Total tone deaf decision. And not just from a perception standpoint or an optics standpoint.
Let me first say that Fulmer, Pruitt, nor the University leadership couldn't make them do it. They could implore them to do it but they couldn't make them.
The perception is bad that will get the football program some national exposure today and tomorrow on gameday so that's not good.
But it's also not good internally now that everyone knows those guys refused to take the cut. They said no when the secretaries did and the recruiting office who does so much of the leg work for them did. The equipment staff. The guys in the video department who give them all they need/want to study opponents and themselves from practices. The list goes on and on of people who had to take a pay cut but guys making hundreds of thousands more didn't take one. You got coaches worried about their sports as they see the department losing 30-40 million and they see other power 5 schools already cutting sports.
So what about the unity in the athletic department overall where every coach in every other sport took a pay cut and 8 football assistants didn't. Everyone knows football drives the train when it comes to revenue and supporting other sports. Refusal to help out the athletic department by these 8 doesn't send a message that they care about anything else.
Jus a poor decision from these 8 individuals from an external and internal standpoint.
Let me first say that Fulmer, Pruitt, nor the University leadership couldn't make them do it. They could implore them to do it but they couldn't make them.
The perception is bad that will get the football program some national exposure today and tomorrow on gameday so that's not good.
But it's also not good internally now that everyone knows those guys refused to take the cut. They said no when the secretaries did and the recruiting office who does so much of the leg work for them did. The equipment staff. The guys in the video department who give them all they need/want to study opponents and themselves from practices. The list goes on and on of people who had to take a pay cut but guys making hundreds of thousands more didn't take one. You got coaches worried about their sports as they see the department losing 30-40 million and they see other power 5 schools already cutting sports.
So what about the unity in the athletic department overall where every coach in every other sport took a pay cut and 8 football assistants didn't. Everyone knows football drives the train when it comes to revenue and supporting other sports. Refusal to help out the athletic department by these 8 doesn't send a message that they care about anything else.
Jus a poor decision from these 8 individuals from an external and internal standpoint.
