The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Barker asked that very question today.

The simple answer: If offensive coordinator and designated head-coach-in-waiting James Franklin desires to, he can activate an agreement in his contract that would make the school pay him $1 million. The Terps and AD Debbie Yow named Franklin the football team’s next coach in February to ensure he wouldn’t bolt for another college or NFL job.

The $1 million guarantee doesn’t hurt either.

Yow doesn’t think the Friedgen to Franklin transition will be an issue, and that’s a reasonable stand. Franklin and Friedgen seem to have a good relationship and could potentially work something out if 2012 comes around and the 62-year-old Friedgen wants to stick around in College Park.

Also, as Friedgen pointed out in Barker’s story, he would only likely stay past 2012 if the program was either in or on the cusp of doing something great, like making the Orange Bowl.

But what happens if after another solid but unspectacular eight-win season in 2011, Friedgen walks into his office at Byrd Stadium and changes his mind about that whole retirement concept?

Then, Athletics has a bigger issue on its hands than simply watching Franklin leave for another coaching job.

Aaron Kraut is The Diamondback’s sports editor. He can be reached at akrautdbk@gmail.com

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