Chris Petersen, Washington Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

The University of Washington and head football coach Chris Petersen have agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the school through the 2020 season, per Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, and pay him $4 million a year in 2019 and 2020. The school confirmed the deal on its website Thursday.

"Coach Petersen has demonstrated tremendous integrity and is building a program that Husky fans can be proud of, both on and off the field," athletic director Scott Woodward said in the statement on the school's website. "This extension is well-deserved and we hope Coach Petersen is a Husky for a long time to come."

Petersen, 51, is in his second season as Washington's head coach after taking over for Steve Sarkisian. He's gone 13-12 with the Huskies, and the team heads into its Apple Cup matchup against Washington State at 5-6 on the year, looking to secure bowl eligibility. 

Petersen would assuredly prefer his team finished the year at .500. When asked about the possibility of a 5-7 team making a bowl this year, he expressed some distaste with the current landscape.

"Ugh. … I think there’s too many bowls," Petersen said Monday, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. "I’ll say that, if we’re talking about that."

He added, "I will say this—everybody likes to play football. So to get a chance to play another game and all those things, that’s one issue. But again, a long time ago, when Washington was playing in Rose Bowls, it was like the Rose Bowl or nothing, I think, way back when. So that’s kind of how I grew up, as well."

The hope going forward is that Washington will be doing more than qualifying for lower-tier bowl games. Petersen led Boise State to two BCS bowl wins during his tenure with the Broncos and, with many premier jobs expected to open up this offseason, likely would have been a hot name on the market.

His continued commitment to Washington is an excellent sign for the school, however, as the Huskies look to build a program as consistently excellent as the one Petersen constructed with Boise State.