Head coach Hoke out at SDSU

Why it matters: One year after opening the $310 million Snapdragon Stadium, the university's football program is in flux, sitting in last place in a conference it tried to exit this summer, searching for a new coach, and playing for half-capacity crowds. That ultimately led the school to offer complimentary tickets for remaining games earlier this month.

The intrigue: Hoke's departure was framed as a retirement, but the Union-Tribune reported he was forced out.

• The distinction isn't just gossip: Hoke's contract carried a $4.8-million buyout that would be in play if he was fired.
• The Union-Tribune reported Hoke and the university were still negotiating a buyout as of Sunday night.

What we're watching: Hoke's contract, which had three years remaining, paid him $1.27 million per year, ranking him eighth among the 12 coaches in the Mountain West Conference, and 78 th among the 119 coaches included in USA Today's salary database.

• Does measuring up to the university's ambitions for its football program mean spending a lot more on a coach to replace Hoke?