It’s no secret that the SMU Mustangs are interested in convincing former Texas coach Mack Brown to come out of retirement and take over the reigns of the program, but Dallas Morning News columnist Bill Nichols dropped a bombshell this morning when he stated in his column that SMU officials are willing to offer Brown an eight-year, $32 million contract.
Nichols claimed that SMU is aggressively pursuing Brown due in part to the success of Larry Brown, another veteran coach who has a national championship under his belt, in turning around the men’s basketball program.
The story got even stranger when FOX Sports college football columnist Bruce Feldman tweeted out a potential reason for the Mustangs’ strong interest in Brown:
One reason #SMU political ppl are intrigued by Mack Brown is if school has a shot to make a jump in possible Big12 expansion.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 23, 2014
Not surprisingly, all this news surrounding Brown and SMU has resulted in varying reactions throughout social media.
Correct, just crazy Internet rumors. RT @FootballScoop: Chip Kelly has no interest in UF. SMU has not “floated” $32M at Mack Brown. Nope
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 23, 2014
Lol RT @BruceFeldmanCFB: #SMU ppl are intrigued by Mack Brown if school has a shot in possible Big12 expansion pic.twitter.com/WRScYIMHRm
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 23, 2014
I am sorry but I would not pay Mack Brown $4 million a year if I were #SMU
— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) October 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/McAndles1/status/525332502505095168
So somebody is offering 63-year-old Mack Brown $32 million (in base pay) to coach their football team for close to a decade. That is absurd.
— Matt Swartz (@MattSwartz723) October 23, 2014
People in hell want ice water. RT @Pete_Volk
Now SMU wants to join the Big 12, apparently http://t.co/mYqoVFychv— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) October 23, 2014
Whether or not these reports are true remains to be seen, but if anyone at SMU actually believes that hiring Brown would result greatly increase the Mustangs’ chances of being invited to the Big 12, they’re sadly mistaken.
The Mustangs found a measure of success during June Jones’ tenure, but they have mostly been a perennial bottom feeder since being hit with the “death penalty” by the NCAA in 1986. SMU has been absolutely horrible this season and appears to be a long way from competing in the AAC, let alone a power conference like the Big 12.
As for the potential $32 million contract offer, that too might be a mistake on SMU’s part. At $4 million per year, this deal would make Brown the highest-paid coach in the AAC and would more than double Jones’ annual salary of $1.9 million with the Mustangs. True, the Larry Brown hire has paid huge dividends for SMU in a short period of time, but rebuilding a college football program and rebuilding a college basketball program is comparing apples to oranges.
If SMU is truly hell-bent on hiring an experienced coach with Texas recruiting ties, it should take a look a UTSA’s Larry Coker.
Coker, who won a national title while at Miami, has done a remarkable job of building a football program from scratch with the Roadrunners. He would bring many of the same qualities to that table that have drawn the Mustangs to Brown, and they likely wouldn’t have to spend as much money. However, Coker is 66 years old and it’s highly unlikely that he would leave UTSA for such a big rebuilding job at this stage in his career.
Besides, SMU would likely be much better served to go for a younger coach that could bring new energy and a breath of fresh air to the struggling program (e.g. Ohio State’s Tom Herman, Clemson’s Chad Morris, Oklahoma’s Josh Heupel, etc.).
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