San Marcos — It’s time for Texas State’s donors to open their mouths and wallets about the Bobcats’ search for a new head football coach.

Money screams in college athletics, especially college football. Southern Methodist University proved it nearly three years ago when it brought in June Jones as head coach.

At the time, Jones was head coach at the University of Hawaii but grew tired at the lack of support from the University for his Program.

Jones set out to interview for several jobs and knowing this, the Warriors proposed to increase his salary from $800,000 to $1.7 million. Hawaii thought it locked up its man for the foreseeable future.

SMU was shocked. It didn’t have that much money to throw at a new head coach and the Mustangs nearly watched their ideal candidate slip away.

That’s where 10 private donors stepped in to shell out $200,000 each to bring Jones’ potential salary at SMU up to $2 million.

Was Jones going to turn down a $300,000 raise to stay at Hawaii, where he felt disrespected? Nope. Jones packed his bags, skipped town and accepted the position with the Mustangs.

SMU went 1-11 in Jones’ first season — the lone win came against Texas State — but is 15-10 since with two first-place finishes in Conference USA’s West Division. The Mustangs went to the Hawaii Bowl in 2009 and played for the C-USA championship Saturday night against Central Florida.

Doesn’t Texas State want that type of success? Wouldn’t it be nice to the see the Bobcats compete for a title and bowl in the second year of their new head coach’s tenure?

Texas State should have the talent by then to at least compete in the Western Athletic Conference, which might end up being the new Southland Conference by the time all is said and done. Tyler Arndt will be in his third season as quarterback, Marcus Curry and DeChe Milburn, two FBS-caliber athletes forced to redshirt in 2010, should be seasoned veterans.

Don’t forget Curry transferred to Texas State from Navy, where he rushed for 585 yards in 2009 including 109 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown in the Midshipmen’s 35-13 victory against Missouri in the Texas Bowl.

What’s it going to take to help Arndt, Curry and Milburn, as well as any other players the Bobcats have, to reach their full potential? The right coach.

Texas State didn’t have the ability to fully develop its players under former head coach Brad Wright. Sure, Wright knew what it took to be semi-successful on the high school level but regressed to the mediocrity as a college head coach which he crusaded against to the donors and media.

If Bobcat fans want Texas State to wind up with another coach from inside the network and not a head coach that will have sustained success, that’s fine, but from talking with donors and fans, it seems as if they want Texas State Director of Athletics Dr. Larry Teis to open up a map and not his rolodex for this “national search.”

If that’s the case, it’s time for donors — even students — to catch Teis’ ear again.

Students forced the move to the Football Bowl Subdivision by passing legislation to increase athletic fees in 2008 by $2 for each credit hour over the next five years. By 2013, Texas State’s second year in the WAC, the students will have put more than $40 million into the athletic department.

Several donors talked with their checks in the past, including Darren B. Casey and Jerry and Linda Fields. Casey donated $1 million in 2008 and then the Fields invested a combined $7 million in the next two years to help fund a season ticket drive and the West Side Complex that bears their name.

“I remember those that said, ‘No new stadium. Where would the money come from? I remember those who said, ‘No FBS. Where would the money come from?’ Now they’re asking, ‘Big-time head coach? Where will the money come from?’” Jerry D. Fields said in a recent e-mail conversation. “Who knows, maybe someone will win the lottery.”

True, but the odds of winning a big payout are better than former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach coming to Texas State, unless donors step up again and have a say in the future of the program.

If not, get ready for Teis to flip through the rolodex and call his guy, not the right guy.



Tyler Mayforth is the Texas State beat writer for the Daily Record. He can be reached at tmayforth@sanmarcosrecord.com.