I feel that the absolute limit is 5 years. No more. That gives you enough time to set your "system", get your players, etc.
If you are still floundering after 5, then you should get the boot.
Year 3-4 is when you see serious improvement.

What do you think?

For us it's 4 years but the geniuses in power have obviously made that a near impossibility this time around without BMA help.

5 years is pretty generous unless you hire Chad Morris or Willie Taggart

Come on man. Everyone knows you need at least 10 years to get your players and system in place.

We are past the expired date. $9 million at 4-3 is starting to smell.

i think every program is different so not sure this answer applies to all programs. in fact if kentucky had taken our approach they probably would have kicked mark stoops to the curb. in year 8 he went 5-6 but kentucky expectations are not the same as ours. i think 5 years is enough to know if the project is a success or failure or at the bare minimum if it is going in the right direction. after year 3 i thought we were on to something so far in year 6 i am starting to have doubts.

If you are not seeing major, major improvement by Year 3, you cut your losses. That's why you do a 5-year contract with performance standards with incentives. Meet standards in Year 1, you get incentives and a year added to contract, if no then no. When it gets to coach having 2 years left on contract, barring a miracle, he's a dead man walking.

7 years is completion. However, the genius author (dumaass) of the coaches contract keeps us committed thru the contract terms.
Firing the coach every 4/5 years has done nothing but continue the mediocrity.

When they have 7 1/2 years left at 10M per guaranteed? Don't know- we're in unprecedented waters.

< 6 years

the decision to sack Sherman after just 4 seasons....

was a brilliant one.

the great 2012 season doesn't happen without the quick hook

Immediately after a home loss to app state

Pos bum shouldn't have been let back in the locker room after that

Seeing how the program is headed downhill, we are passed time

I think 6 years is a reasonable timeframe, but expectations are different at every program. Mark Stoops went 2-10 (0-8 SEC) in 2013, 5-7 (2-6 SEC) in 2014, and 5-7 (2-6 SEC) in 2015. If Kentucky had taken the 3-year approach, they probably would have fired him after 3 consecutive losing seasons and a combined 4-20 SEC record. Instead, Kentucky stuck with Stoops, and that patience and coaching stability has paid off. Stoops has led Kentucky to 7 consecutive bowl appearances, including 10-3 (5-3 SEC) finishes in 2018 and 2021.

boyfriend said:

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5 years is pretty generous unless you hire Chad Morris or Willie Taggart

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This. Most get 5, some get 4 (if they're clearly floundering), and a rare few do so terribly they get canned after 1 or 2 years before it's obvious their tenure is a disaster.

And then there's Jimbo, who bought some goodwill with a single flash in the pan year and a few great recruiting classes. Maybe the money doesn't matter to some BMAs, but it's undeniably an incredible amount and difficult to cut a check for without looking embarrassing. Literally any other coach would be on the hot seat right now, but that buyout bought him a LOT of time.

Urban Country Boy said:

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We are past the expired date. $9 million at 4-3 is starting to smell.

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It's either good cheese or bad meat. I think we all know it's bad meat.