Gary Barnett did the right thing, the smart thing, the only thing he could have done under the circumstances. He withdrew his name from consideration for the vacant Texas coaching job. Or maybe Texas withdrew it for him?
We’ll never know for sure, since mum’s the word from Barnett’s fax machine. Barnett is doing the Garbo thing these days, which means he won’t say a peep about why he interviewed, what happened during the interview and how come he returned to Mother Evanston. But if Barnett values his privacy so much–as he reminded everyone in Tuesday’s short and terse statement–then maybe he ought to quit window shopping every off-season.
Barnett and Bevo the Longhorn was a bad idea from the beginning. But Texas is Texas, so Barnett decided to listen, just like he did with UCLA, Georgia and Notre Dame. He still hasn’t interviewed for a Big East, Western Athletic Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference job, but give him time. In fact, North Carolina’s Mack Brown could be leaving any day now . . . for Texas.
As it turns out, Barnett might have been the media’s, but not Texas’, first choice for the Longhorns’ opening. According to a senior athletic department official at Texas, Barnett wasn’t necessarily the frontrunner.
This is a good thing. For Barnett. For Northwestern. After all, can you imagine Mr. Control Freak the first time some big-money donor named Bobby Joe Bob came steaming into the Longhorns locker room after a loss to Rice?
“Lookee here, Hoss, I don’t know how you boys coached the pigskin at little ‘ol Northwestern State, but we got lab rats who can come up with a better game plan than what me and Mrs. Joe Bob just saw. If I didn’t know no better, I’d say you’re all branding iron and no cattle.
“Now if it’s a matter of keeping your herd happy, you just let me know. I own some rigs in Odessa where I’ll pay your little star hosses a Ben Franklin an hour for protecting the property from, uh, polar bears. OK, enough bidness. Now why don’t you call the team together and we’ll tell some A&M jokes.”
Barnett would have had a China Syndrome. He would have told that little doggie to hit the prairie and never come back. Shortly thereafter, Barnett would have been labeled an arrogant, pompous, non-good-ol’-boy by the Longhorns family, just like they did with the recently fired John Mackovic.
This is the difference between Northwestern and Texas. This is the reason why Barnett’s margin of error at Texas would have been smaller than a one-gallon hat.
Again, according to the athletic department official, Texas had three major concerns regarding Barnett:
– 1. Could he squirm out of his 12-year contract and if so, how much would it cost to depocket a few Texas alums for the buyout money? (Answer: yes, and $500,000.
– 2. Would Barnett insist on a similar long-term deal from Texas? (No, duh. The last three coaches fired by Texas had winning records and time left on their contracts.)
– 3. Was it true that Barnett wanted “total control” of the football program? (In one form or another, probably.)
Money wasn’t a problem at Texas. Five hundred large for a buyout? That’s toll-booth change. They’re already paying Mackovic $600,000 a year for the next three years not to coach.
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The long-term deal was another matter. Darrell Royal was the last Longhorns coach to have that kind of clout, and Barnett is no D-Royal. Barnett doesn’t even have a drawl.
As for the issue of control, that might have been the one that concerned Texas the most. Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds is a hands-off guy, but no way was the school going to give anybody, including Barnett, dictator powers.
Of course, this is the Texas version. Barnett might have simply come to his senses and realized he had a better deal at Northwestern, which he does.
In Evanston he has security, stability, a bank account to die for, endorsements, the Wrigley Field of football stadiums and a program worth retooling. In Austin he would have had a chance to win a national championship or get Mackovic-ed. Some choice.
It will be only a matter of time before Barnett talks to another school about a coaching vacancy. As long as it’s the Texases, Notre Dames, UCLAs and Georgias, then Northwestern ought to consider it a compliment. If Barnett takes a call from Fresno State, then it’s got a problem.
For now, Northwestern can rest easy. Barnett isn’t going anywhere, especially to deep in the heart of Texas. Next year, who knows? Next year, will anybody care?