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San Diego State Ex-Coach Doing Busy Work

Chas Rich — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Campus, General CFB Insanity

Former San Diego State head coach Chuck Long really wants to collect his $715,900 salary from the school. The Aztecs and Long's attorney still have not worked out an arrangement for Long to get most of his money from the contract after being fired in November. Instead he is doing "special projects" for the school. In grade school, this would have been considered "busy work."

Long's first assignment was to write a report on ways to improve the football program. Specifically, "streamlining admissions for student-athletes, housing of football players and attracting youths and families to SDSU with sports camps." He turned it in at the end of July and his recommendations appear to have come from repeated viewings of the first half of "Revenge of the Nerds."

The capsulized version of the 23-page action plan: lower admission standards for football players -- especially for junior college transfers, give them the best dorm housing on the campus (it has a pool, grill and the best dining hall), and let them join fraternities if they desire.

Hard to believe it only took him about six months and 23 pages to come up with these recommendations.

San Diego State Ex-Coach Doing Busy Work originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Diego State Defines Incompetence

Chas Rich — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Campus

There's always an endless fascination with finding programs that can be considered "sleeping giants." Those are the schools where it seems that with a little work and the right coach, the program could go from bottom feeder to ranked and respectability.

Rutgers is the most recent example of a football program that had the natural recruiting territory and finally made the move from historical laughing stock to good program. The mistake is assuming that it all related to simply hiring and retaining the right coach to recruit, coach and change the culture. There's no denying the importance of that. The other component, though, is just as important: a competent and committed athletic department. Without the latter, no real change will happen -- no matter who is hired.

On the West Coast, San Diego State holds the distinction as the program most commonly considered a "sleeping giant." Often just slightly below .500 and occasionally competent there was much working for them.

California, and particularly the San Diego area, is a particularly valuable recruiting area. San Diego is a beautiful city. The Aztecs play in the Mountain West, which has some very good programs but is not so strong that a program like San Diego State could not rise quickly and sustain the progress.

The problem is that the San Diego State athletic department does not have the competence to finish a job. Whether it is the debacle of the lease conflict still going with the city of San Diego over Qualcomm Stadium, or the ongoing mess with the former head coach the Aztecs .

When San Diego State decided to fire Chuck Long, the issue was not about whether they should or not. After three seasons and a Greg Robinson-esque 9-27 record, there was no question that Long had earned his termination. The issue was money. SDSU still had to pay the remaining two years on Long's contract at a total of $1.4 million. For an athletic department that had already been running yearly deficits, this was a problem.

Luckily, the school raised student fees and private donors kicked in nearly a million towards the buyout. Long was fired and Brady Hoke was brought in following a successful run at Ball State. Yet, somehow that was not the end.

It turns out that the braintrust at SDSU had worked Long's contract so that rather than actually firing him, they removed him to work on "special projects." Something Long is not particularly interested in doing, but will do because he doesn't collect $700-thousand this year and next without doing it.

It took San Diego State over six months to figure this was not a healthy plan. The school did not do the simple thing, and work it out so that they could pay him the difference between $700,000 and what he would get as an assistant coach somewhere (admittedly a little late to do that this year), or simply work out some plan where Long gets his money and leaves the campus.

Instead the school that already had money problems in the athletic department, and like most California universities is facing a major budget crunch, has decided to spend more money. They hired an outside consultant to negotiate a deal.

Dan Kelley, former labor relations manager for the city of San Diego, has been brought in to mediate a way out of an awkward contract situation for Long and SDSU.

"The only thing I'll say about that is we are negotiating, and we're hopeful of a good outcome," SDSU Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel said.

Long was fired as football coach last November but is being paid $715,900 per year until his contract runs out on Dec. 31, 2010. In the meantime, Long is being required to keep office hours on campus and do "projects" through the remainder of his contract.

The goal is to get Long out of the arrangement while saving SDSU some of the money. Which again, if they had let him pursue assistant coaches jobs, could have resulted in that deal. The plan now is hiring an outside consultant at $125 per hour to make the deal happen.

Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel previously argued that Long's contract was better for SDSU "because we don't have any obligation to pay the difference."

The defense of the contract was laughable at the time, and clearly is shown to be idiocy in light of the present negotiations to end that clause.

For new coach Brady Hoke's sake, hopefully he's got nearly as good a contract. Even if Hoke does the surprising thing and starts turning around SDSU, the competence and questionable commitment from the Aztec athletic department makes it likely that Hoke will be poached by another program before long.

San Diego State Defines Incompetence originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fired San Diego State Coach Chuck Long Is World's First $700K Paperweight

Brian Grummell — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:54:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Coaching, General CFB Insanity

The once-competitive but now persistently woeful San Diego State football program fired coach Chuck Long this year, replacing him with Ball State's Brady Hoke. Long went just 9-27 at Montezuma Mesa, failing to light a fire under the Aztec offense despite his offensive background at Oklahoma.

Good luck getting an explanation as to why, but a clause in his contract with SDSU demanded he be "re-assigned" if the school terminated him as its head football coach. The San Diego Union-Tribune's Brent Schrotenboer reports Long is now doing "projects" and "analysis" for the cash-strapped state school at a hefty $700K price tag.

Putting a hefty dose of lipstick on this pig, Aztec Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel says "The projects we have for him right now are mostly related to campus issues relative to athletics. In other words, 'How can we be more successful at San Diego State, using his experience?' We've asked him to do some analysis for us on that sort of thing. He's been very good about it, whether that's admissions, whether that's fundraising, any of those things that can help us be more successful."

In other words, nonsense work.

Fittingly, Long wants out. His side claims to want to negotiate an out while SDSU certainly would love to get rid of him and paying that ridiculous amount of money for him to do special projects. Rightly so, Long won't be stepping down for free either but would also not be taking a head coaching gig anytime soon. The gap in pay between a normal assistants' job and his current pay is vast, however. The Union Tribune estimates he could make $200K as an assistant.

So unless something is resolved, the parties are stuck with each other, with Long making huge coin but also not in the coaching game and diminishing his chances to return to a respectable gig somewhere.

Awesome. Really, really, awesome. All in a bad economy, at a state school in a state plagued by massive budget deficits.

Even without that 20/20 hindsight thing I could have told you San Diego State shouldn't have hired him or paid him so much money. Long's seemingly a nice guy, but he was just one of a string of successful offensive coordinators at Oklahoma, arguably the worst of the obviously competent group since Bob Stoops took over. He didn't exactly bring an innovative offense, wasn't exactly Jim Jones when it came to charisma, and had no experience reviving a smaller program in the fashion of an Urban Meyer or Dan Hawkins.

Reviving the mid-level programs is not so much about great recruiting but maintaining the level of talent traditionally at that program and then finding ways to do something special with it on the field. San Diego State will never be a USC as far as pulling in talent. It won't even be a Cal or Arizona. How they get ahead is through innovation and doing things different. Either installing a wacky 3-3-5 defense, running a variation of the spread or run-and-shoot, things like that.

Long offered none of that, at least judging by his background. It was a bad fit, something the Aztec athletic department should have seen well in advance. Now look what's happened.

(via The Wiz)

Fired San Diego State Coach Chuck Long Is World's First $700K Paperweight originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brady Hoke Likely Heading to San Diego State

Chris Burke — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:20:00 EST

Filed under: Ball State, San Diego State, Coaching, Rumors

The MAC continues to bleed coaches -- Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Miami and Toledo have already hired, or will soon hire, new coaches for the 2009 season. Next up, it looks like Ball State will have to replace Brady Hoke. An ESPN report on Sunday claimed that Hoke will leave the Cardinals for the Pacific coast, where he will take over the San Diego State head coaching job.

Hoke was believed to be in the running for the top spot at Auburn -- which was filled by Iowa State's Gene Chizik last week -- and then a possible candidate to fill Chizik's shoes in the Big 12. He was also a rumored contender for the Michigan job last year, a fair assumption since he had served as associate head coach there.

Hoke was still a sleeper candidate at that point. Prior to the 2007 season, when Ball State went 7-6 and played in the International Bowl, the Cardinals had managed no more than five wins in any year under Hoke. The 2007 bump set the stage for 2008, though, as Ball State stormed the national scene.

The Cardinals nearly played BCS buster, running off a 12-0 start to the year before a stunning loss to Buffalo in the MAC Championship Game. Ball State plays in the GMAC Bowl on Jan. 6, 2009 versus Tulsa.

The foundation seemed to be in place for another strong season in 2009. The MAC, as discussed above, is undergoing some heavy turnover -- and, more importantly, it sounds as if Ball State's do-everything QB Nate Davis could return for his senior year.

If he does, it looks like it will be minus Hoke. The San Diego State program that Hoke would inherit is in shambles, having fired Chuck Long just weeks ago. The Aztecs are coming off a 2-10 year (their first 10-loss season ever) and have not had a winning season since 1998.

Just how close to rock bottom is SDSU? The Aztecs football team doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

So what is Hoke doing? He's already getting attention from teams in BCS-affiliated conferences, and one would assume that heat would only crank up with another big season in 2009.

San Diego State, though, is a unique challenge -- and one that can be conquered. The California area is obviously rich with talent, and San Diego State has a bit of a local monopoly. Recruiting has not gone well lately, but it's got the potential to upgrade substantially. Throw in a great location and, probably, increase in pay, and it's not a shock that Hoke made this move.

Plus, it's worth mentioning that Urban Meyer did ... oh ... basically the same thing. Meyer trekked from Bowling Green to Utah -- which shares a MWC spot with San Diego State -- and then jumped to Florida. Should Hoke attain any measure of success at SDSU, he'll have his pick of any number of schools.

Brady Hoke Likely Heading to San Diego State originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terry Bowden Will Take Any Job

Chas Rich — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:44:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Coaching, General CFB Insanity

This annual event is getting sadder every year. The coaching carousel starts up around this time of year and Terry Bowden starts doing whatever he can to make it known he wants to be a head coach. It doesn't matter if he knows nothing about the program and the job. He just wants it.

"I don't know much about San Diego State, but I am receptive to the right opportunity," said Bowden, who has been working in broadcasting since last coaching in 1998. "I'd be glad to talk to people at San Diego State if they would like to. I really would."

You know, not that he's desperate or anything.

I understand Eastern Michigan and Wyoming also have openings. Someone, anyone, just give the guy another chance. Spare us and plenty of other fanbases the dread that this time Terry Bowden could be theirs.

Terry Bowden Will Take Any Job originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SDSU Fires Chuck Long and Student Fees Are Raised to Make It Happen

Chas Rich — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Coaching

Chuck Long has been on the coaching hot seat all season. He just completed his 3d season with a 2-10 record and 9-27 in his tenure. At nearly any 1-A school that would be enough to get a coach fired.

At San Diego State, there was no doubt that they wanted to fire him. The issue was money. Or specifically, the lack of it in the Aztec Athletic Department. Long has two years left on his contract and a buyout would run about $1.4 million. The athletic department has been running a deficit for the past couple of years. The general fund of the school has been forced to give the department money to cover the shortfalls.

The lease with Qualcomm Stadium expired, and the City of San Diego wants a deal where it won't lose money. So that means more money the athletic department will have to find to cover that for next year when they finally hammer out a new lease.

The Aztec Athletic Department, however, has had some good economic news in the last couple of days.

A committee has recommended the raising of student fees from $190 to $350 to help the athletic department budget. The increased fees will provide an additional $4.5 million to the athletic department. Some would go to fund a couple new athletic programs but the majority would go to cover the budget.

The other good news was Utah on its way to a BCS Bowl. The cut SDSU gets as a member of the Mountain West comes to about $500,000.

Feeling flush with cash, the athletic department could move on Long. Specifically, they could fire him today. Technically, they won't be using any of the state funds to pay off Long, according to the school president. He stated that the program had raised more than $1 million in private donations towards Long's buyout.

That's really just accounting manipulation. At least some of the donations presumably would have gone to the athletic department and football program regardless of Long's status. Additionally, the student fees don't count as state funds. The athletic department could not have made a move on changing coaches without the other income projected to come into the athletic department.

For a healthy program, the firing of Long would be a no-brainer. He has done a bad job. Regardless of the injuries and the hole he started in when he got there. 9-27 is hideous.

The Aztec job, however, is not a good job. Regardless of the beautiful city and the fertile recruiting base, SDSU has a lot of limitations. There is an apathetic fanbase that has only gotten worse as the program has slid further into oblivion. The team plays off-campus in a pro stadium that has little going for it. The athletic department has been an economic basket case for years, and it isn't clear whether the new cash infusion will stabilize in the long-term or is just a band-aid fix.

SDSU Fires Chuck Long and Student Fees Are Raised to Make It Happen originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Diego State's Coach: Delusional or Insane

Chas Rich — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:20:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Coaching

Well, he could be both. It''s just hard to say. Fresh off a humiliating 70-7 loss to New Mexico, Chuck Long finds the silver lining.

"I know they're angry and I deserve it. We've hit bottom, so at least we know what that looks like. But inch-by-inch, we're going to fight and scratch and claw to get out of this (hole) we're in right now."

See. They finally found the bottom. It took more than two years, but now the coaching staff knows they have reached the nirvana of suckitude. Really, this is the absolute lowest point. It's all going to be looking up from here on out.

After all, what are the odds they will have a worse loss? Just because they have BYU and Utah remaining on the schedule. There is no reason to expect worse. A 1-6 start to the season, 8-23 to record with the Aztecs to date. Really, how could it get worse?How should the fans feel?

"But I'm the face of the program, and if people are angry, I deserve it. And they can direct that anger towards me."

So Coach Long, if the anger and blame is on you do you deserve to lose your job over the performance to date?

"I don't think that would be fair, especially considering what we've had to do here," said Long, whose team endured the third-worst loss in school history Saturday in being annihilated 70-7 at New Mexico. "Our program is not healthy yet, but we do see light at the end of the tunnel with the issues we're dealing with inside (the program). So, no, I don't think (being fired) would be fair or right."

Really? The NCAA tracks 17 statistical categories. Out of the 119 1-A programs, the Aztecs are 101st or worse in 11 of them. Attendance has been sliding -- the only reason there will be a bounce this year comes from hosting Air Force. The City of San Diego wants a new lease with San Diego State at Qualcomm. One where the City doesn't lose money.

Probably the only thing that can keep Long in San Diego will be an issue of the school eating the last two years of his contract and the $1.4 million or so owed.

San Diego State's Coach: Delusional or Insane originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Year's Appalachian State Is Nobody

Adam Jacobi — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:30:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, San Diego State

After last season's mildly noticeable upset of Michigan by Appalachian State, media and football enthusiasts alike were eager to figure out where this year's Week 1 Bombshell would come from. Would it be Appalachian State again? (Hint: NO)

As it turns out, those of you who bubbled in D) None of the above were correct, as Division I-A simply demolished their lower-level counterparts. In 32 inter-division games, I-A went 31-1, the lone loss coming in a 2-point Cal Poly win over basement dweller San Diego State. That was an "upset" the way Crocs are "shoes" or Rhetoric teachers are "professors": only in terms of classification, not reality.

The rest of the games were slightly more skewed toward the superior conference, as I-A won the other 30 games by an average of over 31 points. Sure, there was Maryland squeaking by Delaware 14-7, but only two other games were even within two scores, and most were laughers by halftime.

Even after Appalachian State's victory in the Big House last year, of course, nobody was going to suggest that Division I-AA could reliably compete with their big brothers. Except, uh, that's what everybody wanted to think (I plead guilty). If anything, this institutional pistol-whipping reinforces what was immediately apparent only 52 weeks ago: Last year's upset was ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS.

Indeed, to suggest that there could be a "This Year's Appalachian State" vastly understates the gravity of what transpired in the Big House last season. There's a reason why Michigan was the first ranked team to lose to a I-AA team. There's a reason why they're likely the last for a long time to come.

Of course, there's 25 more I-A/I-AA games next week, so perhaps shoveling dirt on the Annual Epic Upset Myth is premature. It's unlikely, though; the only such games that look close are such woofers as NMSU-Nicholls State or New Hampshire-Army. Not exactly world-shakers, those.

But that's fine, really. We wouldn't still be talking about ASU-Michigan if it were a 1-in-25 occurrence. The further away we get from the debacle at the Big House without incident, the more the message becomes clear: there is no "Appalachian State of the year." There is no de rigeur shocker. The revolution will not be televised, because there is no revolution.

I-AA will still happily accept your money, of course. Let's not be brash.

This Year's Appalachian State Is Nobody originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Diego State Soaks San Diego

Chas Rich — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:11:00 EST

Filed under: San Diego State, Mountain West, Campus

The Aztecs may not have done much on the football field (32-62 in the last eight years). Despite actual (not announced) attendance sliding from over 28,000 in 2004 to under 18,000 in 2007in the stretch, they haven't lost any money with their lease at Qualcomm Stadium. The city, however, has lost over $300,000 dollars over the last couple years on the deal. No wonder they don't want to extend the present lease.

SDSU's previous lease called for the city to receive 8 percent of total gross game revenue, including tickets, parking and concessions. The lease ensures the city gets at least $50,000 per game. If 8 percent of the total gross does not reach $50,000, the city would take the balance out of parking and concessions. Because of poor attendance, SDSU has paid the city no more than the minimum rent for all but a few of its past 23 home games. In 2004, the minimum was $40,000 a game.

The City of San Diego, in addition to the operating expenses of the stadium also had to cover the police and fire expenses in and around Qualcomm. Either the Aztecs have some great lawyers, or San Diego has real idiots who handled the last negotiations.

As it stands now the old lease has expired, but no new lease has been agreed. The city just wants to make sure they don't lose money on the next deal.IN the meantime, the old lease terms will continue until they reach an agreement. SDSU is getting right on that.

San Diego State Soaks San Diego originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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