Not even Foley would have been stupid enough to decline his "resignation" attempt if he would walk with no money.
Mac was likely dumb enough to believe that they'd pay the full buyout if he did quit, to keep things quiet.
Hindsight (Trux style)
Mrs Mac spent a lot of time out of town this season, knew what was coming.
Stricklin knew Mac was trying to cover up the CC fraud and could get rid of him for less than full buyout: no need to let him walk with all that $
Why allow him to launch the bbq sauce?
That tweet of him at the house with the Nebraska gear was such a huge slap to the face, and a resume attempt at the same time, that it's so unbelievable how arrogant he was with misplaced confidence.
I will say this though, and I'm not sticking up for him, but to be in the profession so long he has to have some coaching ability.
I know great workers who get into situations they dislike, or hate, and under perform so bad they look incompetent. It usually hurts them in the job market for a period of time, but like evetything else, it will pass. He, along with Nuss & Nord, will once again wonder sidelines somewhere, I have no doubt.
They'll probably even be an ESPN special on gameday one Saturday morning a few years down the road.