Opening Drive
Good Morning, Professors!
Welcome to Extra Points Classroom and our monthly newsletter, The Final Exam. This will not overwhelm your already packed inbox, but we want to give you a quick touchpoint and an update on what we are building. We are thrilled at the early feedback from schools and programs. 🛠️
Our launch window for Extra Points Classroom is the end of December. By then, outlines, lessons and supporting materials will be live. We already have presentations on several topics, and the goal is simple — to keep you current and provide resources you can plug directly into your lectures as the news unfolds. Additionally, we will bring you insights from industry leaders, coaches and voices.
If you have 15-20 minutes to spare, let’s chat. I would love to walk you through a few of the completed lessons.
Here is what I would love from you:
➡️ What topics are your students most curious about? What areas might benefit from deeper digging or an open records request? Tell us where the gaps are, and we will get to work.
HALFTIME
It is officially the season for the coaching carousel and buyouts. This time of year also brings a spike in searches for athletic directors. So what exactly does a search firm do, and what do they charge?
For Utah State during last year’s head football coach search, the bill was $75,000. The search netted them Bronco Mendenhall. USU’s document is heavily redacted, but we have an insider answer:
“A search firm’s role in a head football coaching search goes well beyond identifying names. They build the candidate pool, handle early vetting and background checks, and conduct the initial due diligence that a university may not have the capacity to manage. They coordinate interviews, keep confidentiality, manage logistics, and act as a buffer between candidates and campus leadership. Throughout the process, they guide the university on structure, evaluation and contract considerations, then help smooth the transition once the hire is made.”
For an athletic director search, let’s look at Cal State Northridge, which is still fulfilling its agreement (full document below) with the firm. The total cost was $88,000. Included in that number is a $40,000 Athletics Organization Assessment Fee. Oh, and don’t worry, we will file an open records request to close the loop on that to share with you and your students. That could be a fun assignment to have them do the assessment.
Extra Credit | Tortillas
PS | Athletic Director Simulator 4000
For those using AD Simulator 4000, you’ve probably noticed several new questions (20+ and counting) — with more coming this week. We asked sitting athletic directors to share real situations they’ve encountered, like whether to start the high-NIL recruit or the talented walk-on. Overall, we should have another 50 questions done by Christmas.
You may also have seen new features, including score saving, school sign-ons and a fresh leaderboard. We’re excited about the growth of ADS 4000 over the next few months.
Until next time friends,
KC Smurthwaite
