It's hard to use football as an example... but Dick MacPherson was on thin ice before the 11-0-1 season. "Sack Mac" was a thing. Had he gone 4-7 in 1987, he would have been fired "too late." Instead, it worked out. At the same time... it was pretty obvious that Greg Robinson was not working during that third year... when the improvement train took a step back. A 4th year was a pretty bad thing, except that the timing was right to get Marrone. So sometimes patience can pay off a bit.
As it relates to Autry, the reality is that he took a small step forward last year win-wise... and may take a large step backwards. I think absent a scandal...so long as the new recruits show up as planned, you give a 3rd year. A quick trigger finger is not going to help land the next coach. If it ends up a 9 win season and the key recruits bail... well, that might be an emergency situation short of a scandal that justifies the change. Otherwise, you do kind of stay the course. And that may end up being a good thing or a bad thing. Who can say? It just kind of is what it is.
