Million Dollar Mistakes: The High Cost of Bad Football Hires
College programs are paying record sums for coordinators who often fail to improve team performance.
By Sanjay Caldwell ·
Kyle Whittingham is owed more than $10 million for less than one year of work at Michigan. This contract, believed to be the largest buyout ever for an assistant coach, underscores the financial risk now attached to coaching hires in college football.
The job of a head coach has shifted away from direct play-calling, making assistant coordinator positions more critical than ever. However, the patience for new hires is shrinking. Programs are firing coordinators with increasing frequency, often within their first or second season. These departures are not just personnel changes; they are expensive corrections for teams that struggled to find a winning formula.
Several high-profile programs have seen their offensive or defensive metrics drop sharply after installing new coordinators. At Arizona, Dino Babers was hired to maintain a strong offense, but the team went 4-8 in his lone season. Quarterback Noah Fifita’s completion rate fell from 72% to 60%, and his interception total doubled. The offense collapsed after a historic 10-win season, marking a steep decline in production for the program.
Similar declines occurred at other major schools. At Oregon, offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer was fired in his first season. The Ducks fell from No. 5 to No. 49 in offense efficiency. They managed to convert 426 yards of offense into only 10 points in a loss to Illinois. Since Mehringer’s departure, the team has scored 75 points in two games against ranked opponents. At Texas A&M, Holman Wiggins took over play-calling duties, and the team dropped from No. 21 to No. 119 in yards per play. Quarterback Marcel Reed’s performance regressed, leaving him with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Defensive coordinators have also faced quick exits. Oklahoma State fired Todd Grantham after only four games of the 2025 season. The team went 1-11 and suffered a 69-3 loss to Oregon, one of the worst defeats in program history. At Florida State, Tony White signed a contract averaging $1.6 million per year. Despite early success, the defense fell to No. 122 in total defense during his second season. Interim coach Rick Stockstill fired White shortly after taking over the program.
These cases illustrate a pattern of rising costs and falling performance. Programs like Clemson and South Carolina also made changes that did not yield the expected results. Clemson’s offense ranks No. 115 in total offense, while South Carolina’s quarterback efficiency dropped under new coordinator Mike Shula. The financial stakes are high, with multi-million dollar contracts attached to positions that require immediate success.
The trend shows that the market for college football assistants has become a high-risk investment. Coaches are being paid at historic rates, but the results on the field often do not match the salary expectations. Teams are now more willing to cut ties quickly, but the cost of those mistakes is mounting for the programs involved.
