One million dollars
Longhorns give Mack Brown contract extension
Posted: Wednesday February 10, 1999 09:25 PM
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Showing the way: After a 1-2 start, Mack Brown led the Longhorns to wins in eight of their last nine games. Allsport |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas coach Mack Brown will earn $1 million
a year under a contract extension approved Wednesday by university
officials that seeks to keep him leading the Longhorns through the
2008 season.
The extension approved by the UT System Board of Regents raises
Brown's total compensation by $250,000 a year. It is retroactive to
Jan. 1, the day Brown led the Longhorns to a 38-11 win over
Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl.
Brown's base salary is $200,000 a year, with the rest of the
money coming from endorsements, radio, television and other media
commitments, summer camp income and expense allowances, the school
said.
"Coach Brown has done an excellent job not only on the field,
but in projecting an attitude and image of excellence and character
off the field," said Regent Patrick Oxford of Houston.
"He is at the peak of his profession and these compensation
actions reflect the market for premier college football coaches,"
Oxford said.
Brown's contract is extended four years through Dec. 31, 2008.
Also approved was an annuity to pay the 47-year-old Brown a net $1
million when he turns 55 if he is Texas' football coach for at
least five years.
"I'm really excited about the confidence the university has
shown in our program, not only for me but for our whole staff,"
Brown said.
The university last month approved pay raises for Brown's staff.
Offensive and defensive coordinators Greg Davis and Carl Reese will
each get raises of $35,000, bringing their salaries to $150,000.
Brown's other assistants also will get raises of $15,000.
Davis, Reese, strength coach Jeff Madden, assistant athletic
director for football operations Cleve Bryant and tight ends coach
Tim Brewster also will receive annuities if they have been at Texas
at least five years.
Each will receive $50,000 per year for five years.
Oxford said the new contract is necessary to keep Brown and his
staff at Texas. Brown was offered a job with an NFL team, Oxford
said.
Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds wouldn't say what NFL team
offered Brown a job.
"That wouldn't really be fair to them or to coach Brown,"
Dodds said.
Brown said the raises and annuities for his assistants are very
important.
"Just about every member was offered an opportunity to go
elsewhere this year. All of our coaches chose to stay because of
the commitment by the university to have the best program in the
country," Brown said.
When Texas officials first discussed a new deal for Brown in
December, Dodds said a contract buyout would cost UT $1 million at
most because the school would be obligated to pay only the base
salary over a five-year maximum.
Texas was 4-7 in 1997 before Brown arrived. After a 1-2 start in
1998, the Longhorns rebounded to win eight of their last nine,
including wins over Nebraska and Texas A&M. Tailback Ricky Williams
won the Heisman Trophy.
Last week, Brown signed a recruiting class that was hailed by
experts as the nation's best.
"I want to make every effort to assure that our head coach and
his staff are compensated at a rate that places them among the
top-ranked programs in the country. I believe that the actions by
the administration and the board of regents accomplish this goal,"
Dodds said.
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