[OutsiderFan]

Fact:  Vanderbilt football has reached its apex already.  It simply isn't going to ever finish above South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Missouri in the same season.  In fact, ignorance of this fact makes Vanderbilt, as an institution look kinda sad.

We may find Stanford has reached its apex too, but Stanford already has proven it can win its conference and go to BCS bowls (be among th Top 4 teams in the country) with its coach.  And though the Pac-12 North is tough, even I will admit competing with programs with the resources and recruiting grounds as those above mentioned SEC schools would make it exceptionally challenging even for Stanford and Shaw.

Even now there are probably many Stanford fans who wouldn't be OK with paying the Stanford coach $5 million per year even with the success Stanford football has had.  And even more wouldn't be OK with it if the coach had done well, but had yet to prove he could go 11-1 or win the PAC-12.

Vanderbilt could pay Franklin more than Nick Saban and they aren't going to win the SEC, so why squander so many resources?  There are many good coaches out there and there is nothing wrong with being a stepping stone program to give ambitious young coaches a platform to prove themselves.  Who knows, maybe they will find a coach who so loves Vamderbilt that he doesn't want to leave even with great success.  Isn't that the guy you really want anyway?

[OutsiderFan]

Fact:  Vanderbilt football has reached its apex already.  It simply isn't going to ever finish above South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Missouri in the same season.  In fact, ignorance of this fact makes Vanderbilt, as an institution look kinda sad.

We may find Stanford has reached its apex too, but Stanford already has proven it can win its conference and go to BCS bowls (be among th Top 4 teams in the country) with its coach.  And though the Pac-12 North is tough, even I will admit competing with programs with the resources and recruiting grounds as those above mentioned SEC schools would make it exceptionally challenging even for Stanford and Shaw.

Even now there are probably many Stanford fans who wouldn't be OK with paying the Stanford coach $5 million per year even with the success Stanford football has had.  And even more wouldn't be OK with it if the coach had done well, but had yet to prove he could go 11-1 or win the PAC-12.

Vanderbilt could pay Franklin more than Nick Saban and they aren't going to win the SEC, so why squander so many resources?  There are many good coaches out there and there is nothing wrong with being a stepping stone program to give ambitious young coaches a platform to prove themselves.  Who knows, maybe they will find a coach who so loves Vamderbilt that he doesn't want to leave even with great success.  Isn't that the guy you really want anyway?