Harlon Barnett to Florida State - Quick Thoughts,

* Sucks for MSU to lose a true #SpartanDawg, no way to spin that. * Sucks for MSU to lose a GREAT person. Listen to the comments that come out about HB from staff and players and you will hear that as much as anything. Losing a person that has that type of character impacts the entire program because of what he brings outside of X's and O's. 1. People jump to conclusions without all of the info. Those specifics on money, in this case, really matter. That's why I'm not jumping off the deep end about the money part until the numbers come out. If he got $1 million from FSU, which is being reported and we offered to double his salary at $900,000 and he walked, that matters. If they gave him 1 million and we countered at $550,000, then I think MSU administration deserves some heat. Where those numbers fall matters, so I'm not jumping too far without those details (which in today's world will come out). 2. Just not being a "co" anymore could be a major reason to make the move. 3. Moving to coach in a different part of the country expands his footprint in being a head coach if that is what he desires. If you can have strong midwest and southern ties, the college football world opens up to you with the number of jobs open each year. This expands the areas where he is well-known and will be respected. 4. This hurts on the recruiting trail, no doubt. Coach B and his approach was a winner with lots of parents and kids, not to mention his "No Fly Zone" resume that he could sell to DB's. 5. Let's not forget Dantonio spends A LOT of time with the defense (especially DB's). He was the DC at OSU when they won the national title. Whether it's Narduzzi, Tressel, or Barnett, Dantonio's handprint will always be on this defense. 6. This is a staff that is known for his continuity over the last decade. When you have success, and talented people, this is going to happen (like Treadwell, Narduzzi, etc). It doesn't mean you have to like it, but it's part of being successful. 7. Is it time to move on from the "co" coordinators for MSU? At a time when coordinators are being paid more than ever, can you afford to keep chopping that salary into "co" roles? * So what's next. Does co-DC Tressel simply move into the role as the exclusive DC? There are rumblings that he would be a candidate for the DC job at Pitt. Or do they bring someone else in to keep the "co" role intact? Let's keep in mind, if they want to bring someone in, MSU has put itself into a different discussion with their play the last decade which makes them appealing to a new level of coaches. * Final thought: I think people don't really get the coaching salary discrepancy that happens in CFB. MSU is expected to compete and beat programs who pay their coaches double (like Michigan/OSU), ALL of their top coaches, DOUBLE, what MSU coaches make. Same for a team like LSU. That's not easy to do, as we know money brings in talent. It just makes what programs like MSU that much more impressive. Another team pays their OC a million, you pay yours $400,000, and you keep beating them. But how long does that last and how much should you raise your salaries? On the flip side, if a school like LSU pays their DC $2.5 million, which is outrageous, do you get into that world even if it's fiscally irresponsible? More questions than answers there.