What do the head coaches of Wake Forest basketball and Florida State football have in common? You wouldn’t think there’d be much, but at least three things come to mind: Their teams are underwhelming, with losing cumulative records; their contracts obligate each school to a ridiculously large and dubiously justified buyout; and disaffected fans have stayed away from home games in droves.
At Wake Forest, able to hide data because it’s a private university, coach Danny Manning reportedly was awarded a contract through 2025 with an $18 million buyout that declines each year he stays. The fiscal firing protection was offered despite a single winning season in 2017 and was followed by consecutive 11-20 records.