What happens when a coach gets poached?

[UNI Pike]

I sure there are unique wrinkles in each contract, but what happens when school comes in and poaches another school's coach when he is under contract?

For example, did Montana State have to pay anything to Drake when Ash left? Or does that come out of the coach's pocket?

Just wondering what the mechanics are. The flip side (a buyout to get someone to leave) is pretty well detailed, but this never seems to be discussed.

[chattanoogamocs]

Some coaches have in their contract that they can leave without penalty (A lot of times, if it is a "big catch" for the school, they want the guy bad enough that they are willing to agree to the stipulation).

If they have a "penalty" for leaving before the contract expires, sometimes the coach will stipulate to the new school that they must pay the buyout as part of the new contract.

Sometimes the coach will just pay it himself (it is usually just a fraction of the remaining contract, not the whole thing).

...and occasionally, the new school (typically a "bigger school") will agree to play a money game as a "reward" to the smaller school for poaching their coach.

[appstate38]

My guess is that it would come down to the terms of the contract. Those things are always full of clauses and loopholes. If I am not mistaken didn't Alabama have to play the Miami Dolphins some money to get Nick Sabian.