“It comes down to a simple thing. Many times, these coaches have been allowed to be their own bosses and take their programs and operate it as a single entity more powerful and more important than the rest of the athletic department or university. That’s wrong. Our coaches know it. I don’t say this because I’m some big tough guy, but our coaches know they have a boss. They have to answer to me. They know we’re going to keep things focused the right way.

“I have a boss. I have a chancellor, I have a system president, I have a board of trustees. Those people are my bosses, and they’re going to keep me in line and make sure I’m running our program the way they want it run.”

Long believes you see schools getting in trouble when that hierarchy isn’t in place.

“I think our profession is guilty of allowing certain high-profile individuals become larger than the program, larger than the department, larger than the university, and that’s wrong. I think that’s where you see these coaches and programs get into trouble,” Long said. “I don’t puff out my chest and say I’m Bret Bielema’s boss, but I am.”

Easy to say when Nick Saban isn’t your head football coach, dude.  Too bad Bobby Petrino didn’t get the message.