Buyouts become big bucks in FBS’ coaching rotation

On a warm, sunny day last month at the University of Iowa, head football coach Kirk Ferentz wore a white shirt and gold-striped tie to a special announcement about his future. He had just signed the deal of a lifetime -- the biggest contract of his life, with enough guarantees to make him a rich man well into his retirement, win or lose.

The new contract included several generous provisions:

Even if he’s fired after this season for not winning enough games, the 61year-old Ferentz would be owed more than $25 million, payable in monthly installments until 2026.

He’s guaranteed an additional $22 million from 2021 through 2025 if he sticks around and wins at least seven games each season through 2020. It wouldn’t matter if he’s dismissed in 2021 after finishing 0-12.

If that’s not enough, those guarantees wouldn’t even be reduced if Iowa fired him and he took a lucrative new job somewhere else.

“I certainly appreciate the trust and

“We’re in the evaluation stage of everything that has happened, so we’ll address that here at a future time.”

Oglesby, a sophomore from Central, S.C., originally committed to Clemson out of high school before spending a year at Fork Union Military Academy. A four-star recruit, he had 20 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown last season.

Prewitt, a redshirt freshman from Pinson, Ala., has yet to appear in a game at Memphis. He was suspended during fall camp by Norvell for an undisclosed reason.

Neither Oglesby nor Prewitt were at practice Wednesday.