Its laughable that they told bro_lunardi he only had 5 seasons of D2 experience and 6 seasons total that embarrasing.
Looking at some recent hires:
Florida which would be A/A- prestige hires a coach from Conf USA with 4 years there and no NT appearences so maybe La Tech is C+ ish?. Sure he had 11 years as an assistant, but shouldn't D2/D3 compare vaguely to assistant coaching experience.
VCU is probably a B+ in real life but in HD who hates mid-majors is probably B/B- hires a coach with 2 years D1 experience no NT appearnece, and 1 CIT appearence, but 6 years as an assistant coach
ASU maybe a C+/C hires Bobby Hurley with 2 years head coaching experience and 1 NT appearence to the 2nd round. 2 seasons of assistant coach experience.
Here's some more similar to HD
Kim Anderson hired by Mizz(B range?) after 12 seasons at Central Missouri(D2) where he went to 7 NT with 1 NC 2 F4 1 S16 as well as being an assistant for 17 years at the D1 level including time at Mizz.
Wake Forest(C+ range?) hired Danning Manning after 2 seasons at Tulsa with 1 CBI and 1 NT 2nd round appearence, he was also an assistant and team manager at Kansas for 9 years and a #1 pick with a lengthy career that had highs of 22.8/6.6
Clearly it is pretty easy for coaches to move up in real life, however most have playing experience and lengthy assistant coaching records. Since HD doesn't have "players turned coaches" and assistant coaching jobs. They make it harder to move up from D2 to D1 and from low level D1 to mid-major to Big 6.
However since they're so many things that aren't as realistic it would make more sense to make it easier for paying customers to get to their desired level, especially when they are SUPER F****** QUALIFIED AND WON A D2 CHAMPIONSHIP AND COULDN'T GET ANY D1 JOB WHICH IS ABSURD.
Honestly I'd like to see changes at every level. D3->D2 shouldn't be automatic, especially with losing records. I think recruited player ratings and success should have some impact. So you go 5-22 but recruited players that would be decent in 4 years if you stayed you should be eligible for most D2 jobs, maybe not A+/A/A-, you recruit players with sub 10 ath and 10 def I honestly don't think you should be allowed to move up at all in 1 season.
I think it should be easier to move up from high D2 to D1. I've never experienced it but I'd expect a perrenial NT coach to be able to move up to C/C- mid major jobs, possible C+ jobs.
Go to a Sweet 16 or better with a previous D prestige school reguardless of length of time at D1 you are clearly talented and deserve to move up and what school wouldn't target you in real life after a cinderella run like that. Heck I think cellar dwellers in the Big 6 conferences should be available. You might not get them fighting against other D1 mid-major coaches but you should be considered.
It seems like to compensate for real life coaches having playing careers and assistant coach exp, HD coaches are forced to endure lengthier times at D2 and low end D1 to move up.
So then we end up with the problem of new or bad D3 coaches being able to move to D2 right away and still recruiting at a D4 level, and clearly top level coaches not being able to move up to jobs that match their coaching ability due to "time and reputation" requirements.
Bruce Pearl's reputation caused him to be fired, but he sure didn't have trouble finding a Power conference job in Auburn with a big salary
Cap's rep didn't stop him from moving up from Umass to NBA and from Memphis to Kentucky
Larry Brown's loyalty hasn't stopped schools/pro teams from hiring him.
Clearly since reputation and loyalty aren't cared about in the real life, but are put in place since we as coaches don't have "player experience and assistant coaching records"
Sorry if that was a rant.