New coach will have $4.25 million to build his staff
TUCSON — Brent Brennan was introduced on Wednesday as the new head coach of Arizona Football and with that came the terms of the deal he signed to take over for Jedd Fisch.
Brennan’s overall package is worth $17.5 million dollars over five years. The contract includes his base salary, peripheral compensation for athletic department appearances, his coach’s show and other broadcast obligations with Learfield and an apparel deal with Nike.
UA paid $1 million dollars to buyout the remainder of Brennan’s contract with San Jose State.
He’ll make $2.2 million dollars in his initial season and the contract escalates $200,000 every season thereafter.
Incentives include a $250,000 retention bonus if Brennan is still employed at UA in two years, $100,000 if UA makes the College Football Playoff with escalators every round up to a national championship victory which would pay the coach $400,000.
Brennan would receive $150,000 if the Wildcats win the Big-12 Championship.
His buyouts begin at $10,000,000 if Brennan were to leave after one season decreasing down to $500,000 if he stays through the completion of his initial five-year contract.
Most importantly is the salary pool for the assistant coaches that Brennan will need to help him lead the Wildcats into their new Era in the Big-12 Conference.
The protege of Dick Tomey will receive $4.25 million for 10 full-time positions.
There was a thought that one of those positions might go to incumbent wide receivers’ coach Kevin Cummings who played for Brennan when the head coach held the same role at Oregon State. That however will not happen as Cummings will join Jedd Fisch at Washington.
Former UA assistants Brennan Carroll, Jordan Paopao, Scottie Graham, Jimmie Dougherty, John Richardson, Jason Kafusi, Cummings and strength and conditioning coach Tyler Owens have all left UA to follow Fisch to Seattle.
Brennan indicated he believes he has a deal in place to retain Duane Akina on his staff at UA. He did not say whether UA Football alums Rickey Hunley (’83) and Chuck Cecil (’86) would move forward as coaches under his regime.
TRANSFER PORTAL
Nine UA players entered the Transfer Portal on Wednesday. The most notable names include starting running back Jonah Coleman, offensive lineman Raymond Pulido and tight end Keyan Burnett.
Coleman however attended Wednesday night’s Wildcats Men’s Basketball game and was shown on the jumbotron and announced to the crowd leading to speculation that he might in fact remain at Arizona.
Incoming freshman quarterback Demond Williams and running back Adam Mohammed also announced their intent to transfer from their UA commitments. Arizona starting cornerback Ephesians Prysock is also in the Transfer Portal.
UA players have until February 13 to file for an intent to leave. They can then chose to depart for another school or decide to remain in Tucson although UA does not have to honor a student-athletes contract once they enter the portal.
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