Say hello to the old coach with new powers: How a contract extension can embolden Dana Holgorsen and empower West Virginia football.

The contract makes it costly and thus unlikely for one to leave the other these next few years, and there’s great value in the security the boss on the sideline and the boss in the athletic department separately and commonly sought. The football program is already realizing some of those rewards.

There are 128 head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and despite the array of ages, skills, reputations and futures, they have one thing in common: Every head coach’s job is to keep his job. That’s no longer Holgorsen’s priority. He’s safe, and he can be bold, because he has a contract extension. That’s good for him, for Lyons and for their program.