College Football Rumors: Phil Knight, Oregon Prepared To Offer Next Coach More Than $10 Million Annually
College football rumors are swirling that Phil Knight is prepared to help make the next University of Oregon Ducks head football coach the highest paid in the game.
Those rumors began Saturday night after the Oregon Ducks fans watched their football program fall to 3-6 following the team’s 45-20 loss to USC. The loss marked the sixth loss in seven games, meaning the University of Oregon Ducks must win in order to avoid their first losing season since 2004 and continue their bowl streak.
But meaningless bowls and .500 seasons are not reasons Phil Knight — the co-founder of Nike Inc. and an University of Oregon alum — has pumped millions of dollars into the athletic programs. Reaching the playoffs and ultimately securing the school’s first national championship is the reason Phil Knight continues to pour funds into Oregon’s coffers.
ESPN’s Darren Rovell first reported the rumors surrounding Phil Knight and the $10 million pledge to secure the next football coach.
There's talk heating up in Oregon that Phil Knight is ready to throw insane $10M+ a year money at a football coach. He's 78, wants a title.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 5, 2016
Two problems exist with the rumors currently floating around the University of Oregon Ducks’ football program. First, the team has yet to fire its head coach Mark Helfrich. The University of Oregon promoted Helfrich to head coach in 2013 after Chip Kelly bolted for the Philadelphia Eagles. Prior to this season, Mark Helfrich had went 33-8 with an appearance in the 2015 National Championship Game to his credit.
This year, however, has been an a disaster with youth and injuries hindering the Oregon Ducks from the opening kickoff. Despite the piles of money Phil Knight is rumored to have offered Oregon, Fox Sports detailed the reasons why the Ducks should think twice about dumping the coach that has been a part of the coaching staff for both national championship appearances. Chief among the reasons was the potential to build continuity with Mark Helfrich remaining at the helm.
“Firing Helfrich in an off-season when LSU, Texas and possibly USC will have open head-coaching jobs is asking to take a step backwards. Sticking with the young kids though, could very well be the key to a 2018 conference championship.”
Why it'd be a huge mistake for Oregon to fire Mark Helfrich (by @Lindsay_Schnell) https://t.co/PdOTSkp8qL pic.twitter.com/xtPV2E864b
— SI College Football (@si_ncaafb) November 3, 2016
The second problem with the rumors floating around the Oregon Ducks’ football program is finding a coach worthy of such a sum. At $10 million, Phil Knight and the Oregon Duck faithful would expect a return on their investment quickly, especially considering the any amount above $10 million would make the next Ducks head coach the highest paid signal caller in professional or college football.
Phil Knight does have history on his side, suggesting a change at head coach can result in quick results. Since 2010, four different teams have reached the national championship game with a first- or second-year coach at the helm — a phenomena that’s happened twice for the Ducks.
But finding the coach to produce the results Phil Knight and fellow Oregon fans expect is the issue. Fansided has suggested that $10 million could be enough to lure a powerhouse SEC coach away from his school. Additional names being tossed around include recently unemployed LSU coach Les Miles and former Oregon coach Chip Kelly.
I touch on the @darrenrovell tweet about Oregon football here. Phil Knight and Pat Kilkenny are not bystanders here: https://t.co/S4KKCBvzvl
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) November 6, 2016
Giving money to the University of Oregon is nothing new to Phil Knight. The philanthropist and his wife Penny recently announced a $500 million gift for the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. According to the Wall Street Journal, the donation serves as the largest ever for a public flagship institution in the country.
The gift was the second of its kind from Phil and Penny Knight. In 2013, the Knights announced a $500 million donation for cancer research at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
What coach do you think Phil Knight and University of Oregon can attract by offering in the range of $10 million annually? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
[Feature Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
