After many weeks of speculation, it was confirmed today that Richmond Head Football Coach Danny Rocco is accepting the same position at Delaware.  At face value, it seems like a lateral move within the same conference.  We wondered what the driving factors in this decision could be and then did a little digging.

Per aSeaOfRed.com, which is a website dedicated to Liberty University Athletics, in an article dated November 14, 2016, Danny Rocco made a “total package salary” of $437,672 in 2015 (amazingly, Liberty Head Coach Turner Gill topped the list with an astounding $750,116 total package salary).  So the question would be what in the hell is Delaware paying Rocco to leave Richmond?  We have yet to see details of the Rocco to Delaware deal.

The article also listed and ranked other salaries of the head coaches in the Top 25 FCS polls at the time.  UND Head Coach Bubba Schweigert was at the bottom with a base salary listed at $150,000, which was 2nd to last to Charleston Southern’s Jamey Chadwell.  From the article:

Richmond’s Danny Rocco received a total package worth $437,672. 
Northern Iowa’s Mark Farley had a base salary of $350,000. 
Villanova’s Andy Talley received a base salary of $304,642 with a total package of $341,096. 
James Madison’s Mike  Houston had a starting salary of $300,000 in his first year this season. 
Illinois State’s Brock Spack had a base salary of $300,000. 
North Carolina A&T’s Rod Broadway had a base salary of $285,000. 
In Samford’s Pat Sullivan’s final season before Chris Hatcher took over, he had a base salary of $274,665 and a total package worth $438,196. 
North Dakota State’s Chris Klieman had a base salary of $261,177 with a total package worth 300,000. 
Sam Houston State’s KC Keeler had a base salary of $250,000. 
Youngstown State’s Bo Pelini had a base salary of 213,894 in his first year this season. 
Cal Poly’s Tim Walsh had a base salary of $205,200. 
New Hampshire’s Sean McDonnell had a base salary of $200,000. 
Grambling State’s Broderick Fobbs had a base salary of $195,000. 
South Dakota State’s John Stiegelmeier had a base salary of $190,000. 
Jacksonville State’s John Grass received a base salary of $181,000 with a total package of $251,000. 
Eastern Washington’s Beau Baldwin received a package worth $212,717. 
Central Arkansas’ Steve Campbell had a base salary of $185,000. 
Coastal Carolina’s Joe Moglia had a base salary of $175,000. 
Montana’s Bob Stitt had a base salary of $175,000 in 2015. 
The Citadel’s Brent Thompson received a base salary of $175,000 in 2016. 
Samford’s Chris Hatcher had a base salary of $152,650 in his final season at Murray State in 2014. 
Chattanooga’s Russ Huesman had a base salary of $150,000. 
North Dakota’s Kyle Schweigert had a base salary of $150,000. 
Charleston Southern’s Jamey Chadwell received a base salary of $120,542 and total package worth $139,670. 

Only three years into Bubba Schweigert’s tenure, the team has been on a consistent upward trend, culminating in this year’s Big Sky Conference Championship, first-round bye, top 8 seed and home playoff game – all “firsts” for UND as an FCS program.

UND went 3-8 in 2013 prior to Schweigert’s arrival and then went 5-7 in 2014, 7-4 in 2015 and 9-3 this season.  Outside of that, attendance has risen dramatically and summer camp participation is at an all-time high.  FBS payday guarantees will start coming in at around $500,000 for the next couple of years with two trips to Pac-12 schools (Utah & Washington) on the schedule.  Yet even more revenue relative to 2013.

Coach Schweigert and just as importantly, his staff of assistants, need to be rewarded accordingly.  We aren’t sure if any raises have been given out since their arrival in 2014, but there has never been a more obvious time to give a raise to the entire staff – a substantial one.  It’s important for morale of the staff, is an incentive for them not to look around at other jobs, and most importantly aids in keeping the continuity of the staff together for as long as possible.

Bubba Schweigert was named Big Sky Coach of the Year and finished 4th in voting for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is the national coach of the year award at the FCS level.

Our research started with our curiosity of the details of Danny Rocco leaving Richmond for Delaware.  The research ended with extreme disappointment at where our staff salaries are at relative to the rest of the FCS coaching world.

Bottom line:  This is embarrassing for UND Football and if something isn’t already in the works, it needs to be done immediately.  UND doesn’t need to be at the top of the salary list we posted above, but they sure as heck shouldn’t be at the bottom.

If UND is serious about funding a winning FCS football program appropriately, now and in the future, it should get done soon.

There’s “No Doubt” it has been earned.

P.S. – While Brian Faison is at it, he should look into the fairly low Strength and Conditioning budget/salaries on campus.  Coach Nate Baukol and his staff have done more with less than any group on the entire campus.  The staff pay is low and the facilities are slowly coming along due to their hard work fund raising most all of it.  The S&C staff is an incredibly important part of an athletic department.  Just ask any of the coaches.