Alabama Football: Smart Staying Put, for Now. McElwain on List for Fresno State

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) It appears that Alabama fans who wanted to keep the staff intact for another national championship run next year might just get their Christmas wish.

After being looked at by both Ole Miss and Texas A&M, Kirby Smart appears safely back in the fold for another year at Alabama.

Though neither school chose Smart, he was highly considered for both and such things keep a young coach's name in mind when other openings come up.

Smart appears to be ready at this point in his career to take on bigger challenges and he will certainly have other opportunities come up before Nick Saban is ready to hang it up in a decade or there about.

Saban turned 60 this year and appears more fit than most coaches 20 years younger.

McElwain, Alabama's offensive coordinator, is also being looked at, albeit by smaller, more "want to get to the big time" programs.

It was rumored by ESPN that McElwain had accepted the job in principal to become the next head coach at Memphis but negotiations over salaries for assistants and facilities caused McElwain to reconsider.

Memphis then turned to Justin Fuente, the offensive coordinator for TCU. His pay is reported to be $900,000 a year in a five-year deal. McElwain received a raise this spring and was making $510,000 a year, but with incentives for being in a BCS game, that could go much higher this year.

Should McElwain consider the Fresno State job, he would take a significant pay cut.

Pat Hill, the coach who had been a Fresno State for years was just making $258,000 a year and the new coach can't expect more than $300,000 a year.

Hill had been the coach at Fresno State for 15 years and still must be paid 80 percent of his remaining two years of his contract.