One thing that has always puzzled me is where is the advantage for a school to sign a contract with a coach? I understand the advantage for a coach who is guaranteed the remainder of his contract if they are unjustly fired, but how is it a coach can leave on their own whenever he/she so desires with no penalty? If both parties sign a contract - let's say five years - seems to me that coach needs to be obligated in the same way as the school to honor that agreement accordingly. If Hugh Freeze signed an 8 year extension with Liberty last week, how is it fair for his name to be floating around for the Auburn job? Seems mighty one-sided and grossly unfair to me.
There is a buy out that the coach has to pay, (usually paid by the school he's going to) to get out of the contract, and that's usually negotiated in his contract on signing.