the length of contracts of all these coaches, even Saban since he works for a State school where FIOA allows those interested to know the details of his contract.

I think it's better for these guys to be obtuse up until the end. As you say at some point coaches will use that against you on the recruiting trail and tell kids if you go there you won't play for the HC who recruited you.

It's why, at least in the past, you'd see assistants staying through NLOI signing day then leave programs (voluntarily or otherwise) after that so that kids wouldn't back out of signing because they weren't there to coach them.

as Coach in Waiting.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know it's coming. I see that train rolling down the tracks.