Pat and Jana Eilers endow defensive backs coaching position

[Cali_domer]

Pat and Jana Eilers endow defensive backs coaching position :: Notre Dame Football :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics

 

[NDohio]

Pat and Jana Eilers endow defensive backs coaching position :: Notre Dame Football :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics

"Pat is a remarkable person, an extremely dedicated alum and, most importantly, a great husband to Jana, and father to Elizabeth, Katherine, Clare and Patrick," said the Richard A. Corbett Head Football Coach Brian Kelly. "This gift is yet another example that demonstrates his commitment to our University and our football program. Pat is a perfect representation to all current and future Notre Dame football student-athletes. He truly embodies what it means to be a `Notre Dame man.'"

How did I miss this?

 

[phillyirish]

3 million, that's a lot of money for a defensive backs coach. (I know it's not for one year).

 

[koonja]

So they gave Todd Lyght 3 million dollars?

 

[Cali_domer]

So they gave Todd Lyght 3 million dollars?

No, but with the interest made off that endowment they should be able to pay a competitive salary for a DB coach.

 

[kmoose]

So they gave Todd Lyght 3 million dollars?

It's an endowment:

How do university endowments work?

 

[edgesofsanity]

No, but with the interest made off that endowment they should be able to pay a competitive salary for a DB coach.

And for those curious playing at home: 5% of 3 million is $150,000.

 

[phork]

I hate this on so many levels. Hate Hate Hate.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I hate this on so many levels. Hate Hate Hate.

Why? Attracting and retaining top coaching talent gets more expensive every year. As a school that prides itself on keeping revenue sports from compromising its academic mission, the optics for ND are bad when our coaching salaries are getting paid out of the University's general budget. The most obvious solution is to let wealthy alumni pay our coaches directly through endowments like this one.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Why? Attracting and retaining top coaching talent gets more expensive ever year. As a school that prides itself on keeping revenue sports from compromising its academic mission, the optics for ND are bad when our coaching salaries are getting paid out of the University's general budget. The most obvious solution is to let wealthy alumni pay our coaches directly through endowments like this one.

 

[Irish YJ]

 

[Irish YJ]

So what does this say about his thoughts on the current state of our DBs.... LOL

 

[Whiskeyjack]

So what does this say about his thoughts on the current state of our DBs.... LOL

Eilers played Safety on the '88 Championship team.

 

[NDbrbkny]

what is the "official title" of the DB position

 

[Irish YJ]

Eilers played Safety on the '88 Championship team.

yep, but wonder about the timing. I'm sure I'm reading too much into it.

 

[shalom]

Why? Attracting and retaining top coaching talent gets more expensive every year. As a school that prides itself on keeping revenue sports from compromising its academic mission, the optics for ND are bad when our coaching salaries are getting paid out of the University's general budget. The most obvious solution is to let wealthy alumni pay our coaches directly through endowments like this one.

ND football grosses almost $100 million a year last I read, it's not equal to the $130-140 million that Texas rakes in but ND is one of the top 5 in the country every year. Put it this way, if ND was to somehow spin off its football program it would be value close to $800 million. There isn't really any danger that football would cannibalize ND's academic mission monetarily, the opposite really, where ND football is paying for a bunch of other sports, and therefore scholarships which allows more students to attend ND and get an education.

I think what Eilers' endowment does, in terms of optics is that it frees up a good chunk of money for scholarships to go to students instead of paying a football coach. In reality the couple hundred K that comes out of the trust every year is not even pennies compared to the huge cash cow that the football team is, but it's a pretty classy idea that football coaches get paid out of chairs like academic professors out of endowments from accomplished alumni. That it's a former football player to do it is just plain cool for ND