Winning solves a lot of problems, but some of the highest-paid college football coaches haven't adequately met the challenge. The lack of wins or sustained success can make a coach seem overpaid.
In an effort to decrease a portion of the necessary subjectivity, winning percentage provided a base cutoff line. Any coach above .700—an average of approximately nine wins in a 13-game season—was eliminated from consideration.
However, simple win-loss records don't always tell the complete story. Did a coach just arrive? Did he inherit a successful program or one needing a rebuild? Are the expectations for this school high, or is the team looking for its first taste of national relevancy or is it somewhere in between?