WVU Football: Coaches Salaries and Contracts Create Questions

End-of-season raises and contract extensions at WVU leave unanswered questions.

Head Coach Dana Holgorsen received the bonuses and raise built into his original contract., that was to be expected.

Holgorsen's total compensation for 2012 was $2.375 million plus $95,000 in performance bonuses totalling $2.47 million.

These bonuses were based on ticket sales, a bowl appearance and perhaps most importantly an NCAA academic progress rate score of at least 950.

Coach Holgorsen's contract calls for  $2.5 million for 2013, increasing to $2.65 million if he is still employed on Dec. 8, 2013 including retention bonus.

That is above average for all FBS coaches, but ranks only sixth in the Big 12. No surprise there. The questions arise from information contained in an article by Dave Hickman of the Charleston Gazette on Feb. 1, 2013.

The Gazette filed a Freedom of information act (FOIA) request regarding WVU football coaches' salaries and contracts. All figures cited here come from the article in the Gazette.

The three new coaches salaries were an increase from their predecessors. Lonnie Galloway will make $300,000 as the receivers coach, Tony Gibson $250,000 to coach safeties and Brian Mitchell $225,000 to coach cornerbacks.

Former coach Steve Dunlap had been making $250,000. Daron Roberts and Jake Spavital made $200,000 each. Existing coaches Shannon Dawson, Bill Bedenbaugh and Robert Gillespie were given new contracts for $300,000.

Dawson and Bedenbaugh's new contracts were originally for $250,000 but were bumped up to $300,000 about the time of the new hires.

Coaches Erik Slaughter and Keith Patterson received new contracts at their previous rate. Slaughter earns $200,000 and Patterson $350,000.

Patterson's job title was unchanged despite an increase in responsibility. He is still listed as Co-defensive Coordinator. The assistant salaries rank fourth in the Big 12.

This is where it gets interesting. There is no mention in the FOIA of coach Joe DeForest. There is no mention of his contract or his salary. 

DeForest is presumably still employed under the terms of his original offer sheet from Jan. 1 2012. That pays him $500,000 per year, which would make him the highest paid assistant.

DeForest was demoted from Co-defensive Coordinator during the 2012 season, but his offer sheet runs for two more years. Is there still a change in the works? Why wasn't DeForest listed in the FOIA?

I have suggested in a previous article that coaching changes are still coming. This only serves to validate my prediction.

That's my opinion and observation. As always I welcome comments and debate.