In The (Toledo) Blade's original story, Amstutz was said to be "reassigned" - which tells me this decision had very little to do with Amstutz and everything to do with the Toledo brass.

Which brings me to my question: What the heck?

Sure, Toledo has struggled, going 10-14 in 2006 and 2007 and starting 2008 2-6 (with a win over Michigan, by the way). But Amstutz is 57-38 in his career, he's been great for the school and he didn't even beat me up when I saw him at the Monte Carlo in Vegas in January 2006 and yelled, "Toledo sucks!" (That's a true story, friends.)

Bigger than records, and shamelessly stolen from my pal Anthony Fatica: Who the heck does Toledo think it is?

I don't have the answer to that question, but I do know what the school lacks: a big-time college football program.

According to this list from CoachesHotSeat.com, the MAC's highest-paid coach is Temple's Al Golden, at No. 87. Only three rank in the top 100. Here's the full list:

87. Golden: $575,000
94. Frank Solich, Ohio: $400,000
97. Amstutz: $375,000
102. Jerry Kill, Northern Illinois: $300,000
105. Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green: $275,000
106. Butch Jones, Central Michigan: $275,000
107. Bill Cubit, Western Michigan: $275,000
109. Turner Gill, Buffalo: $265,000
111. J.D. Brookhart, Akron: $245,000
113. Brady Hoke, Ball State: $240,000
115. Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan: $200,000
119. Doug Martin, Kent State: $170,000

(The Blade lists Amstutz's base compensation at $190,000; the CoachesHotSeat numbers include all compensation, including media appearances, cars, etc.)

In a sport where the top earners make $8 million annually -- hello, Nick Saban -- and coordinators at big schools -- like Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, who makes $275,000 -- make more than these head coaches, who does UT athletic director Mike O'Brien think he can attract to Toledo?

Perhaps he thinks he can catch lightning in a bottle, like what Bowling Green did with Urban Meyer in 2001. But take a look at this year's certain and likely coaching vacancies, according to CoachesHotSeat:

Certain: Clemson, Tennessee, Toledo, Washington
Likely: Syracuse, Auburn, Wyoming, Washington State, Kansas State, Louisville

You're telling me some young stud coach or coordinator is going to choose Toledo over any of those?

I don't buy it.

Then again, perhaps I'm looking at this all wrong. Last December, I wrote about my displeasure with BG's Brandon, who's no Meyer. (Have I mentioned I don't like Meyer, either?) Bowling Green will never be able to afford to buy out Brandon's contract, which runs through 2011, unless I win the lottery.

So perhaps BG's rival has the perfect solution: In reassigning Amstutz to the alumni office, UT will likely save itself from having to buy out his deal.

So, for Brandon, how does the director of maintenance at the venerable Olscamp Hall sound?