I don't see any mystery here. SEC is the Money Pot. Upper tier SEC schools will go "unlimited" to try to win. Once he's milked that cow for all he's worth (and more), his pride will take over and he'll go for a Head Coaching job --- but hanging around a bit might open up some lower SEC HC spot. ... as always with most of these guys: follow the money.
I'm really hoping that our guy (Lea) has a different "philosophy."
The two big Texas schools are suddenly very eager to start using some of their oil money to buy their way back to the top.
Texas A&M offered Jimbo Fischer a ridiculous contract, but he is also allegedly getting huge stock in oil companies owned by donors/alumns/BOR people.
Three or four years ago, Texas supposedly made a legit play for Nick Saban by offering to make him the highest paid coach in the country, and also essentially making him one of the richest independent businessmen in Texas via stock options for hundreds of different oil and real estate companies (allegedly).
Everyone at Texas was almost 100% certain that Saban was going to be their next coach, just based on the ridiculous financial benefits they were offering. Like "offer he can't refuse" type of stuff.
I'd love to know what Bama offered that is "off the books" that kept him in place.