GAINESVILLE -- Florida released the contracts for its football staff Wednesday, hours before the Gators held their annual Media Day.
Head coach Jim McElwain signed a six-year contract worth $3.5 million annually, with a $500,000 signing bonus and a $500,000 retention bonus annually (starting Jan. 31, 2017) should he remain employed at Florida until 2021.
After paying Will Muschamp a hefty sum to go away and chipping in on McElwain’s expensive buyout from Colorado State, Florida tagged its new coach with an expensive de-escalating buyout clause.
McElwain would have to pay Florida anywhere between $3.5 million and $1.5 million should he leave the school prior to 2021. A large portion of his de-escalating buyout would actually be paid back to CSU as part of UF’s payment on McElwain’s original buyout.
The yearly details:
2016 - $3.5 million ($2.5 million to CSU)
2017 - $3.25 million ($2 million to CSU)
2018 - $3 million ($1.5 million to CSU)
2019 - $2.5 million ($1 million to CSU)
2020 - $2 million ($500K to CSU)
2021 - $1.5 million.
McElwain’s deal also includes a provision where his buyout would be offset (should he be fired) if he takes a job with another SEC school within 90 days. As 247Sports' Thomas Goldkamp tweeted, just call it the Muschamp Clause.
Meanwhile, UF’s nine assistants will earn a combined $3.325 million in base salary in 2015. Last year, Florida doled out roughly $3.2 million for Muschamp’s staff.
Under McElwain, the Gators are clearly placing an emphasis on staff continuity, with lots of retention bonuses included in assistants' deals.
***** UF assistant coaching contracts (base salary + 10,000 endorsement deal) *****
OC Doug Nussmeir - Three-year contract worth $500,000 in 2015, $525,000 in 2016 and $550,000 in 2017. He also receives a $300,000 retention bonus if he’s still employed at UF on Feb. 14, 2017.
DC Geoff Collins - Three-year contract worth $600,000 annually. He received a $100,000 signing bonus. Collins is also due a $125,000 retention bonus on Feb. 14, 2016 and $150,000 retention bonus on Feb. 17, 2017.
LB/DC Randy Shannon - Three-year contract worth $400,000 in 2015 and 2016 and $425,000 in 2017. Shannon doesn’t have a buyout, received a $200,000 signing bonus and a possible pair of retention bonuses ($100,000 on Feb. 14, 2016 and $125,000 on Feb. 14, 2017).
DL Chris Rumph - Two-year contract worth $415,000 in 2015 and $425,000 in 2016.
TE/ST Greg Nord - Two-year deal worth $375,000 in 2015 and $400,000 in 2016.
RB Tim Skipper - Two-year contract worth $350,000 in 2015 and $375,000 in 2016.
DB Kirk Callahan - Two-year contract worth $300,000 in 2015 and $325,000 in 2016.
OL Mike Summers - A one-year contract (the last year of a two-year deal since he was the only member of Muschamp’s staff retained) worth $200,000 in 2015.
WR Kerry Dixon - Two-year deal worth $275,000 in 2015 and $285,000 in 2016.
Other notes include:
All of the retention bonuses are after National Signing Day. Just something to watch in the future.
Both Rumph and Shannon will earn the same amount (in 2015) they were paid at Texas and Arkansas, respectively.
Nussmeier is taking a healthy pay-cut after earning $830,000 as Michigan’s OC. Lastly, Nord is earning a massive raise. At Western Kentucky, Nord earned just $58,500 in 2014.
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