2011, so owed him $1.8M through 2016-17 season.
Mistake 2 (AD Radakovich)
2011: Because of the huge buyout, they waited roughly 3 years too late to fire hewitt. Subsequently he left a dumpster fire of a program. When they did, in 2011, they were now on the books to hewitt for $1.8M per year through 2016. By most accounts, he should have been fired no later than 2008, in which case they would be done paying him this year.
This Hewitt obligation forced them to hire Brian Gregory in 2011 from Dayton. He had a record of mediocrity at Dayton, but at a time when ACC coaches are making on average of $2M, Ga Tech couldn't be competitive. So they were forced to settle for Gregory, a guy who was willing to take the lowest salary in the ACC at $1.2M per year (6 year contract through 2017).
Mistake 3 (AD Bobinski)
2013: Ater 2 years of paying Hewitt, buy still owing him 3 years at $1.8M per year, Hewitt does Ga Tech a "favor". Ga Tech and Hewitt cut a deal to pay the remaining $5.4M over 6 years instead of 3, or $900k/yr through 2019. But this obviously means they're obligated to him for 3 more years.
Mistake 4 (AD Bobinski)
2013: With 4 years remaining on Gregory's contract through 2017-18 season, after 2 very poor years, Ga Tech falls for the "recruiting disadvantage" agent. They add a year to his contract, which increases his buyout by $1.2M (his annual salary). To fire him today, it's $2.7M instead of the original $1.5M.
Today: if Gregory were fired today, they'd be paying 3 coaches at least through 2017-18 season, which they are not willing to do. So today they announced that he's staying for '15-16, but he's a recruiting walking dead man.
Why universities have allowed mediocre coaches to have so much leverage over them is beyond me. I get it for the elite coaches, but mediocre coaches are a dime a dozen.
Mistake 1 (by AD Dave Braine)
2004: After Ga Tech went to the hoops final in 2004, they gave Paul Hewitt a contract extension with an annual salary of $1.8M. The buyout, and I can't get over this: a rolling 5 years guaranteed. In other words, doesn't matter when they fired him, he was owed 5 years x $1.8M = $9M. They fired him in 2011, so owed him $1.8M through 2016-17 season.
Mistake 2 (AD Radakovich)
2011: Because of the huge buyout, they waited roughly 3 years too late to fire hewitt. Subsequently he left a dumpster fire of a program. When they did, in 2011, they were now on the books to hewitt for $1.8M per year through 2016. By most accounts, he should have been fired no later than 2008, in which case they would be done paying him this year.
This Hewitt obligation forced them to hire Brian Gregory in 2011 from Dayton. He had a record of mediocrity at Dayton, but at a time when ACC coaches are making on average of $2M, Ga Tech couldn't be competitive. So they were forced to settle for Gregory, a guy who was willing to take the lowest salary in the ACC at $1.2M per year (6 year contract through 2017).
Mistake 3 (AD Bobinski)
2013: Ater 2 years of paying Hewitt, buy still owing him 3 years at $1.8M per year, Hewitt does Ga Tech a "favor". Ga Tech and Hewitt cut a deal to pay the remaining $5.4M over 6 years instead of 3, or $900k/yr through 2019. But this obviously means they're obligated to him for 3 more years.
Mistake 4 (AD Bobinski)
2013: With 4 years remaining on Gregory's contract through 2017-18 season, after 2 very poor years, Ga Tech falls for the "recruiting disadvantage" agent. They add a year to his contract, which increases his buyout by $1.2M (his annual salary). To fire him today, it's $2.7M instead of the original $1.5M.
Today: if Gregory were fired today, they'd be paying 3 coaches at least through 2017-18 season, which they are not willing to do. So today they announced that he's staying for '15-16, but he's a recruiting walking dead man.
Why universities have allowed mediocre coaches to have so much leverage over them is beyond me. I get it for the elite coaches, but mediocre coaches are a dime a dozen.
