Bubble-Wrapped Coaches

I posted earlier today about a couple of college coaching changes. With Steve Alford leaving Iowa, I thought about Tyler Smith, who was selected to the third team All-Big Ten, and made the conference's all-freshman team. I wondered if he would stay at Iowa. I then thought about how he'd have to sit out a year if he decided to transfer to another school. Finally, I wondered why college athletes have to sit out a year if they want to change schools, but college coaches can leave on a whim - Alford had 5 years left on his contract, and Tubby Smith still had 4 on his. They don't have to sit out a season before resuming their coaching careers. Come to think of it, college coaches are really insulated from consequences. When a college is faced with penalties for NCAA rules violations, the coach can generally get another job immediately if someone else will have him, while the school he leaves suffers the consequences of rules broken on his watch. Does any of this make sense?