Mike Smith explains why he's leaving the NCAA behind: "I really want to zero in my focus.”

I like how Smith speaks directly regarding an off-putting change resulting from the new NCAA financial rules:

SLB - Do you have recruits saying to you, “What can you do for me in terms of NIL?” Is that the conversations that you’re talking about?
MS - I would say finances used to come up way later than they do now. That’s the first thing, right? We will have people who want to get right to it, talk about dollars a couple minutes into meeting them. They’re used to that from other coaching conversations.

Thank you for linking this article, but why is Sarah Lorge-Butler getting these scoops and not Jonathan Gault?

I'm sure all of these factors are somewhat relevant, but the main reason he's leaving is because Nike is going to pay him a lot of money to coach pros and he doesn't need to coach college anymore. It's really that simple, even if the other factors support his decision.

I LOVED LOVED the interview and just featured it as QOD and started three threads that were in there.

There was one thing I did disagree with entirely however and that was his talk about how he is choosing the harder thing to be a pro coach.

At the same time, I want to be someone that challenges themselves. And I asked myself, “What would I tell my athletes?” I’m constantly have meetings in my office, encouraging people to step toward the harder thing. And I think I could have stayed in college coaching a long time, and that’s for sure the easiest option for me. We’ve [had] a lot of success. I feel really comfortable in my position, and this is a whole new challenge for me, so trying to kind of take my own medicine as a coach of stepping toward what’s harder.

I TOTALLY disagree. Being a pro coach is MILES and MILES easier than being an NCAA coach. I read this morning that Nick Saban did something recruiting related every single day of the year including XMAS. As a pro coach, particularly based in Flagstaff for Nike, he'll almost have none of that and he'll likely get a pay raise.

He doesn't have to hang out all day at some horrible indoor meet at NAU in January while his 18th best guy runs the third heat of the 5k. He doesn't even need to go to his pros early season meets at all. They are adults - send them on the plane and watch it on tv.

Now, if his goal is to be as dominant of a pro coach as a college coach, then yeah that's harder but that's not going to happen. Well I take that back. If Nike starts sending their top athletes from Ethiopia/Kenya/Uganda to Flagstaff to train under him, then I think he can have Salazar type success.

Great article…..great coach👍

The whole point of letsrun.com is that we spend A LOT of time aggregating the best running journalism from all over the world and putting it on the homepage which is by far the most popular page on LetsRun. There is no way one entity can produce everything.

Last time I checked, Sarah isn't doing two podcasts a week like Jonathan.

But in this case, he's been extremely busy working on a feature on what the hell is going on in the men's 800 right now and interviewing coaches and experts from all over the world. In the article, he will break the news of Project 99 - the attempt at the first sub-140 800 in history.

A feature story like that takes A LOT of time and resources- infinitely more than a simple Q&A. It's a shame you may not be able to read it as I may make it SC only. It certainly will be behind the SC paywall at some point.

Rojo missed the point as usual. As the coach of 5 of the last 7 national champions in cross country, he has job security and a continuing path to success at NAU that he doesn't have as a pro coach. Like Wetmore had at CU, he probably has at least 20 more years at NAU locked in barring sanctions or a complete collapse of the program, neither of which are likely. He has never been a pro coach, so it's new by definition, plus we don't know the terms of the Nike contract but he probably only has job security through the next Olympic cycle. Sure, day-to-day the pro job is easier, but anytime you're giving up tried-and-true locked-in job for something that might be more lucrative but might flame out after 4 years, it's harder.

Project 99 would sound a lot cooler

uhh is Gault going break the news or did you just break the news, Rojo?

In any case I am grateful for the work you guys LRC! Is there any chance you all can do a piece with different folks' commentary on the changing NCAA, particularly revenue-sharing/roster limits? Maybe you could get an Ivy (non-scholarship) coach, a P4 coach, and any athletes who'd be willing to contribute. Would be really curious about the $ amounts/promises being made and what happens to kids who fall outside the 17

So you think if Mike Smith doesn't have the success he wants as a Pro coach, or decides he misses the college scene he will not be able to find a job?

(1) Last time I checked YOU aren't going two podcasts per week like Jonathan--simply showing up doesn't count

(2) What in the world is the point of including the point about making it "SC only"

*For you. That's your opinion, not his.

What? He's been moonlighting as a pro coach to numerous top tier distance runners for awhile. It's nothing new to him.

It actually IS called Project 99...Rojo just made a mistake in his post =)

a sincere mistake the kind of which rarely occurs

Love the part where he talks about Grijalvas last minute hamstring injury. Think it says a lot about Smith as coach with how much he owned exerting him just a bit too much at the end of his training block and getting him injured. A lot of coaches would blame the athlete for probably going to hard and refuse to humble themselves and look in the memory about what they might have messed up.

as I LOVE LOVE LOVE that LRC doesn't waste their time on work. as they let others do the work. as WOW it is too much work to do reporting. as WOW let Runners' World do the work. as we have important naps to attend to. as hallaluha and ofa lon teh.