I’m going to try to simplify this for you one more time. I honestly don’t know why you’re coming at me like this. I’m a supporter of Marshall anytime they’re not playing WVU. I traveled to and stayed in Huntington for a game this past season. I usually couldn’t care less what your opinion is, as I know you are always going to try to paint WVU in a negative light and I know my information is credible. However, I get sick of seeing the garbage and lies you post on here about my alma mater.
Shane Lyons was going to offer DH a contract extension at the end of the 2015 season, then we played Kansas State in Manhattan. They had to move a WR to be an emergency QB because of injuries I believe and were still able to get a win. We decided to kick to Morgan Burns, after he almost broke a KO return earlier in the game and was known as a talented returner. He had a 90+ yard KO return for a TD that ended up winning the game.
Now you’re going to say no AD would make a decision on a HC because of 1 game. What I’m trying to stress here is that Shane was never fully sold on Holgs, and this just was seen a failure to prepare and execute at a critical time in the season. Lyons offered an extension in the years of the contract, but no increase in the buyout. Holgorsen rejected the contract offer.
Going into the last year of his contract in 2016, he doubled down and bet on himself and his team. It paid off as WVU went 10-2 in the regular season and Holgorsen agreed to a 5 year contract extension through the 2021 season. Lyons had to offer this extension, as it would be detrimental to the program to let a coach who won 10 games walk.
Grier got hurt and we went 7-6 last year, but returned almost everyone for this past season. It was the year we had to AT LEAST make the Big 12 Championship Game. We were 8-1 going into Stillwater as heavy favorites. There had been talks about another extension and Holgorsen was interested in staying, but then the wheels fell off. We let a 17 point lead in the second half slip away and then lost to OU to end the regular season. From that point on Shane wasn’t interested in any contract that wasn’t slanted heavily in favor of WVU. Holgorsen lost interest and knew next year would be make-or-break for his future in Morgantown and we were losing out top 4 offensive weapons and our top defender.
He then began talking to UH through Spav and other backchannels. Fertitta knew they needed to get rid of Applewhite and make a splash hire. He offered, by far, the most lucrative Group of 5 contract in history for both DH and his assistants. The big thing though is most of the $20 million contract is guaranteed. Even if Holgs would have made it through the last three years that were left on his contract, $12 million is not = $20 million. The more likely option would have been he would have underperformed for Lyons and Gee’s standards and would have been let go. I’d have to look, but his buyout would have been between $4-5 million plus the $4 million he’d be paid for the 2018 season. Again, $8-9 million is not $20 million.
WVU was definitely interested at keeping Holgorsen AT ONE POINT during the season. After the last two regular season losses, Lyons was happy to call Holgorsen’s bluff and let him walk and pay WVU. The bowl game was just an exclamation point on situation that had occurred over the last two months.
Here are a few quotes from an ESPN article:
“Sources told ESPN that Holgorsen had come to a stalemate in negotiations with the school over a contract extension. The point of contention was Holgorsen's desire for additional guaranteed years on his contract and a larger buyout. West Virginia, having just given him a five-year extension following 2016, wasn't willing to meet all of Holgorsen's demands.”
“After talks stalled between Holgorsen and West Virginia, there was an opportunity for him to move. Holgorsen had spent eight years in Morgantown and was losing most of the key players from what was his most talented team. Star quarterback Will Grier and receiver David Sills V, among others, won't be around.”
Last edited:
