The news of Gregg Marshall's new deal at Wichita State broke a few hearts Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa.
How the Missouri Valley Conference school can afford a contract reported to pay $3 million shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the political scene. Wichita is home to the billionaire Koch brothers who are generous with donations come election time.
Charles Koch, the CEO of Koch Industries, told the Wichita Business Journal he met with Marshall.
"When I had the opportunity to visit with Gregg, I encouraged him to stay at Wichita State," Koch told the paper.
Koch, for whom the Shockers' home arena is named after a $6 million gift, did not say if he was among a group of wealthy Wichita State boosters who met at a golf course to raise money to bump Marshall's pay.
The coach told a local radio show that "prominent people" helped make his sweetened contract happen, according to the Wichita Business Journal.
The new deal was enough to keep Marshall from leaving for Alabama, who reportedly offered as much as $4.9 million a year.
"I'm just amazed at what Wichita has done," Marshall said Thursday. "We are blessed by all the people who stepped up to make this possible. This is a wonderful city, university and program with great support from so many friends as well as our administration. Now we can return to our goal of being a shining example for a college basketball program."