Comparing contracts: Petrino and Bielema

[Pork Ranger]

I'm really just looking for someone to help me understand. Petrino proved so much in his final two seasons and his latest contract put him just over 3.5M. His buyout was 18M but it was a "mutual" one that benefited the UA.

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/arkansas_and_petrino_reach_new_agreement_205053984/

http://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5909975

His contract made a lot more sense and he was proven.

Then, you have Bielema. Who really hadn't proved anything and hit the lottery on his post Texas Bowl contract. Why did Long and the BOT agree on this? I just don't get it

[NaturalStateReb]

Something must have happened near the end of the 2014 season.  It had to have.  I'd love to see someone ask Long about it.  I just can't imagine he'd just dream something like this up.  He must have thought that the program was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the last five weeks of the 2014 season and another program was sniffing around for Bielema.

Otherwise, it's incredibly stupid, and Jeff Long doesn't strike me as incredibly stupid.

[hawgon]

Something must have happened near the end of the 2014 season.  It had to have.  I'd love to see someone ask Long about it.  I just can't imagine he'd just dream something like this up.  He must have thought that the program was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the last five weeks of the 2014 season and another program was sniffing around for Bielema.

Otherwise, it's incredibly stupid, and Jeff Long doesn't strike me as incredibly stupid.

I think there might have been some stirrings behind the scenes during the season about wanting to can Bert.  When, he went on his little run of success, Long struck while the iron was hot and put in a contract that would absolutely squelch any talk of canning Bert and guaranteeing that Long remained in control.

ADs are always tied to their hires, but even more so in this case.  When Long fired Petrino then followed it up with the JLS hire, he was always going to rise or fall with Bielema.  He HAD to make sure that Bielema wasn't fired. 

[NaturalStateReb]

I think there might have been some stirrings behind the scenes during the season about wanting to can Bert.  When, he went on his little run of success, Long struck while the iron was hot and put in a contract that would absolutely squelch any talk of canning Bert and guaranteeing that Long remained in control.

ADs are always tied to their hires, but even more so in this case.  When Long fired Petrino then followed it up with the JLS hire, he was always going to rise or fall with Bielema.  He HAD to make sure that Bielema wasn't fired. 

Bielema would have only been here a season and a half coming off the JLS dumpster fire.  I can't imagine that there was any serious consideration paid to letting Bielema go at that point.

[hawgon]

Bielema would have only been here a season and a half coming off the JLS dumpster fire.  I can't imagine that there was any serious consideration paid to letting Bielema go at that point.

He lost his first 10 SEC games.  You darned well can bet there were whispers behind the scenes.

[hoghearted]

Something must have happened near the end of the 2014 season.  It had to have.  I'd love to see someone ask Long about it.  I just can't imagine he'd just dream something like this up.  He must have thought that the program was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the last five weeks of the 2014 season and another program was sniffing around for Bielema.

Otherwise, it's incredibly stupid, and Jeff Long doesn't strike me as incredibly stupid.

Except that contract does nothing to protect UA from losing BB to another school. It's entirely one sided.

[elviscat]

Like AD Alvarez, said this is not a good financial decision by the department or school.
He would have never authorized such an agreement. But, Ole Jeffie, didn't have a problem with it. This is another reason JF should be fired.

[The Boar War]

Except that contract does nothing to protect UA from losing BB to another school. It's entirely one sided.

I imagine it had to do with recruiting.  Bielema needed something in writing to prove that Arkansas was behind him for the long term.  As someone mentioned earlier there were whispers about the poor job he had been doing.  Other coaches were using that against him.