Extending Partner was reasonable, and at the point he backed Geoffrey, I don't think he had much choice but to double down.
This. IMO, he unfortunately had already made his bed by this point owing to the contract he had signed with CGC. And knowing more than most of us fans about the budget of the AA, he likely had to double down.
It's hard - I still think that CGC's agent raked us over the coals, because "no one wanted to take on the greatest 'rebuild' in college football history." Otherwise, we'd have likely had a much more reasonable contract. Regardless, even with the buyout money supposedly available, I'm thinking there were other circumstances at play that led to him saying "I have no choice but to keep it going." Having a wife who's a Nebraska fan, it's been incredibly interesting to see what a program can do when not saddled with the budgetary issues we've dealt with for the past at least 20 years.
I've made hiring mistakes many times - I'm glad it's never cost me my job. As a Tech man, I'm glad to hear he's landed on his feet, and am hopeful he has a lot of success at NC State.