Satterfield & Staff 2022 Buyouts (by month)...

[zipp]

The coming year is going to be an endurance test for football fans. I heard Deener on his radio show Wednesday morning lamenting it and still talking up the chance that Satterfield will be fired. As unlikely as that is--for financial and other reasons--I worked up a buyout total for the coming calendar year if Satterfield and his staff were terminated. Here are the numbers as best I can estimate and a little explanation thereafter...

12/31/2021: $9.3 million
1/31/2022: $8.8
2/28/2022: $8.2
3/31/2022: $7.7
4/30/2022: $7.2
5/31/2022: $6.7
6/30/2022: $9.9
7/31/2022: $9.4
8/31/2022: $8.9
9/30/2022: $8.4
10/31/2022: $7.9
11/30/2022: $7.3
12/31/2022: $6.8

Using a few estimates for salaries I can't find, the assistants' salaries total about $3.8 million annually. Normally, assistants are on one year contracts that run the fiscal year. That's the assumption I made here with the assistants paid off on 6-30-2022 for their current contracts.

The problem you run into is that the assistants have to be kept under contract. So on 6-30-2022, another set of one year contracts would be signed. Assuming no one gets a raise and assistants are paid in full--normally the case--the buyout total jumps over $3 million at the middle of next year.

Of course, this math is obvious to football insiders. And if U of L decided to terminate the football staff, it would likely choose an optimum point economically to do that. But the average of the twelve 2022 amounts is $8.1 million, probably higher than people like us are walking around with in our heads.

Satterfield is to be paid 75% of his remaining contract of $3.25 million annually that runs through 12-31-2024. He's also receiving an annual bonus of $0.1 million for academic progress which I'm assuming he receives along with his base. That calculation works out to about $7.4 million starting the year and ending at $5.0 million this time next year.

I think these numbers are largely moot since we don't have money anymore to pay buyouts. But there are still those who do believe those funds exist, and we need to be on the same page what that hypothetical cost would be...

 

[CardsFirst]

The coming year is going to be an endurance test for football fans. I heard Deener on his radio show Wednesday morning lamenting it and still talking up the chance that Satterfield will be fired. As unlikely as that is--for financial and other reasons--I worked up a buyout total for the coming calendar year if Satterfield and his staff were terminated. Here are the numbers as best I can estimate and a little explanation thereafter...

12/31/2021: $9.3 million
1/31/2022: $8.8
2/28/2022: $8.2
3/31/2022: $7.7
4/30/2022: $7.2
5/31/2022: $6.7
6/30/2022: $9.9
7/31/2022: $9.4
8/31/2022: $8.9
9/30/2022: $8.4
10/31/2022: $7.9
11/30/2022: $7.3
12/31/2022: $6.8

Using a few estimates for salaries I can't find, the assistants' salaries total about $3.8 million annually. Normally, assistants are on one year contracts that run the fiscal year. That's the assumption I made here with the assistants paid off on 6-30-2022 for their current contracts.

The problem you run into is that the assistants have to be kept under contract. So on 6-30-2022, another set of one year contracts would be signed. Assuming no one gets a raise and assistants are paid in full--normally the case--the buyout total jumps over $3 million at the middle of next year.

Of course, this math is obvious to football insiders. And if U of L decided to terminate the football staff, it would likely choose an optimum point economically to do that. But the average of the twelve 2022 amounts is $8.1 million, probably higher than people like us are walking around with in our heads.

Satterfield is to be paid 75% of his remaining contract of $3.25 million annually that runs through 12-31-2024. He's also receiving an annual bonus of $0.1 million for academic progress which I'm assuming he receives along with his base. That calculation works out to about $7.4 million starting the year and ending at $5.0 million this time next year.

I think these numbers are largely moot since we don't have money anymore to pay buyouts. But there are still those who do believe those funds exist, and we need to be on the same page what that hypothetical cost would be...

The AD hire is critical and the president to a lesser degree. Make a great AD hire funds will come in, but a bad hire we won’t get squat. We are at a cross roads to the future of our Athletics Program. Scary times

 

[2330859]

Interesting OP Zipp, but your one highlighted statement below says it all.

"I think these numbers are largely moot since we don't have money anymore to pay buyouts"

Satterfield's performance has been most disappointing and his dalliance with the USC Jr opening speaks volumes of where his own allegiance was at that time, and I suspect where it is even now. He has a serious career problem, as his marketable value has decreased from the time he left ASU, and since the one relatively successful year at UL, before being exposed as ill-prepared for this level of college football.

He will be back in 2022 whether fans like it or not, but if there is any "silver lining" for UL football; it is his having a huge incentive to find an OC and figure out how to immediately improve the talent level on the defensive side of the football. If he has not figured one thing out by now, someone needs to explain the importance in working the transfer portal for experienced and talented DBs and DTs. If not, he and this defense will suffer more of the same humiliation that we witnessed against UK, and Air Force.

 

[zipp]

Another thing to consider if you're trying to give Satterfield the most help possible before making a decision to fire him...

When you bring in more or different resources like an OC or a replacement at DC, you're also upping the financial stakes for us. Think about a respectable coordinator in this situation... He's coming in to work for what's in all likelihood a lame duck coach. If I'm THAT guy, you're not getting me for chump change or maybe a one-year contract. These coaches aren't stupid, and many up-and-comers probably already have agents.

People talk about Petrino's buyout... Brian Van Gorder was on the job here less than a year and was paid three years of a $950,000 salary because he had a multiyear contract and Tyra decided to get him out of here expediently. And I don't recall Petrino's seat being anywhere near as hot after the 2017 season as Satterfield's is now.

If you're not careful, you will INCREASE the cost of dumping Satterfield by bringing in promising coaches and coordinators in the next couple months. As much as fans won't like it, if Josh Heird is financially savvy, he may just tell Satterfield that he has to live with Bryan Brown and keep calling the plays himself...

 

[Knucklehank1]

“Brian Van Gorder was on the job here less than a year and was paid three years of a $950,000 salary because he had a multiyear contract”

Simply mind blowing that Van Gorder got that kind of contract. But I agree that any competent DC would need to be compensated for the risk of coming here at this point.

 

[Rollem Cards]

CSS is going to do everything in his power to win 8+ games next year. Burn Red shirts. Whatever.

And he will ride those 8 to the first offer out of town.

Don’t blame him. One bit.

And we will start bitching about his replacement.

Around, and around, and around we go……

 

[jmac1029]

I know our defense is atrocious but if we had a decent field goal kicker we could have won or at least went OT in 4 games. Our people bitching then?

 

[Louis III]

One of the few on here that still believe CSS can right this ship. He's a better coach that Piggy, and piggy was way worse after 3 years taking over a similar situation. Not a deep team and lost 3 players who were, respectively, the best at their position during the season. Bowl game played without 7 starters not counting the aforementioned, along with other guys that played snaps against a fully roster team that was 9-3.

 

[nccardfan]

I know our defense is atrocious but if we had a decent field goal kicker we could have won or at least went OT in 4 games. Our people bitching then?

Let’s think about that one. So yes Turner was struggling at the end of the regular season. So in the weeks before the bowl game, he either figures it out or you give someone else a try. By letting Turner kick the 1st FG, you figure he’s back on track. Then he shanks it and you immediately banish him… Somewhere in there was coaching misjudgment.

 

[kypecos]

CSS is going to do everything in his power to win 8+ games next year. Burn Red shirts. Whatever.

And he will ride those 8 to the first offer out of town.

Don’t blame him. One bit.

And we will start bitching about his replacement.

Around, and around, and around we go……

That's actually not a bad scenario for us. No buyout to Satt and maybe we get money back from whoever buys out his contract to hire him. We have an 8 win team for the new coach to take over and help with recruiting. And we now have the money to afford a new coach. Most would be thrilled with an 8 win season and Satt moving on. That's a win-win scenario for us.

 

[Rollem Cards]

With what we have to offer now I’m sure top names will be lining up to come here.

We better get an AD with some connections

 

[Thecycle27]

Next year was always the make or break year for Satterfield. The South Carolina disaster moved it up for some. He made this tougher than it needed to be.

We will see if any of the off-season moves make any difference. What I would like to see;
1) hire an OC. They have to fix the passing game especially the short to intermediate passes.
2)all new hires have excellent ties to recruiting
3)hire someone with NFL player development/evaluation experience. Need to build that recruiting/player development like NFL teams. Go visit the Ravens
4)a co-defensive coordinator with experience in SEC/Big Ten Brown needs a mentor. He is not ready.
5)Strength coach has to be elite.

If he dips into the smaller school pool for these coaches he either doesn’t get it or doesn’t have the money. Neither are good.

 

[EKYCard643]

My question is as things stand now - we have an interim AD who hopefully won’t get the full time gig, our finances are shot and our donors are dried up.

If things stay that way. Or if the ULAA hires an AD who’s another lackey and donations remain stagnant…is there a scenario where the fans are even more unhappy and apathetic, ticket sales are the lowest in over 10 years but the university simply doesn’t have the money to fire Satterfield and this staff? Could we end up in a scenario where Satterfield wins 7 games next year, brings in the #41st class and maybe 2 P5 transfers and we just don’t have the ability to fire and hire coaches? Could this drag on until Satterfields contract expires?

 

[EKYCard643]

I’ve said on here numerous times - there’s absolutely nobody in college football on the coordinators or coaches side of the ball that we can realistically get that will make a single ounce of difference with this football team. Just like Zipp pointed out - hiring more coaches only make it harder to fire this staff and that’s the absolute LAST thing we need to be doing.

 

[Thecycle27]

They have positions they have to fill and will be filled. Seems silly to believe no coach can help the team. I think people probably felt the same last year when Ledford and Ponce left. Both their replacements are pretty good. The question is on defense. Can they find a good coach that can help Brown? Time will tell. The truth is you nor me know if that person exists.

They are already planning on adding to the recruiting department. They just need a plan and execute it. Have to focus on the portal more than HS recruiting.

The OC would be a new position as of today. We will just have to see how that shakes out. Coaches leave all the time so they may lose someone on that side.

 

[EKYCard643]

They have positions they have to fill and will be filled. Seems silly to believe no coach can help the team. I think people probably felt the same last year when Ledford and Ponce left. Both their replacements are pretty good. The question is on defense. Can they find a good coach that can help Brown? Time will tell. The truth is you nor me know if that person exists.

They are already planning on adding to the recruiting department. They just need a plan and execute it. Have to focus on the portal more than HS recruiting.

The OC would be a new position as of today. We will just have to see how that shakes out. Coaches leave all the time so they may lose someone on that side.

The only positions I would expect them to hire though are the ones to replace Cort and replace the ST coach who left. He isn’t going to hire an OC and if they brought in anyone to help Brown they would just roll his duties in with Corts duties. My point was nobody that could make a difference here is going to come to play the Co-DC role on a staff that’s on arguably the hottest seat in college football and our athletic depart would be insane to offer anyone a lengthy contract with a decent salary.

So my point was that you would need to find a coach willing to come to a staff on the verge of being fired and agree to a short contract with minimal salary. Honestly I question even replacing the staff that left.

 

[zipp]

The reality is that we haven’t had a decent DC here in five years (Grantham). And we ran that guy off IIRC.

Unless you’re giving him a $5 million contract, there’s no reason for optimism that this head coach and AD will go out and hire a good replacement when neither will likely be in their jobs a year from now.

IMO that’s change for the sake of change. Just keep your money in the bank…

 

[Thecycle27]

I agree he has to stick with Brown. Brown hopefully is humble enough to accept help. If not he may move on either the hard way or voluntarily.

Staff turnover is the norm. Brohm has had 3 DC’s and Harbaugh changed his whole staff. The key is identifying coaching that fit your program.

The big difference now is a coach can bring players with him that can have an immediate impact. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Pitt’s stud receiver head to Texas now that they have hired his position coach. It is a different world.

It will be interesting to watch.

 

[rentalman]

The coming year is going to be an endurance test for football fans. I heard Deener on his radio show Wednesday morning lamenting it and still talking up the chance that Satterfield will be fired. As unlikely as that is--for financial and other reasons--I worked up a buyout total for the coming calendar year if Satterfield and his staff were terminated. Here are the numbers as best I can estimate and a little explanation thereafter...

12/31/2021: $9.3 million
1/31/2022: $8.8
2/28/2022: $8.2
3/31/2022: $7.7
4/30/2022: $7.2
5/31/2022: $6.7
6/30/2022: $9.9
7/31/2022: $9.4
8/31/2022: $8.9
9/30/2022: $8.4
10/31/2022: $7.9
11/30/2022: $7.3
12/31/2022: $6.8

Using a few estimates for salaries I can't find, the assistants' salaries total about $3.8 million annually. Normally, assistants are on one year contracts that run the fiscal year. That's the assumption I made here with the assistants paid off on 6-30-2022 for their current contracts.

The problem you run into is that the assistants have to be kept under contract. So on 6-30-2022, another set of one year contracts would be signed. Assuming no one gets a raise and assistants are paid in full--normally the case--the buyout total jumps over $3 million at the middle of next year.

Of course, this math is obvious to football insiders. And if U of L decided to terminate the football staff, it would likely choose an optimum point economically to do that. But the average of the twelve 2022 amounts is $8.1 million, probably higher than people like us are walking around with in our heads.

Satterfield is to be paid 75% of his remaining contract of $3.25 million annually that runs through 12-31-2024. He's also receiving an annual bonus of $0.1 million for academic progress which I'm assuming he receives along with his base. That calculation works out to about $7.4 million starting the year and ending at $5.0 million this time next year.

I think these numbers are largely moot since we don't have money anymore to pay buyouts. But there are still those who do believe those funds exist, and we need to be on the same page what that hypothetical cost would be...

I could be wrong(that happened once) but when BP was fired I am pretty sure the assistants were only paid for 90 days following the end of the season because of a clause in their contracts regarding a change at the HC position. Not sure if that's still the case or not.

 

[zipp]

I could be wrong(that happened once) but when BP was fired I am pretty sure the assistants were only paid for 90 days following the end of the season because of a clause in their contracts regarding a change at the HC position. Not sure if that's still the case or not.

Makes sense, I'll have to google for that. Van Gorder's buyout would be the biggest issue because of his rate of pay and the duration of his contract. Unfortunately, this level of detail for assistant coaches is hard to find in published reports...

 

[Thecycle27]

I would think that would be the case with the majority of assistant coaches. The DC or OC may have stronger terms to lock them down. Vangorder was unusual in that he was given 3 years which clearly didn’t deserve. Everyone else is a free agent after the year. Similar is basketball.