Gus Malzahn’s agreement to become UCF’s head coach looks a lot like the original contract he signed at Auburn in 2013.
The former Auburn coach on Monday agreed to a $ 11.5 million five-year contract to become the next UCF coach, according to a copy of the signed memorandum of understanding obtained by AL.com via a public registration application. Malzahn will earn $ 2.3 million annually over five seasons, which is identical to the terms of his first contract with Auburn.
His contract with UCF, where he was introduced as head coach on Monday afternoon, includes $ 500,000 in base salary with $ 1.8 million in media and lectures, as well as endorsement rights. It also includes up to $ 500,000 in incentives per year, with academic achievement bonuses – including team GPA over 3.0 and 980 year or higher APR – and performance-based incentives. Field bonuses include playing the AAC title game, winning the AAC championship, winning a spot in the bowl, an appearance in a New Year’s Six bowl game, a performance at the College Football Playoff, winning a bowl game, winning the championship national CFP, complete an undefeated season, finish in the top 25, 15 and 10 in the CFP classification, as well as bonuses for winning the conference or national coach of the year.
Malzahn’s agreement with UCF includes a purchase clause if he is terminated without cause by the university. If UCF separated from Malzahn by the end of the 2021 calendar, the school owed him 90 percent of the contract value – $ 10.35 million – to be paid in semiannual installments until the end of the contract term, subject to mitigation. If he was fired on or after January 1, 2022, UCF owed him 75 percent of the remaining amount of his contract – at that time, $ 6.9 million, also subject to mitigation.
If Malzahn left UCF for another job before his contract expires, he owes the school the purchase of his contract within 60 days after the contract ends. This includes $ 7 million if before the end of 2021, $ 5 million if before the end of 2022, $ 3 million if before the end of 2023, $ 2 million if before the end of 2024 and $ 500,000 if after December 31 2024, but before the start of the regular 2025 season.
UCF’s Malzahn payments go beyond the $ 21,450,000 in acquisition owed to him by Auburn, half of which were due last month, as there was no mitigation clause in his $ 49 million seven-year deal he signed with Auburn at the end of 2017
Tom Green is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.