The Most Bizarre Stuff in NCAA Coaches’ Contracts

Contracts between employer and employee are usually pretty standard, but when it comes to NCAA coaches’ contracts there’s all kinds of odd stuff. Here’s some of the weirdest things HKM Employment Attorneys found in NCAA contracts…

 

Doug Martin – New Mexico State

Odd provision: No tobacco during practices or games

• Looks like Doug can cancel that lucrative sponsorship deal with Skoal.
• How are you supposed to motivate players if you can flick a lit cigarette at them?
• You can never be too careful when it comes to preventing forest fires.
• The local Nicorette Gum supplier is about to get paid!

 

Steve Spurrier, Bill Snyder, Frank Beamer

Odd provision: After they are done coaching, they get a lifetime appointment of “Special Advisor” to the President of the University worth $100,000/year (Spurrier), $250,000/year (Snyder), and $250,000/year (Frank Beamer)

• By special advising, do we mean do nothing?
• That’s a lot of money to advise the President of the University on the quality of area golf courses.
• The University pays them hundreds of thousands of dollars so they can appear on College Gameday once a year?

 

Brad Lambert – University of NC at Charlotte

Odd Provision:  If Lambert leaves and accepts a head-football coaching position at another FBS school, he has to use his “best efforts” to arrange a home/home series with his new school and the University of NC – Charlotte.

• It’s kind of like agreeing that if you break up with someone they still have to go on a date with you once a year.
• If you find cooler friends to hang out with that’s cool, but can you at least invite us to one party?

 

Bryan Harsin – Boise State

Odd provision: Contract extended by one year in each season that the football team gets 8 wins

• It’s the Mountain West Conference!  This is essentially an unlimited extension for anyone at Boise State.
• They should extend this to Congress. If the budget is balanced, we’re not getting bombed, and economy is doing well you don’t have to bother with re-election. If not, you need to find a new job.
• This will explain why Coach Harsin starts scheduling games with Lewiston Community College and Butte College for the Blind.

 

Chris Klieman – North Dakota State

Odd provision:  Must organize booster golf tournaments.

• Coach, you hitting the road for some recruiting? Right after I organize this booster golf tournament.
• If the boosters are lucky Coach Klieman will finally schedule it at an actual golf course instead of the local miniature golf course they’re accustomed to.
• Like a lot of men, Coach Klieman will do anything to get out on the golf course and call it work.

 

George MacIntyre – University of Colorado

Odd provision:  One of his duties is to obtain a football following by those in the community.

• When CU set out on its coach search they were looking for someone who could win games, but also attract large numbers of irrationally devoted followers. Basically someone who is half Bear Bryant and half Charles Manson.
• You know who else had a large following? Marshall Applewhite, leader of the Heaven’s Gate cult.
• And that is how the Buffalo bong gameday giveaway was born!

 

Paul Petrino – University of Idaho

Odd provision: The Media Program and Public Appearance Bonus shall increase by $10,000 each year provided the team GPA is at least 2.5.

• Wow, a C+ average?  Don’t set your heights too high now Idaho.
• The Petrino family summer vacation could all come down to whether a reserve linebacker passes his multiple choice sociology exam.
• How much do the players get for getting a 2.5 or above?

 

Raymond Woodard Jr. – Lamar University

Odd provision: Has to schedule games that will earn $300,000 annually for the University

• It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you schedule that game that gets the university paid.
• If you can’t ensure we get absolutely humiliated on the road at LSU then find yourself a new job, Raymond.

 

Rich Rodriguez – University of Arizona

Odd Provision: Coach’s buy-out increases to $1 million (as opposed to $500,000) if he terminates his contract after January 16, 2015.

• One… million… dollars!
• Wait, what?  Wasn’t this the same University that sued Rich Rodriguez previously?
• If the university chooses to fire Rich after the holidays then Rich is ensured Santa will bring him a large cash present.

 

Tim Deruyter – University of California – Sacramento

Odd provision: Coach is an independent contractor

• Not even good enough to be employed?
• If it works for Microsoft it’ll work for UC Sacramento.
• Sounds like a lucrative lawsuit when Tim’s still the coach in five years.
• Gets awkward when the university is sending out invites to the university holiday party. Should we invite the independent contractors?
• Nice technicality to avoid the stigma of having the highest paid employee at an institution of higher earning be the football coach.

 

Watson Brown – Tennessee Tech University

Odd provision: Can assign him to any other duties at the University and, if he refuses, they can terminate him for cause.

• I bet a lot of football fans wish they could not only fire a bad coach, but make him sweep the floors as a janitor for a few years as punishment.
• “Hey Coach Brown? Need to have a talk with you son. You’re a heck of a coach, but Randy in the Maintenance Department  blew out his ACL and we’re going to need you to step in and haul garbage this year.”

 

Tommy Tuberville – University of Cincinatti

Odd provision: $5,000/month dedicated to University Olympic Athlete fund.

• So, the University is making the Head Football Coach pay for this?     Is the University in that poor of financial shape?
• Okay, we’ll agree to the $5,000 per month provision, but we can’t agree to Coach teaching two physics classes or buying lunch for the faculty on Wednesdays.

 

Broderick Fobbs – Grambling State

Odd provision: Football coach must obtain workers’ comp. insurance

• For some reason, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer don’t have this responsibility?
• So you’re telling me there’s no 401k and the likelihood of me being injured on the job is so high I need to buy workers’ comp insurance? Where do I sign?
• You can never be to safety conscious when there’s a rabid badger loose in the Athletic Department.

 

Mike Bobo – Colorado State

Odd provision: Neither party may disparage the other if Bobo leaves Colorado State

• Both lack thick skins apparently!
• Okay, but if we break up we can’t tell anyone how terrible both of us are in bed, okay?
• If you can’t say anything nice about us then don’t say anything at all… and sign right here to ensure that’s the case.