IronMan: article on SI today about which job is better USC or UT. Funny cause we just spoke about it. Good points are brought up. I didn't ask the question.
Hey Stewart, in your opinion, what is the better head-coaching job, USC or Texas? And why?
-- Mike S., New York
Well, let's look at the pros and cons of each.
Both programs are in extremely desirable recruiting territories, but Texas is the flagship university in an enormous state dripping with talent, whereas USC's stronghold is primarily in one region of its state. On the other hand, the USC brand is stronger nationally, both because of its recent tradition (we're only five years removed from USC essentially being what Alabama is now) and its Hollywood image. Kids in Texas grow up wanting to play for Texas, but kids from New Jersey want to go play at Snoop Dogg's favorite school.
Money is not an issue at either place, though Texas has more of it. Facilities may have been a concern at USC in the past, but they're certainly not anymore. The John McKay Center, which opened last year, has all the bells and whistles one could ask for. Conversely, USC pays its head coaches plenty, but it's not likely to give out $5 million a year, like Texas has to Mack Brown, or hire Greg Robinson as a quality control guy. Advantage, oil money.
Meanwhile, Texas draws 100,000 fans every week to its constantly refurbished on-campus stadium. USC often plays in front of 10,000 to 20,000 empty seats at the dilapidated Coliseum (though it certainly rocks when the Trojans are winning). Austin is a college town. LA is not. Advantage, 'Horns.
Finally, if a coach is looking for the best path to conference and national championships ... it's at Texas. Pete Carroll might disagree. In fact, I might not have held this opinion five years ago. But assuming a coach has the necessary band of four- and five-star recruits, which would he prefer -- facing and recruiting against Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and Washington or Oklahoma and ... ? If a coach has things rolling at Texas, his only worthy adversary in a given year should be the Sooners. If he has things rolling at USC, he still has to face the Stanford defense and the Oregon offense.
Both schools offer top-five jobs (along with Ohio State, Florida and Alabama) and they should both have no trouble attracting a plethora of A-list candidates. But the answer to this question is Texas.