Will Yow and Friedgen Negotiate a Buy Out of His contract?

[section18]

The Terps have apparently taken a back seat in their recruiting efforts. How they have fallen. There is no excuse for this poor season. From the tone of Friedgens post game comments I would not be surprised if he resigned at the end of the season or negotiated a buy out with Yow. She has not given him any ringing endorsements. How could she?

They are 2-7 and will probably lose to Virginia Tech, Florida State and Boston College to finish at 2-10. I don't know how they will recruit this off season with this poor of a record.

Ralph should meet with Yow after the season and take the money and run. He cannot be hurting for money and if he wants to continue he can get an assistants job somewhere or become head coach of a little school somewhere.

We need to get a younger charismatic guy as our head coach and I don't think Franklin is the answer. If we are stuck with him it would be nice if Ralph resigned and let Franklin coach the last game but that's not going to happen.

[Mackus]

I can't imagine Fridge being back next season.

I also can't imagine him quitting.

A third thing I can't imagine is them paying the large commitment they have to him to fire him.

Something's gotta give.

[section18]

I agree with your comments. The third comment I am trying to get an answer to through a good friend of mine who is friends with people with contacts with the top people at MD ......and I mean the top people. Her friends have given several million dollars to the school and they talk regularly to the top people. I mentioned earlier in the season that my friend told me she was told by one of her sources that the Terps had to get a Bowl bid that was decent for him to keep his job. Things have gone downhill quickly since then and I don't see how he can survive unless he wins at least two of the final three games and the team starts showing some signs of progress and has a positive feeling leading into the off season .

I will follow this up tomorrow if I can reach my contact. The top donors may decide to come up with the money needed to buy out his contract if he agrees. I'll try to find out if this is permitted.

[jerryterp]

I figure it'll take 5 million to get out of this. Two million per for each of the two years he has remaining & one million to buy out Franklin. There is no way, with the state budget where it is that they will buy him out UNLESS some big $'s alum take care of that 5 mill. From what I've heard these big $ folks support Ralph. Crazy prediction, Md beats Va Tech the same way we beat Clemson.

[Danielos38]

I agree with your comments. The third comment I am trying to get an answer to through a good friend of mine who is friends with people with contacts with the top people at MD ......and I mean the top people. Her friends have given several million dollars to the school and they talk regularly to the top people. I mentioned earlier in the season that my friend told me she was told by one of her sources that the Terps had to get a Bowl bid that was decent for him to keep his job. Things have gone downhill quickly since then and I don't see how he can survive unless he wins at least two of the final three games and the team starts showing some signs of progress and has a positive feeling leading into the off season .

I will follow this up tomorrow if I can reach my contact. The top donors may decide to come up with the money needed to buy out his contract if he agrees. I'll try to find out if this is permitted.

While they're at it, could you ask them to buy out Franklin as well? I'm usually not one to write someone off without seeing them actually coach a game yet, but all his offenses have been horrendous. Get them all out.

I think Yow has to buy Fridge out. She has no other choice. I think the program is salvageable after one horrible season. But, when you start having multiple horrible seasons, you can't recover for a long time.

[section18]

I traded emails with my friend with very good contacts at College Park today. She said she left the game Saturday before it was over and was totally disgusted with the team. She hopes Ralph doesn't come back and says the school can't afford to pay him to leave. Attendance is much worse than people say it is. Many empty seats and the suites are half empty. She thinks they will have to win the last two games for Ralph to save his job. If that happens we'll have snow on the 4th of July.

[Birds of B'more]

Source: Baltimore Sun (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bal-terpsfoot1121,0,6033996.story).


The Maryland Terrapins on Saturday relinquished the lead during the final minute of a 29-26 loss to Florida State -- the latest in a string of six straight losses that have raised questions about head coach Ralph Friedgen's future with the team.

As of late Saturday, Friedgen had not heard from athletic director Deborah Yow about his status -- but he was aware of rising speculation that he could be fired, said his attorney, Jack Reale.

However, Yow did contact a member of the football program and said she wanted to meet with the team Monday, according to a source close to the situation. Yow did not return telephone calls or an e-mail message from The Baltimore Sun on Saturday night.

There was no indication that Yow planned to announce a coaching change at the meeting. In fact, the source said, Yow indicated she was trying to discourage speculation about Friedgen's status and to tell players she appreciates them. The Terps, one of Friedgen's youngest teams, played better Saturday than in previous weeks.

Sounds like we may know whether Friedgen will be back next season on Monday sometime.

[twoBshorty]

I traded emails with my friend with very good contacts at College Park today. She said she left the game Saturday before it was over and was totally disgusted with the team. She hopes Ralph doesn't come back and says the school can't afford to pay him to leave. Attendance is much worse than people say it is. Many empty seats and the suites are half empty. She thinks they will have to win the last two games for Ralph to save his job. If that happens we'll have snow on the 4th of July.

I went to the Va. Tech game as well and there were indeed tons of empty seats. I'd also estimate it was about 60% Hokies fans. I went with my roommate and in the student section, we had plenty of room to spread out our coats, food, bags, etc. on the bleachers because there just weren't many people around us. And lots of people left in the 3rd quarter.

The last football game I went to was Pats-Vikings MNF, so my perspective of crowds is probably a bit skewed, but it was a little pathetic. I mean, the student tickets are free.

[Tony-OH]

I have to imagine that Friedgen will be back. The school can't afford to buy him out and unless they can convince him to retire for the good of the University, he's coming back. They still need to buyout Franklin because I imagine he's going to be fired or at the very least not given the job in 2012.

[OregonBird]

Fridge and the gang will be back next year. It might not be the worst thing b/c it gives them another year to evaluate Franklin. The Terps will stink it up next year as well, maybe 3-4 wins, causing him and Friedgen to get bought out.

I'd rather pay Franklin the $1M buyout than to lock him up on a bad, long term, HC contract. Having him and Fridge around another year buys time.

[Birds of B'more]

Two days of talks and no word from College Park. I have to think this means Yow is demanding some big changes to Friedgen's staff. Also wonder if Fridge would just quit if he thinks Yow went too far in forcing turnover? According to Jeff Barker (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/maryland_terps/blog/2009/11/friedgen_and_his_assistant_coaches.html), apparently the contract gives her the authority to do it.


Friedgen’s contract gives him a limited right to hire and fire assistants. He can't buck her wishes.

“The coach shall have the right to select and retain nine assistant coaches, subject to the approval of the athletic director,” the contract says.