[toussaints]

This isn't your typical “you make the call” scenario where you pick the play to win the game. However, this is something most coaches have to deal with in their career. Here's the story:

You're a young head coach at a very strong small-school program. You've been a coach for 7 years, the last 2 as the head coach. Your team just is coming off a great season that ended with a loss in the state championship. You've won a couple state titles at this school as a coach and you have a lot of experienced players returning next season. You're a part-time teacher at the school and it's the only job you've had after college.

You have several offers to leave and become a head coach at a larger school. You've also been offered a job as a full-time position coach at the college you played at and graduated from. To make this more interesting, your college sweetheart just said yes, so now you're engaged.

You've narrowed it down to 4 options, each one with details and a few pros and cons. Here are your options:

1. Stay at your current job. You have a great shot at winning a state championship with all the experience you're returning. The school and community love you, but can't afford to give you a full-time teaching job. Academics are average, discipline is good. The community supports their team through thick and thin. Facilities are your football field and a garage with some weights.

2. Head coach at the big local county school. The school can give you and your future wife full-time teaching positions. This school has a decent football program, but hasn't beaten your small school and made a deep playoff run in a decade. The facilities are good, average for a big county school. Academics and discipline are average, the community shows up for the playoffs.

3. Head coach at a big county school in a different part of the state. This school has one of the best, if not the best, football programs in the state. They just fired their coach for losing in the 3rd round of the playoffs. The school will give you a full-time teaching position and has better facilities than some small colleges. The community loves to support their football team, but will turn on the coach fast if they don't win state. Academics are great, discipline is tough to tell. Seems like most issues are covered up.

4. College position coach at your Alma mater. This is a full-time job at the school where you met your fiancee. You'd be working for your college coach so you already know the system. Significant increase in pay with many hours of practice, games, and recruiting. Job security doesn't exist unless you win. Speaking of money, this option pays you the most. The program is a conference power, but I wouldn't expect a national championship anytime soon.

Which one do you pick and why?

[RunItUpTheGut]

Had you not added the part about the fiancée, it would have made it a little easier for me.

With that said, happy wife, happy life. In other words, her opinion is going to matter and since were speaking on a hypothetical basis, she's not hear to answer.

Now, if you have no worries family wise, and I had all of these options, it would depend on two things....

One, do you want to make the big move one day and be a college coach, or are you happy with being a high school coach and teacher for your whole life? If you want to make it in the college game and your name isn't Gus Malzhaun, you need to get in a coaching position somewhere and make a name for yourself, and after 7 years, your not getting any younger, so I would make the move.

IF, you were fine with staying as a high school coach, and was confident in your abilities, I would go ahead and make the move to the bigger school in a different part of the state that expects state championships. You have to take chances. As long as you like the place and don't mind to move there, it would be a done deal for me. I wouldn't want to move to the bigger school in the county because you would never escape the drama. Staying at the current small school is fine, but who wants to stay and win against these small schools and not really challenge yourself against the best competition in the state?

So, my answer in short....

If I want to eventually be a college coach, id take the college job.
If I wanted to really push myself and make a name for myself as a high school coach, I would take the premier program.
If the wife says she isn't moving no matter what, id stay at the small school over the bigger county school to relieve myself from all the talking and being blasted on BGR.

[EKUAlum05]

What level of college?

[RoShamBo]

Get that money!

[The Cross Movement]

Go to the college ranks single or married. You have nothing left to prove at the High School level and your leaving your H.S. program in good shape, nothing worse than seeing a program collapse after a long standing coach leaves...I think it says something about the outgoing coach.

Most importantly your getting married and will have a wife and mouths to feed, if it is an NAIA school, you will be able to lay down some roots if you can keep the roster numbers where they need to be...the pressure to win is not as great as it is on the FCS/FBS level .....there is still pressure though...

[Real Badman]

#4

[KCCFootball]

I'd be content at the highschool I'm at. Money isnt everything, if i was at least making 40k a year in a low cost of living community it wouldnt be a factor. Of course everybody' opinion is different.

Of course the superior program across the state sounds good too.

[WhyLie]

Stay until the ride is over. Then go anywhere you like.

[SLHSCard]

I say ride the wave of talent and move on. Gotta look out for ole #1 and get that money.

[toussaints]

What level of college?

FBS mid major like WKU

[SLHSCard]

FBS mid major like WKU

I think that would be very tempting for a HS guy, could always get back into the high school game with a resume like that.

[toussaints]

I love the discussion so far. I think Gut made a significant point that this isn't just your call now that you're engaged. A lot goes into a decision like this

What do I value more? Money, opportunity, loyalty, security... Is the risk worth it? No matter what you choose, you'll be passing up on at least 3 other opportunities.

For me, money hasn't been an issue because I always saved what I made and I don't need much to get by and my girlfriend is the same way. But if children makes their way into our lives, then money will be an issue we have to face.

Right now, I'd take the college job. The school might promote one of the assistants and they'd be in a great spot. Because most FBS programs have a quick trigger, if I fail then I could always revisit teaching and coaching high school. If I succeed, then sky is the limit. The reward is worth the risk.

I look at the state powerhouse and I see a coach being fired after a solid playoff run. I see the potential for big problems in that culture. I look at the big local school and I ask "why take a step back?"

[nky]

Coaches should be warned, you are hired to be fired. So watch having you're coaching job being tied with your teaching or wife's teaching job.
If your teaching you're a teacher 1st, coach 2nd.

If you have asperating of coaching college go for it, but retirement will be weaker.

:pondering:

[xtrapoint]

I would stay at the school I am at. Ride the talent wave and win a state title and boost the resume even more.

[adopted purple]

Go to the larger local school. Two teaching positions is a gold mine for a young man with a fiancé. You can always move later if it doesn't work out.

[insideinfo]

4
Money
Experience

[Spirit100]

The college position because opportunities are extremely rare. I can always go back to a high school HC position down the road with the credentials earned with the college experience.