A 3rdWardCoog opinion piece
First and foremost, both coaches are great at what they do and have shown tremendous potential for any step up at any Power 5 institution.
That being said, I think Traylor is the better choice and here’s why.
Willie Fritz has been at Tulane for almost a decade now. He knows the area. Knows the region. Knows how to recruit well. And on a personal level, he probably is comfortable living in New Orleans with his Wife.
Fritz is 63 years old. He is at the point in his career where he has to SLOWLY start planning for retirement, and only he truly knows when that day comes. - due to this, Fritz is going to ask for a large buyout.
If we hire Fritz, we aren’t going to give him 5 years to win a championship. We expect it fast. That’s a very high expectation for Fritz. If he fails, he won’t be able to just land a job anywhere, and there is no certainty that he gets a job in this region to live the same lifestyle as he’s used to.
UH cannot afford to be in another situation with a large buyout. And Fritz rightfully deserves one because in the contrary, it’s a sign of disrespect for someone as legendary as Fritz.
I think Fritz either retires at Tulane or takes an SEC job. It’s not worth the jump to the Big 12. It’s not 100% beneficial to either party. It’s a gamble for both UH and for Fritz. He should remain in New Orleans and continue making millions of dollars with his sustainable Tulane success.
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As for Traylor, he doesn’t have the resume to ask for a large buyout. If he shows and proves, then a negotiation can be made after a year or two of proven success.
If Traylor fails. We try again without having to pay someone 15-20 million to leave.
Traylor also knows that if he stays with UTSA and doesn’t produce a championship season next year, his value will decline overnight.
It’s in Traylor’s interest to take a job now while he’s a hot commodity. UH has an open door, but UH also leads this negotiation. Not Traylor.
