In a situation like this, I agree with you. You have to look at it from the perspective of "where is he going to go to" or "who is going to steal him". At the highest level, I don't think programs have to worry as much about other schools poaching from you. Who is seriously going to come to Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, and Clemson and steal your coach? Alabama folks were worried about Texas just because of money, but I don't think top level schools are really a threat to lose their coaches to another top level school, and they dang sure aren't willingly going down to a lower tier school. So I agree, why extend for so long when you don't have any bigger fish to worry about? All of this being said, the NFL is a different story and coaches will leave to go there, but they will not be like NFL players and sit out till they get their money as a coach.