Growing Pains: A New Problem For MSU Football

They're a serious problem sometimes.

Jerel Worthy

Worthy has a presser scheduled for 2pm today and is expected to declare for the NFL draft. This is not unexpected as he's been on mock draft watch lists since 2009 and hasn't moved much from the first round since. While it never feels like a great thing for a player of Worthy's caliber to leave early, it IS a great thing if he goes in the first round. When recruiting kids the three best things you can do for them are: make sure they graduate, win a championship and put them in the league. If Worthy has a shot to get drafted for big bucks in the first or even the high second, he should go.

Thank you Jerel Worthy, you are one twitchy young man.

Pat Narduzzi

Narduzzi is rumored to be interviewing in Texas A&M as we speak. This in my opinion is not a great thing. It's rumored his current salary is 230k to be raised to 305 in Feb and that his offer at A&M would be anywhere from 500 to 750. I am absolutely for our coaches taking HC gigs elsewhere. Again, if you are growing the program and the tree that's solid. What I am not for is Narduzzi taking a lateral promotion for double the money.

Is there a chance he stays at MSU? Absolutely. In my opinion though, it's for the solid season in 2012 to provide him an HC gig OR because he's happy in the Midwest and wants to stay. MSU needs to make him feel special right now, whether it's with money, better recruiting tools, etc. MSU needs to make a big show of how much they want him here.

If A&M can roll out 600k for Duzzer, they can roll out 800k. MSU cannot beat them in a bidding war. They can at best hope to keep pace. Another thing to consider here is that maybe Narduzzi doesn't want to be a head coach. I've managed people before. It's difficult, tedious and thankless work and maybe he's not interested. So doubling up salary to do what you love would sound very appealing.

Growing Pains and the Financial Cost of Success

These are new pains for us at MSU and as fans, alumni and a school we need to ask ourselves a few questions. Are we willing to accept having the cost of a top notch football program? Many top assistants are fetching north of 500k in college football. To match the high end of Narduzzi's rumored offer, MSU fans would need to pay a dollar more per ticket per game. To bring the entire assistant staff's salary into line with SEC ranges a 3-5 dollar per ticket per game change wouldn't be off the board.

Next year, MSU plays Boise State, EMU, ND, OSU, Neb, Iowa and Northwestern at home and you can bet that after holding ticket prices steady for the 2011 season there will be a substantial hike next year.  Would you be willing to fork over the additional 3-5 dollar per ticket money when it could be on top of a 5-15 dollar per ticket hike already?

College football isn't a game now, it's an arms race. Michigan State has the alumni base and support structure to participate, but it's going to mean changing the way fans think of buying tickets. To participate with the big hitters of college football, it's going to mean opening your wallets as fans. So what's it gonna be MSU fans?