Vigen Speaks to Utah State about HC Opening

[4KornerKat]

If you could quadruple your salary next year doing the basically the same job would you do it?

Heck no!





But I was just laid off, so 0x4=0

I think its a bit of a stretch to say that a G5 coaching job is somehow the same job as an FCS job.

For some people, at least, the extra responsibility and the association with a far lower quality program wouldn't be worth it. For others it would.

I can't imagine that Vigen is going to jump at the first lower tier MWC opportunity that presents itself. I have zero special insight, but I have to believe he is going to be on the lookout for something significantly better.

If Coach Vigan is offered the job at USU or Fresno State there is no way he's going to turn it down to stay in Bozeman unless they really try to low ball him. Thinking that somehow MSU has this cachet that is better than some mountain west jobs is pretty silly. The USU head coach will make ~$1.4 million this year. Vigan is in his prime earning years and those opportunities come when they come and that happens to be this year. Next year might be an entirely different circumstance.

Eh...I wouldn't really be surprised either way. Vigen will make well over $500k this year. Would an additional $900k ($600k after taxes) be worth taking over a 3 win program? One that has to compete with something like 47 other D1 schools for in state talent?

Especially when theres an opening 60 miles south for a $2m Offensive Co-ordinator?

And you don't think there will be more, better offers for Vigen for a power 5 job down the road?

Vigen has seen what happens to quality FCS coaches who take crappy jobs (Bohl, Glenn, Hauck, Troy Taylor). He took a $100-$200k pay cut to come to Bozeman (I think Polsacks base salary at Wyoming is $350 or so), so the idea that hes got one foot out the door seems more than a little far fetched.

These jobs aren't "When they Come"...for a guy like Vigen, he will get to choose between several, if not dozens. These jobs are open every single year.

Thats not saying he wouldn't go...I just don't think that he took the step down & pay cut from Wyoming OC to come to Bozeman in order to get the HC job in Logan.

Knowing how many better opportunities are in the pipeline, it would be hard to jump to a crappy job, even with a $600k bump in pay. Vigen is no Jeff Choate.

We are definitely going to disagree here. Your numbers are not close. The head coach at Wyoming makes well over a million a year. Vigan didn't make 500k here this year. If he wins the chipper he will be somewhere in that ball park. You can say USU is a crappy job but he will make way more money there than he will in Bozeman 3-8 or not. Also Bohl and Taylor made millions at their jobs. You're going to tout all the add ons to vigans salary at MSU but those other schools have the same add ons so it's not an apples to apples comparison.
The only reason Vigan would stay at MSU instead of a MW job is because he wasn't offered and yea these circumstances change for coaches every year. One year you're the toast of the town the next year the fan base may want you fired.

Just to be very clear on where Vigen is at MSU:
Direct quote from Skyline Sports (Thanks @Colter_Nuanez )
"With his base salary, his first-year retention bonus and his pending second-year retention bonus plus his guaranteed bonuses for media and public appearances, Vigen’s guaranteed salary is $399,650 and he earned $85,000 in bonuses last season, earning $484,650.

If he were to duplicate the success of the playoff run in 2021, beat all four playoff teams that made the playoffs last season, and add a Big Sky title and coach of the year like in 2022, Vigen could earn $614,650. An undefeated run to the national championship (including an FBS win) would earn Vigen $665,650."

Not sure how he could afford to live in Bozeman.

Don't forget to add in how much he saves in tuition costs for his kids.

you have to have 5 years in and then it is a 50% tuition waiver for 1 kid at at time..only for non grad programs, unless they changed it recently.

120 days, but still 50%, and 2 kids at a time.
https://www.montana.edu/financialaid/dptw.html

[damnyoutuesday]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

[BelligerentBobcat]

Eck would be a great hire. I want him out of Idaho, he’s a darn good recruiter.

[tetoncat]

Eck would be a great hire. I want him out of Idaho, he’s a darn good recruiter.

Great recruiter of top end but hasn't seemed to be able to get depth.

[BelligerentBobcat]

Eck would be a great hire. I want him out of Idaho, he’s a darn good recruiter.

Great recruiter of top end but hasn't seemed to be able to get depth.

What makes you say that?

[tetoncat]

Eck would be a great hire. I want him out of Idaho, he’s a darn good recruiter.

Great recruiter of top end but hasn't seemed to be able to get depth.

What makes you say that?

Seems like injuries have hurt them last couple years. Have not been as good at end of year as they seemed to be at beginning.

[AFCAT]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

[luckyirishguy25]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

[BelgradeBobcat]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

If USU hires Bronco Mendenhall then Vigen becomes an instant candidate at New Mexico.
I'm guessing that's who it is if they are announcing tomorrow? Eck is busy getting ready for a playoff game in Moscow.

[MSU01]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

If USU hires Bronco Mendenhall then Vigen becomes an instant candidate at New Mexico.
I'm guessing that's who it is if they are announcing tomorrow? Eck is busy getting ready for a playoff game in Moscow.

They also appear to have interviewed Bryan Harsin (former Boise State and Auburn HC) yesterday. He'd be the best choice for us as Bobcat fans since he's currently not coaching and wouldn't create an opening somewhere else that Vigen could potentially fill!

[GoldstoneCat]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

If USU hires Bronco Mendenhall then Vigen becomes an instant candidate at New Mexico.
I'm guessing that's who it is if they are announcing tomorrow? Eck is busy getting ready for a playoff game in Moscow.

Jay Hill is my guess.

[GoodTimesAllTheTime]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

If USU hires Bronco Mendenhall then Vigen becomes an instant candidate at New Mexico.
I'm guessing that's who it is if they are announcing tomorrow? Eck is busy getting ready for a playoff game in Moscow.

I don’t think the UNM job is as tempting as either Utah State or Fresno. UNM didn’t get an invite to the PAC-12 like the other two schools did and the roster turnover after two years of new coaches would be staggering.

[technoCat]

After looking over the USU boards, it seems like they either want Eck or Bronco Mendenhall (UNM head coach). Bronco makes a lot of sense since he's mormon and has ties to the state of Utah (former BYU head coach). That board is also in flight tracker mode right now lol

I’d kind of feel bad for New Mexico if Bronco left. They finally get a decent coach and smell a tiny bit of success and that all gets taken away.

That would be a pretty lateral move, I doubt he'd get much more money if any. Seems like they have their guy though, announcement tomorrow.

I'm going with Eck as their choice.

If USU hires Bronco Mendenhall then Vigen becomes an instant candidate at New Mexico.
I'm guessing that's who it is if they are announcing tomorrow? Eck is busy getting ready for a playoff game in Moscow.

I don’t think the UNM job is as tempting as either Utah State or Fresno. UNM didn’t get an invite to the PAC-12 like the other two schools did and the roster turnover after two years of new coaches would be staggering.

The only thing is that I think Vigen could hit it out of the park with Bronco's roster and pulling in some key portal pieces on defense. It might be a unique opportunity to turn around a cellar-dweller and really make himself attractive for bigger teams. Course he won't be able to go until late January and the portal would be all dried up so nothing to worry about!!

[RootinfortheCats]

I don't want it to happen, but it would be kind of funny if Vigen took the USU job, got them to a bowl in year 1, and then moved to Washington for a big pay bump.

[coloradocat]

I don't want it to happen, but it would be kind of funny if Vigen took the USU job, got them to a bowl in year 1, and then moved to Washington for a big pay bump.

Where would you get such a crazy idea? That would never happen.

[Bocephus]

I don't want it to happen, but it would be kind of funny if Vigen took the USU job, got them to a bowl in year 1, and then moved to Washington for a big pay bump.

Where would you get such a crazy idea? That would never happen.

Man that football scoop website is almost unreadable with all the ads and pop ups.

[kennethnoisewater]

I'm as big of a Brent Vigen fan as there is, but I don't know anything about his ability to build up a broken program. In his first head coaching job (at MSU), he took over a team that was in good shape and made it better. In my opinion Jeff Choate is the perfect kind of guy to turn around a bad program with his enthusiasm, passion, and his ability to recruit better than his program deserves. He's a great fixer, but it remains to be seen if he can maintain a successful program. And that's OK...maybe he's a guy who always needs a new challenge. Teams should hire him as a fixer, then let him go fix the next program and turn its culture around. Vigen strikes me as a little more of a slow burn guy. He's brilliant, but IMO he'd need 4-5 years to right the ship where Choate could do it in 2-3. Obviously I'm biased and obviously it's just my impression, but Vigen is the kind of guy who needs to stay in one place for a while and really show what he can do. Vigen's personality is more of an NFL coach. I'm not saying he's qualified for that, but they don't need to be rah rah guys--they just have to manage a program really well. He's getting better at the rah rah for sure, but he's not a dynamic leader that down-on-their-luck programs need.

[coloradocat]

I'm as big of a Brent Vigen fan as there is, but I don't know anything about his ability to build up a broken program. In his first head coaching job (at MSU), he took over a team that was in good shape and made it better. In my opinion Jeff Choate is the perfect kind of guy to turn around a bad program with his enthusiasm, passion, and his ability to recruit better than his program deserves. He's a great fixer, but it remains to be seen if he can maintain a successful program. And that's OK...maybe he's a guy who always needs a new challenge. Teams should hire him as a fixer, then let him go fix the next program and turn its culture around. Vigen strikes me as a little more of a slow burn guy. He's brilliant, but IMO he'd need 4-5 years to right the ship where Choate could do it in 2-3. Obviously I'm biased and obviously it's just my impression, but Vigen is the kind of guy who needs to stay in one place for a while and really show what he can do. Vigen's personality is more of an NFL coach. I'm not saying he's qualified for that, but they don't need to be rah rah guys--they just have to manage a program really well. He's getting better at the rah rah for sure, but he's not a dynamic leader that down-on-their-luck programs need.

Choate will never have trouble finding a job (as evidenced by his constant movement). Vigen has to be the exact right fit for a specific situation. That's good for us.

[seataccat]

I don't want it to happen, but it would be kind of funny if Vigen took the USU job, got them to a bowl in year 1, and then moved to Washington for a big pay bump.

It would be interesting to see him at USU head to head with Choate at UN and see who wins the most or who moves to the bigger gig the soonest.

[mule]

The one advantage the griz have is no one wants there coach. They have no worriers for him leaving for another team. I love that that school and that coach are meant for each other for life.