Digging deep for new coaches
Consider the bar raised.
When the New Mexico Lobos introduced Iowa's Steve Alford as their new coach the other day, they also noted that they will be paying him a whopping $975,000 a year - setting precedent for the rest of the Mountain West Conference and suggesting that the Utes will have to really open their wallets for the successor to former coach Ray Giacoletti.
Athletic director Chris Hill did not have to do that, last time.
When he hired Giacoletti, he was able to pay him $425,000 a year guaranteed before bonuses - much less than the $700,000 to $800,000 that the job was widely expected to fetch - because Giacoletti was a little-known, second-choice candidate from the Big Sky Conference who wasn't in a position to command more than that.
Now, however, the Utes probably are going to have to pay a lot closer to what the Lobos paid Alford, lest they be seen as cheap in the eyes of the candidates they're trying to attract. Consider that one of the pitfalls of being the last of four Mountain West schools to fill its coaching vacancy.
And it's not just the Lobos who are opening the vault, either.
The Colorado State Rams are paying new coach Tim Miles a guaranteed salary of about $400,000, with another $250,000 a year available in performance bonuses. That's about double what former coach Dale Layer made in Fort Collins. And at Wyoming, new coach Heath Schroyer can earn up to $500,000 a year. Former coach Steve McClain was paid $380,000 to buy out the final year of his contract.
When the New Mexico Lobos introduced Iowa's Steve Alford as their new coach the other day, they also noted that they will be paying him a whopping $975,000 a year - setting precedent for the rest of the Mountain West Conference and suggesting that the Utes will have to really open their wallets for the successor to former coach Ray Giacoletti.
Athletic director Chris Hill did not have to do that, last time.
When he hired Giacoletti, he was able to pay him $425,000 a year guaranteed before bonuses - much less than the $700,000 to $800,000 that the job was widely expected to fetch - because Giacoletti was a little-known, second-choice candidate from the Big Sky Conference who wasn't in a position to command more than that.
Now, however, the Utes probably are going to have to pay a lot closer to what the Lobos paid Alford, lest they be seen as cheap in the eyes of the candidates they're trying to attract. Consider that one of the pitfalls of being the last of four Mountain West schools to fill its coaching vacancy.
And it's not just the Lobos who are opening the vault, either.
The Colorado State Rams are paying new coach Tim Miles a guaranteed salary of about $400,000, with another $250,000 a year available in performance bonuses. That's about double what former coach Dale Layer made in Fort Collins. And at Wyoming, new coach Heath Schroyer can earn up to $500,000 a year. Former coach Steve McClain was paid $380,000 to buy out the final year of his contract.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 9:17 AM |
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