No way we were getting him for less I would think. I'm not sure if he was making 1 MM or perhaps just under at PSU. Top flight guys go for that. You're not if the opinion that he is that caliber?
First of all who gives a damn what the amount is. Trumpet Blower just recruited a game changer on that side of the ball. Am I shocked yes like most.
He was elevated to 1 million per year at PSU this time last year. Tennessee is not responsible for his 800K buyout (wondering if a booster is pitching in on it) Has not played for anything, but he has had 5 straight (3 @ Vandy, 2 @ PSU) top 25 defenses, including a top 3 (iirc) defense two years ago despite having only 1 draft pick in that group I believe. He had offers from LSU and Auburn in the past year for over a million and LSU just paid Aranda 1.3 per (He was making like 500K at Wisc).
I tend to agree that someone other than Shoop is taking care of that buyout. If true that relations between Shoop and Franklin were strained than it's genius to leave the appearance he's paying his own buyout. It benefits both sides. Tennessee (Hart) can show it is a win in negotiations while Shoop can take the high road leaving Penn St. while making Franklin look bad at the same time by giving the appearance things were so bad he paid his way out of there. I'm probably reading too much into it but I have a hard time believing Bob paid the buyout.
Franklin supposedly told him he was fired if he came to town to interview. Technically Shoop was fired once his plane landed. If that's true, there is no buyout.
