He is a young coach with a lot of experience, and with as many HC jobs open, there is no way his phone isnt ringing daily.
In my opinion, there is no coach (outside of Cig) who is more crucial to our program long term than Haines. His defenses are filthy. We have allowed more than 14 points once all year. He also seems to be our best recruiter. Even after the PSU game, the only other team in the country who has not allowed more than 24 points all season is OSU.
If the Cooks or Mark Cuban read the this board, please go Phil Knight mode and offer him a kings ransom life time contract like what Lanning has. Make him the coach in waiting officially or unofficially.
How many D1 coaches go on X/Twitter and tell opposing fans to put their clown shoes on and dance for him? This guy needs to be a lifer at IU. Few coaches have the fiery personality other programs wouldnt put up with, but what IU fans crave.
I’m with you on this. I love the guy. I hope they are talking to him about him replacing Cig here when he decides to retire. He does not need any HC experience. I’ll take him as he is.
@walt542 My concern is that its just a long time to ask a guy to wait, if he gets offered a premier HC spot you cant blame him for taking it, never know if that opportunity will come around again.
It can be done however. Utah has that kind of arrangement with their defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, who has been their DC since 2016, and their public coach in waiting since 2020.
He has stated that he wants to be a head coach. I would not be surprised to see him (or Shanahan) head back to James Madison if Chesney moves on.
JMU has historically poached established coaches. Although it wouldn’t be a reach I would lean towards JMU hiring someone from the G5 or FCS if Chesney leaves.He has stated that he wants to be a head coach. I would not be surprised to see him (or Shanahan) head back to James Madison if Chesney moves on.
unless Haines gets a P4 job it is hard to see him leaving for a head job. It is not like Cig leaving Alabama as Haines is one of the highest paid coordinators already and would take a massive pay cut to coach down a level. I believe I heard he turned down a head job or multiple head jobs last year to stay. Although anything can happen (just like in recruiting) I would guess he is staying unless a P4 program comes calling which I don’t think is outside the realm of possibility. Although coordinators at IU rarely get hired directly into head jobs Haines is a different breed and someone is sure to see that. I don’t see him going to an LSU or Florida, but could easily see him taking a lower tier P4 job if he finds the right fit and leadership similar to what Cig found with Indiana. Could you imagine him linking up with Tino and bringing Justice Ellison and several others on our staff? I think he would be really good. I hope we can keep him 1-2 more seasons though and if they can sway him into a long term head coach in waiting deal that would be awesome.
JMU has historically poached established coaches. Although it wouldn’t be a reach I would lean towards JMU hiring someone from the G5 or FCS if Chesney leaves.He has stated that he wants to be a head coach. I would not be surprised to see him (or Shanahan) head back to James Madison if Chesney moves on.
unless Haines gets a P4 job it is hard to see him leaving for a head job. It is not like Cig leaving Alabama as Haines is one of the highest paid coordinators already and would take a massive pay cut to coach down a level. I believe I heard he turned down a head job or multiple head jobs last year to stay. Although anything can happen (just like in recruiting) I would guess he is staying unless a P4 program comes calling which I don’t think is outside the realm of possibility. Although coordinators at IU rarely get hired directly into head jobs Haines is a different breed and someone is sure to see that. I don’t see him going to an LSU or Florida, but could easily see him taking a lower tier P4 job if he finds the right fit and leadership similar to what Cig found with Indiana. Could you imagine him linking up with Tino and bringing Justice Ellison and several others on our staff? I think he would be really good. I hope we can keep him 1-2 more seasons though and if they can sway him into a long term head coach in waiting deal that would be awesome.
I am pretty sure cigs said he took a big pay cut leaving Alabama and bet on himself.
Haines may need to take a paycut to do the same but I wouldn't be shocked if he gets a p4 head coaching job offer.
It will be interesting to see how much IU/Cigs would be willing to up his salary to keep him.
I think some of these P4 openings may offer him. The defensive he's built with moderate resources is incredible. Some school will figure he's got one side of the ball figured out and with the right OC it can work.
Even if we make him the highest paid DC, that won't be as much as what P4 HC's make, and of course he wants to be a HC.
He's already passed on one or both of the DC jobs at OSU and PSU -- he interviewed with both, but I'm not sure who offered him the job. I guess we just give him another raise and see if the HC offers come. If Cig thinks he's successor worthy, we can't really expect him to wait that long.
I can easily see Dolson and Cignetti giving $2m per year more IUFB bucks to keep him for another 2-3 years and then talk about HC in waiting. Dolson has proved several times he is pretty creative. Better get ready to raise BB salary. He really identifies talent and develops it to premium results. OL heart of the offense.
@hurryinghoosiers Cig did take a big pay cut relative to his pay, but he went from like 600k at Alabama to around 100k at IUP. Haines is earning over $2m and would likely earn somewhere between 600-900k as a MAC level coach or less if he decided to take Cigs path. I mean he isn’t going to be poor, but that is to me a much greater financial gamble. Although Cig had the recruiting coordinator title, he also was just a position coach on the field and I also believe Haines is still younger than Cig was when he made that decision at Alabama. So, the circumstances imo are a bit different.
Haines is making well over a million dollars a year at IU. That's how you keep staff. While there are jobs open, none of the current P4 jobs are going to roll the dice on him as a first time head coach.
More jobs will open, especially at the G5 level. If he was going to go to JMU (not currently open) he would be looking at a massive pay cut. JMU pays well for the G5 as well.
Another under talked about part of a coordinator leaving is who he brings with him. When I talked with Matt Weaver of Peegs on the drive to Penn State he brought that up too.
IU has done everything they need to do to keep coordinators. If a guy leaves for a HC position, it'll stink, but IU has taken the preventative measures as best as they can.
I do not think there will be a HC in waiting situation at IU either. And usually those don't work out extremely well.
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@thehoosierhuddle Haines is making over $2m based on his new contract last winter.
According to a report from The Herald-Times, Haines' is set to make at least $2 million per year through the 2027 season. Haines' year-over-year total base compensation is as follows: $2 million in 2025; $2.1 million in 2026; and $2.2 million in 2027.
Haines will also receive a $75,000 annual retention bonus on Jan. 31 and July 31, along with several performance-related bonuses if IU reaches certain milestones. Haines' buyout has been adjusted to 100 percent of his remaining compensation in year one, then decreasing in subsequent years.
@olympian97 Yeah, I wasn't 100% sure, but there is not much else for IU to do. If he wants to take over a million dollar pay cut to go to a G5 school, that's his choice.
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@tammany - I agree. Once the musical chairs of coaching movement comes to a stop, it'll be slim pickins' at the lower tiered P4 programs like Va Tech and Arkansas. You can't tell me those teams would find someone better than Haines. Top coordinators always find big jobs right out of the gate. Look at Smart, Napier, Kiffin, Sarkesian. Its pretty common.
@hurryinghoosiers Yeah, I've seen figures, but not sure I have them correct, but I think Cig was making $400-500K as an asst at Bama and was paid like $110K when he went to IUP as the head man. But, just a few years later he was making $660K at JMU, then like $6m to take the IU job and now, what $10-11m and guaranteed to be reworked to the top 3 every time he makes the CFP? I'd say it paid off in spades!
@olympian97 I also thought Cig's extension this year got some added compensation or protections for the Assts.