Top coaches, AD to take salary cut

Holgorsen, Sampson and Pezman forfeit 10 percent of pay for 6 months

University of Houston football coach Dana Holgorsen, men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and athletic director Chris Pezman will take pay cuts to help offset financial shortfalls because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The three highest-paid employees in the UH athletic department will take a voluntary 10 percent salary reduction for the next six months, according to an internal email sent to faculty and staff this week.

UH president Renu Khator also will take a 10 percent pay cut, effective immediately.

The salary cuts for the three athletic positions will save the university nearly $360,000.

“I want to thank Coach

Holgorsen and Coach Sampson for their willingness to take a reduction in pay for the next six months,” Pezman said in a statement provided to the Houston Chronicle.

“I appreciate their dedication to our university’s mission and their willingness to adapt during these unprecedented times.”

UH becomes the latest among more than two dozen athletic departments from around the nation to enact voluntary salary cuts,

among them Wisconsin, Southern Cal, Oregon, Arizona, Missouri, Washington State, Virginia, Colorado, Louisville and Boise State.

Athletic departments have been forced to make cost-cutting moves in response to a projected $375 million shortfall in revenue

distribution because of the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament. The financial fallout has led to the elimination of 16 athletic teams at nine Division I programs, the latest coming Thursday when East Carolina announced it will cut four programs — men’s and women’s

swimming and tennis.

Holgorsen will make $3.8 million next season, putting him among the top 40 highest-paid coaches in FBS, and Sampson is on the books for $3 million, according to contracts obtained through open-records requests.

Pezman earns $375,000 annually. Contract details for Khator were not immediately available.

“Thankful I’m in position to help,” Sampson said. “Whether it’s financial or prayer, we all can help.”