Seth’s Big Pay Day

North Texas gave Seth Littrell a raise, more years, and an adjusted buyout provision that makes it fairer for both sides. Wren Baker and company are now paying the Head Football Coach something near the top of the conference, which is a good place to start.

The immediate attainable goals for the program are winning a conference championship. Paying the head man the top money in the conference suggests commitment and support. Littrell has results he can point to. “I did that.”

The bowl appearance with a limited roster was very impressive to a lot of people. While some observers (even folks who have written for this little blog) have felt it was nothing any decent coach could have mustered, the fact remains that that cannot be proven. Seth Littrell got the North Texas team to a bowl game a year after the program only managed one win, and was embarrassed by Portland State. For that, you get paid.

Pressure

The only coach in the league that is getting paid better than Seth Littrell is David Bailiff. Two things about that:

1. David Bailiff has a conference title on his mantle.
2. Rice was in the running for Worst Team in the League.
3. North Texas had to overcome a 17-point deficit to beat Rice.

With every bad loss, or offensive struggle the tag line “Seth Littrell, who recently signed a new five-year deal …” When you get the big job with the (relatively) big paycheck you get the big consequences and the pressure. In the recent past, Danny Mac signed his well-deserved extension and did not live up to the pay or the (small) pressure.

Now then, let us be really real here. The pressure in Denton is nothing compared to some of the big-time college football outposts, where the outlays are staggering and the fans are rabid. Here, a bad performance gets you fewer MGC sign ups and maybe a banner suggesting we go in a different direction.

So when I say ‘pressure’ I mean it all relatively.