A rational and prudent argument could have been made that the Gophers athletic department should have retained men's basketball coach Ben Johnson for at least one more season.

He had an expensive contract buyout. Johnson also wasn't given an lot of resources to build a team. With an influx of cash for the program coming in via $20.5 million in revenue sharing for athletes next year, why not see what Johnson could do with that money while saving the expense of firing him and hiring a new coach?

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle did not think that way. He saw waning interest in the program, expressed through attendance and overall public consciousness, and decided to make a change.

His first-choice, hand-picked coach, Niko Medved, was announced Monday and introduced Tuesday. Medved is more accomplished than Johnson and surely more expensive. He is also poised to have a better chance, at least in theory, of bringing in more revenue through ticket sales and donor giving.

How much it helps in the Gophers' quest to strengthen their financial commitment, in addition to that additional $20.5 million in revenue sharing, remains to be seen — something Chip Scoggins and I talked about on Tuesday's Daily Delivery podcast.

What is clear for now is this: The Gophers are going for it. In modern sports, that is always a popular approach and often the correct one.

Coyle has said the Gophers plan to distribute the full $20.5 million in revenue sharing next year, a figure and process that should gain more clarity with a court ruling next month.

At his introductory news conference Tuesday, Medved did not shy away from talking about the role money plays in modern big-time men's basketball, and he also indicated he thinks he will have the financial support he needs to win.

During the Johnson era, the Gophers fell behind. Their name, image and likeness money lags behind competitors, and they lost high-impact players such as Elijah Hawkins and Pharrel Payne as a result. The choice from there was to either keep retreating and give up a fight they didn't think they could win, or try to get back in the game by being aggressive.

The Gophers chose the latter, which is important in this market and landscape.

The department competes for money and attention with multiple major pro teams. None are more illustrative than the Vikings, who are the biggest show in Minnesota (by far) and who are a good example of the good will earned by going for it (think facilities, free agency and a championship mindset).

The Gophers can meaningfully compete for money and attention with the likes of the Wild, Wolves and Twins. The Wild have been in neutral for several years. The Wolves went for it last year but took a foot out of the circle with the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. The Twins are most definitely not going for it, instead hoping to be competitive with a modest payroll while they sell the team to someone who might go for it.

The Twins are being prudent, which is a choice. The Gophers are not, which is a choice that resonates.

In college sports, you can't tank for better draft picks. There is no rebuilding once the foundation crumbles. The Gophers are betting on success, which is a lot more interesting than the alternative.