Talk about misreading the Oregon turnaround. Oregon was spending heavily on infrastructure since the late 90's. Flashy uniforms, Times square Billboards, custom comic books for recruits, X-boxes and TV in the lockers, and they've been to the natty twice (under different coaches) in that time span. Oregon isn't landing 5 star recruits due to Cristobal's amazing personality. They've built it into a place kids want to go.
Oregon St also argues for the facilities. After success under Erickson and Riley (trailer off during his tenure) the program became a complete dumpster fire. All while the program never went bargain basement on a coach. Last four Head Coaches: Erickson (NFL experience, former Natty winner), Riley (NFL guy), Anderson (won at Utah St and Wisconsin prior), and Smith (coordinator for Petersen for years, also their Jason Gesser). It turns out the job requires an exceptional coach for modest success.
WSU basketball is similar. George Ravelling, Kelvin Sampson, and Tony Bennett have won here recently. It took Dick Bennett 3 years to set up Tony for his success. Its not the sign of a healthy program if you need a hall of fame caliber coach to get to the NCAA tournament.
Writing big checks to lure a coach into a bad situation leads to landing someone who is looking to cash a fat check. Or someone who is just looking to stick around long enough to land the next better opportunity. Kyle Smith is looking like a one in a million fit and we'll lose him if Chun doesn't keep him happy.
Oklahoma St? Look at the success the program was having before T. Boone opened up his wallet. Think the program is going to take a massive step back if Gundy is shown the door?
Sometimes you need a coach to get the facilities built. Do we get a FOB if Wulff is the HFC? But if Paul Allen has dropped a chunk of cash down for facilities and upgrades they should have been top priority because those will help any coach recruit.
A Poor Money Program like a WSU, Ore St USUALLY DOES NOT have the MONEY to even SEMI CONSISTENTLY have the good enough facilities, program to win even inconsistently.
Yeah sure every once in a while they can sometimes afford a new stadium, or stadium expansion, renovation, FOB, etc.
But even if they do so, they CAN NOT USUALLY keep up with the Jones, of the College Football World to even have even semi borderline conaistent, inconsistent, semi regular, irregular winning seasons against the Jones of the College Football World.
So even if your point were right(And its not), it wouldnt apply to WSU, Ore St types, and would only apply to:
Tier 2,3 Colleges. Tier 1: WSU, Tier 2: OK St, Tx Tech, MSU, etc. Tier 3: UW, etc, Tier 4: UW, UCLA, etc, Tier 5: Auburn, USC etc, Tier 6: USC, Alabama, etc.
What you said does not apply to Tier 1, Tier 4,5,6 colleges, and only applies to tiers 2,3,4 colleges.
Like you said it takes the EXTREMELY EXCEPTIONAL hall of fame coaches to consistently win at WSU(Coach K, Saban, etc).
Without those type of coaches, WSU types, will not win consistently, EVEN IF THEY ONCE IN A WHILE SPEND LOTS OF MONEY ON FACILITIES.
Yeah sure IF IF IF WSU REGULARLY spent LOTS of money on facilities regularly, enough to keep up with the Jones, then yeah WSU would win consistently without a hall of fame coach.
But a WSU type either does not have the money to do that, an or wont do that.
So again a mute, moot point.
The way a WSU type turns into a consistently winning healthy program:
1. Either an or at same time, hire a coach K, Saban, and spend at least a little tiny bit of money on facilities, etc.
2. If not able to spend a little tiny bit of money on facilities, show the new Saban type coach, and possible future recruits that they are at least trying to earn money, and will spend that money on facilities, if they do earn money.
3. The Saban coach brings consistent winning, that makes the money.
4. THEN THE WSU TYPE MUST THEN SPEND THE MONEY ON FACILITIES CONSISTENTLY TO THEN SUSTAIN THE CONSISTENT WINNING.
It does not work in reverse spending money first, then hiring good coaches at WSU types, primarily because WSU type usually cant apend the money first on facilities first, and then hire good coaches.
Usually WSU types have to choose between either spend money on facilities, or not spend it on facilities, and spend it on coaches instead.
Yeah there have been Saban types that have failed at WSU types.
But thats not a reason to spend money on facilities over coaches, because there have been Saban types that have won consistently at WSU, Raveling, Sampson, Bennet, Leach, and probably Kyle Smith, as examples.
So if a WSU type, and if must choose between either money on a Saban, or money on facilities:
1. You hire Saban.
2. That makes money due to consistent winning.
3. Then you spend money on facilities.
Oh and btw, Kyle Smith is probably going to stay at WSU for 9 to 17 years, be a long staying Mark Few type at WSU, because his Wife, an or his Wife's family are:
1. From, in Chelan/Eastern WA.
2. Like, Love Chelan, Eastern WA.
3. Are WSU fans.
Also Smith WHEN he consistently wins at WSU has a awesome bball program, recruits, community, fans, AD Pat Chun, and President that will be here for long time, that will support Kyle Smith.
Yes its theorectically technically possible to have Kyle Smith not stay 9 to 17 years, but its not bloody damn likely Kyle Smith leaves before 9 to 17 years
Also if a WSU type offers enough money, a Saban type will coach at a WSU type.
Coaches are mercenaries, show them the money, and they will usually come.
