STILLWATER — Always a source of discussion and debate outside the program, Travis Ford’s job status has become an issue inside at Oklahoma State.

Multiple sources have told The Oklahoman that OSU is considering a buyout of the basketball coach’s rich contract. Key word: considering.

The cost of firing Ford: at least $9.6 million – the full remainder owed from a 10-year contract extension given to the coach in September of 2009. It’s a sizable sum that serves as a deterrent to making a change, considering the school would then have to pay Ford’s replacement. And with the average Big 12 basketball coaching salary – among public schools – at $2.6 million, OSU could have as much as $5 million tied up in its basketball position next year and throughout the terms of Ford’s deal, which runs through 2019.

Consider, too, that athletic director Mike Holder is committed to building a new baseball stadium, with plans well underway on that project.