Keeping coaches in line

Coaching Contracts Click coach's name for contract details AP Rank School Coach 1 Pete Carroll USC 2 Nick Saban LSU 3 Bob Stoops Oklahoma 4 Lloyd Carr Michigan 5 William "Mack" Brown Texas 6 Phillip Fulmer Tennessee 7 Jim Tressel Ohio State 8 Bill Snyder Kansas State 9 Bobby Bowden Florida State 10 Larry Coker Miami 11 Mark Richt Georgia 12 Joe Tiller Purdue 13 Kirk Ferentz Iowa 14 Terry Hoeppner Miami University 15 Bill Doba Washington State 16 David Cutcliffe Mississippi 17 Ron Zook Florida 18 Dan Hawkins Boise State 19 Gary Patterson TCU 20 Rich Rodriguez Wast Virginia 21 Les Miles Oklahoma State 22 Frank Solich Nebraska 23 Ralph Friedgen Maryland 24 Glen Mason Minnesota 25 Urban Meyer Utah - Tommy Tuberville Auburn University - Gregg Brandon Bowling Green - John L. Smith Michigan State - Gary Pinkel Missouri - Joe Novak Northern Illinois - Mike Bellotti Oregon - Mike Riley Oregon State - Frank Beamer Virginia Tech - Keith Gilbertson Washington - Barry Alvarez Wisconsin Coaching contracts were obtained via state Open Records requests filed by SI.com. The Chronicle of Higher Education is the source of the university presidents' compensation.

A college coach behaving badly is no longer a laughing matter. As the drunken antics of Mike Price and Larry Eustachy have taught us, it's a firing offense.

And, based on contracts reviewed by SI.com, college athletic departments are going to greater lengths in spelling out what is unacceptable behavior. Almost every contract details what constitutes termination for cause, which universally includes some form of violating NCAA, conference or school rules.

Get convicted of a felony and, in most cases, the coach is gone. The same is often true of those found to be dishonest or stretching the limits of moral turpitude.

"What is obviously significant is integrity clauses and NCAA clauses,'' says Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. "The University of Florida had some NCAA issues here in our past, so ours have been pretty specific. You're talking about association with boosters. Making sure the head coach [Ron Zook] is accountable for everybody on his staff.

"We're making sure the coach understands the issues of institutional control and NCAA rules compliance. That may sound simplistic, but it is better that it be documented.''

Nor is Florida alone.

Lloyd Carr, as an example, can be fired with cause -- meaning Michigan wouldn't have to pay the coach a dime -- for engaging in "indecent and immoral conduct'' that damages the university's reputation. Bobby Bowden has a similar clause at Florida State; along with a written understanding that his $380,000-a-year Nike deal can be reduced by $75,000 if the Noles are on a TV ban because of NCAA violations.

At Tennessee, Phillip Fulmer agrees he can be fired for gross misconduct, which includes falsification of records, reporting for duty under the influence of intoxicants or instigating a fight.

The champion of leaving little to question is LSU, which devotes seven of the 20 pages in Nick Saban's contract to this subject. Among the firing offenses:

• Falsifying or altering university, SEC or NCAA documents. Likewise, encouraging or condoning the fraud by another person.

• Instructing another not to respond accurately and fully to SEC and NCAA inquiries.

• Participating in, condoning or encouraging any illegal gambling, bookmaking or illegal betting involving any intercollegiate or professional athletic contest -- whether through a bookmaker, parlay card, a pool, or any other method of organized gambling

• Consumption of alcoholic beverages or narcotics, drugs, controlled substances, steroids or other chemicals in such degree and for such appreciable period as to impair significantly or materially his ability to perform his duties.

Mike Fish is a senior writer for SI.com.