How many of you think that Alabama would be ranked #1 today if Alabama told Saban that we are going to pay you "market value?" And what about Meyer at Florida? Would he have considered "market value?"
Considering that Fulmer signed a new contract last summer, we are essentially paying him $8.5 mil over a period of time to coach one year. We will be getting $15 mil per year for a new ESPN TV contract, so why do we have to hire another average coach? If that is the case, we should have stuck with Fulmer.
The problem with this program is coaching and leadership. People are saying that we can not win because Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and LSU are just too good. The same could be said for 1992, but we had a coaching staff that would not be defeated at that time. That is what we need now. Someone who does not care how good the competition is, we are still going to beat them.
When Majors came back he had to rebuild the recruiting base and take those players that other teams had been recruiting. It took him until the mid 80's to make head way, but he was not intimidated. Bear Bryant quit because he could no longer walk into any recruit's home like he did in the 70's.
We need a coach with a heritage that allows him to smack Meyer and Saban in the mouth, regardless of how much it costs. Alabama took that attitude 2 years ago and look where they are now. And you are not going to get that kind of coach for a few pesos.