Every message board for every open job in the country from Washington to Clemson and beyond -- including a lot of jobs that aren't open, at least not yet -- has an "OMG Will Muschamp Boom!" faction. In fact, when Clemson fired Tommy Bowden, the journeyman defensive coordinator was the first name that came up, and one of the first thoughts I had was, "They're moving early to get at Muschamp."

These are sad, sad people this afternoon, as Texas, being Texas (that is, wallowing around on a huge pile of money), taps into a gusher to keep its man in the fold for the foreseeable future:

The University of Texas has struck an agreement with Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp that will keep him in Austin and eventually lead him to the head coaching position for the Longhorns, Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said on Tuesday. Details of the contract are still being finalized but it will start with Muschamp's salary being raised to $900,000 on January 1, 2009.

Boom, etc. $900,000 is an outrageous mint for any assistant -- Muschamp was already the second highest-paid coordinator in the country at a measly $500,000, behind Florida State coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher -- but Texas fans are justifiably jacked, because Muschamp/Future Muschamp is worth every penny. Recognize this for the coup it is: UT just locked down the most sought-after head coaching prospect in the country, with the chance to actually groom him specifically for the role while Mack Brown takes his sweet time to amble off to the ranch.

This is why it pays -- literally -- to be the richest athletic department in the country. Until Horn partisans start quietly clamoring for Mack to step aside already in 2010, then loudly clamoring, until it finally tears the fan base into Boomers and Mackers and fights break out in the stands. They'll jump that ditch when they come to it: Until then, it's the best succession plan money can buy.