When many in and around the college football industry forecasted a lighter than usual coaching market following the 2020 season, they reasoned, understandably, that schools wouldn't have the funds and/or the stomach to pay multi-multi-million dollar buyouts amid a global pandemic.
This wasn't the case, of course. Gus Malzahn, Will Muschamp and Tom Herman collected close to $50 million in buyouts just between the three of them.
No one saw a move like Gary Andersen's coming. Which, if you know anything about him, shouldn't be surprsing.
The Deseret Newsreported Monday Anderson walked away from $2.7 million Utah State owed to him by his contract.
This is not the first time Andersen has done this in his career. Andersen forfeit $12.6 million when he left Oregon State in 2017, but at least the school termed that a mutual separation.
This time around, Utah State straight up fired Andersen following an 0-3 start.
The population of coaches who would decline their contractually-obligated buyout following a firing might just be one.
This isn't to shame any coaches who did accept their buyouts; contracts are contracts. But the profession is better for having coaches like Andersen in it.
“How could I wake up every day and look at myself in the mirror knowing I took money from the kids in that program?” he told a colleague, believing the money could be used for things that would benefit the players.
When Andersen left OSU he released this statement through the athletic department:
“Coaching is not about the mighty dollar. It is about teaching and putting young men in a position to succeed on and off the field. Success comes when all parties involved are moving in the same direction.”
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.