Recent news stories report that many university football coaches, particularly in the major Division I classification, stand to pocket huge financial rewards if their teams are selected to play in one of the many post-season bowl games.

Some of these rewards are so lucrative, it raises the question of whether they might encourage coaches to bend the rules, especially in the areas of recruiting or eligibility, if such actions increased the odds of making a bowl appearance.

A good example of the goodies awaiting highly successful coaches is the Chip Kelly case. Kelly is the coach of the No. 1-ranked Oregon University football team. According to reports, he could pocket nearly $4.3 million in bonuses and contract guarantees if his team beats Oregon State on Saturday. Added to this is an additional bonus of $250,000 if his team wins the national title.

It is interesting that Oregon’s president is Richard Lariviere, Kansas University’s former provost, who left KU last year for the Oregon position. By the way, Kelly’s contract, which was redone while Lariviere was president after Oregon compiled a successful 10-3 record last season, calls for a six-year guaranteed $20.5 million.

Is there any question in anyone’s mind that money is calling the shots in college sports and, in a way, the entire college scene?

If college coaches deserve to be rewarded financially for winning conference and national championships and, in many cases, getting added fiscal rewards based on the number of their players who remain academically eligible and complete degrees, why not reward college presidents or chancellors for superior academic achievements at their schools?

Isn’t the primary objective of colleges and universities to provide a learning environment that motivates young men and women to excel academically and become productive members of our society? If that is indeed the case, why do football and basketball coaches, athletic directors and others in the athletics chain of command receive far greater compensation than the academic all-stars on most campuses?

What is it going to take to bring some balance and common sense to today’s intercollegiate athletics scene?

It would be interesting to know Lariviere’s view on the situation or how his thinking about sports and academics may have changed between the time he was in the KU provost’s office and his current role as president at Oregon.