I hear you, but a 7 year contract that was basically guaranteed? Outrageous. Could've gotten someone like Fritz who ran a more open option type offense and not taken the huge step back we did with MofBS. Anyone with any competence (so that would not be TFG or the former AD) would've realized you run a run based option type offense that is more wide open that what PJ ran. Not some wide open, quick play, throw the ball a lot and down field offense when we didn't have those players.
I'm sure after the hire of MofBS, Stansbury was getting spammed for any number of various scams just to see what he might bite on. Sad.
The big donors wanted to get away from option. They wanted to rip the bandaid off. They wanted a commitment to big time recruiting, pro style offense and defense, and being conventional. They wanted to be Michigan. They wanted to look just like a stereotypical SEC team. They wanted to look like every other team, and win 10 games a season. They would have fought against Fritz or anyone who wanted a gradual shift.
They wanted a commitment to that program. The contract is what a commitment looks like.
The contract wasn’t accidental. It wasn’t negligent. It was intentional. Collins wasn’t an accident—but Wisenhunt would have been exactly the coach for the offense they wanted. None of the things you’re saying “they could have done” were the things they wanted to do.
The problem was that the people writing the big checks wanted the wrong things. And, they got their way.