STrib: Decision time for Gophers' Mark Coyle on contracts forLucia, Stollings, Pitino

[BleedGopher]

per Joe:

Pitino on notice?

Contract info: Last May, Coyle gave Pitino a one-year extension through 2021-22, but the additional year is non-guaranteed and didn’t affect his buyout. Pitino has three more guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract. He is making $1,700,000 this season. To buy him out at season’s end would cost $4.05 million.

Decision time: Ride this roller coaster, or hit eject?

The case for: Pitino, 35, was Big Ten Coach of the Year last season after steering the biggest turnaround in conference history. He also led Minnesota to an NIT championship in 2014. This year’s free fall from the top 25 to the Big Ten’s bottom half can easily be explained with Lynch’s expulsion and injuries to Eric Curry and Amir Coffey.

The case against: In five seasons, Pitino’s Big Ten record is 31-58, including volatile swings the past three years from 2-16 to 11-7 to 4-13 (with a game Sunday at Purdue remaining). Embarrassing and troubling off-court issues have come in each of his seasons, a significant strike against him.

Forecast: University President Eric Kaler recently told boosters, “I have full confidence in [Pitino] and our coaching staff. These are great guys. We have a great recruiting class coming.” After the team went 8-23 two seasons ago, Pitino’s buyout was $7.1 million. Last year, his back was against the wall, and he led the Gophers to the NCAA tournament. Fast forward a year: If Pitino is struggling again, his buyout will have lowered to $2.7 million. If he bounces back, his Gophers will be trying to get to the Final Four in Minneapolis. Coyle likely rides the coaster at least one more season.

http://www.startribune.com/decision...a-marlene-stollings-richard-pitino/474864373/

Go Gophers!!

 

[HeHateMe]

Pitino isn't going anywhere until next spring at least... and even then at 2.7 million, that's still a nice chunk for a buyout in 2019. If next season goes bad, I think Coyle has to make the change though.

 

[imthewalrus]

Pitino isn't going anywhere until next spring at least... and even then at 2.7 million, that's still a nice chunk for a buyout in 2019. If next season goes bad, I think Coyle has to make the change though.

When it comes to buying out contracts that the AD extended or handed out, the administration has not a pot to pee in. "These guys are great guys..." is the vote of confidence by the head of the U that guarantees that all of we fans will get to watch the current Men's Revenue Coaches hard at work for a long time with their comfortable situations regardless of the Big Ten winning percentage. Fans of Minnesota Gopher Football, Men's Basketball and Men's Hockey can cheer for and speak well of Don, Dick and PJ at least through the end of their current contracts. Will there be more extensions handed to this trio in the next season or two? THAT is the question. Just relax and enjoy this new-found commitment to stability coming from the brain-trust of administrators at the University of Minnesota. IF you liked them at some time during their tenure: you will most likely get to like them for quite a while yet. Firing and buying out coaches on a shoestring budget is NOT all it is cracked up to be.

Be good fans. Some years will be better than other years. And: so it goes...

 

[jovs]

Pitino isn't going anywhere until next spring at least... and even then at 2.7 million, that's still a nice chunk for a buyout in 2019. If next season goes bad, I think Coyle has to make the change though.

I agree, I doubt Coyle is even thinking about it this year, Pitino is probably at the point where he is going to be successful, more talent, full roster, and a number of years under his belt, if the recruiting had really sucked at this point he would probably be gone but that is not the case.