University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Coach Randy Edsall Signs New Contract
2/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, Conn. (February 26, 2008) - The University of Connecticut and head football coach Randy Edsall have agreed to terms for a new five-year contract that will run through December 31, 2012. The new contract is effective retroactively on January 1, 2008.
Edsall recently completed his ninth season in charge of the Husky program and his 2007 team posted a 9-4 overall record and a 5-2 mark in BIG EAST play to tie for the conference championship. He led UConn to its second-ever bowl appearance in ‘07 as the Huskies played in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
Edsall has engineered UConn’s move from Division I-AA to Division I-A status and membership in the BIG EAST Conference and the Bowl Championship Series. He has posted a 39-25 mark over UConn’s last 64 games and also guided the Huskies to a victory in the 2004 Motor City Bowl -- UConn’s first-ever bowl appearance.
Edsall will have an annual salary of $1,500,000 during the five-year span of this contract. He is receiving a base salary of $275,000 in the first year of the new contract and that amount will increase by $25,000 annually throughout the contract.
In addition to his base salary, Edsall is receiving $1,025,000 in the first year of the contract for speaking and media appearances. The amount will be annualized for the period of January 1, 2008 through June 30, 2008. Edsall will receive $1,050,000 for those services in 2008-09 and that amount will increase by $75,000 annually throughout the contract.
Edsall will also receive compensation for additional services if the UConn team advances to a bowl game. Edsall will receive one month’s base salary if the Huskies play in a non-Bowl Championship Series game and $100,000 for a BCS appearance. Edsall will receive the greater of half a month’s base salary if he is named the national coach of the year or one-quarter of a month’s base salary if he is named the BIG EAST coach of the year.
"The University of Connecticut is very pleased to announce this new contract," says UConn Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway. "Coach Edsall has done a tremendous job of elevating our football program as a member of a Bowl Championship Series conference. Randy took our program to a new level in 2007 as he led the Huskies to our first BIG EAST Conference championship and second bowl game.
"Like all of our other UConn coaches, he is an outstanding leader and teacher for the young people in our program. In addition, he has become a very active and respected member of our Connecticut community."
"I am very appreciative to be coaching at the University of Connecticut for years to come," says Edsall. "We have been able to accomplish a lot here in nine years, but we still have work to do to achieve the consistency and goals that I am looking to obtain for this football program. I am very grateful for the efforts of my assistant coaches, student-athletes, support staff and the administration here at the University of Connecticut. Also, I am very thankful to the support we have received from our fans and the people here in the State of Connecticut. It truly has been a TEAM effort and we need to continue that TEAM effort as we move forward."
