We have Joe for $650,000? And he's HC, OC and QB coach.
We have $0 in NIL.
Our staff pool is the lowest in D1.
I can imagine, if Joe leaves or is fired at year's end, how bad a coach we will get for the sack of beans, buttons and bus tokens we offer.
I work in Industrial Automation. It's impossible to beat your competition when you have half their distribution network, half their direct sales force, 1/4 their overall budget, 1/10 the Marketing budget, limit your outside sales force to generating business by phone and Linkedin messaging vs. getting on the road and meeting customers face-to-face, etc. etc.
On one hand you don't want the University to go public with the shackles and anchors they've strapped on Joe. It would kill whatever miniscule recruiting sell-points we have left. On the other hand, staying quiet hangs Joe out to dry. 99% of the general public thinks we're funded just like anyone else. They only see wins and losses.
On TV MacGyver can beat the bad guys with paper clips, duct tape and a AAA battery. In real life, that doesn't play out so well.
I hope Joe has a good MAC season and sticks around another year or two. He's been dealt the mother of all losing hands and been asked to beat Phil Ivey.