UF coaches rewarded with raises, extensions
GAINESVILLE — UF will reward coaches Mike White and Jim McElwain for strong seasons with salary raises, one-year contract extensions and, in McElwain’s case, significant performance bonus increases, the school announced Friday.
Following the Gators’ surprising Elite Eight run in men’s basketball, White will receive a one-year extension through the 2022-23 season and a raise averaging more than $800,000 during the course of the new deal. White earned $1.91 million last season, but will receive $2.9 million by the end of the deal in April 2023.
On the heels of his second consecutive SEC East Division title, McElwain will receive a one-year extension through the 2022 season and a raise of just under $200,000, pushing his total annual compensation to $4.48million.
“Both Coach Mac and Coach White have done a phenomenal job of leading our programs and we are looking forward to having them lead the Gators for years to come,” UF first-year athletics director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. “As much as both have won games and provided a lot of great memories for our fans and stability for the programs they lead, they have both had a huge impact on the development and personal growth of the athletes they coach.”
White is 48-24 during two seasons at UF. The 2016-17 Gators reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 and won threegamesbefore losing to South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
The Gators enter his third season with a top-15 recruiting class and will add former Virginia Tech guard Jalen Hudson and Rice graduate transferEgorKoulechov.
White’s compensation increases $613,501 to $2.525 million next season, with 2017-18 with $75,000 annual increases.
White’s base salary will top out at $338,600, but his earnings from television, radio and public relations will go from $725,000 last season to $1.150 million next season. That income will reach $1.325 million by the end of the deal.
The 40-year-old’s annual retention bonus will increase from $375,000 to $700,000. He will continue to receive $400,000 annually from the school’s equipment deal withNike.
McElwain’s Nike income will increase $150,000 annually, to $350,000. His expense account will increase $35,000 — to $175,000 — and his base salary $10,000— to $275,700.
McElwain will continue to earn $2.65 million fromfromtelevision, radio and public relations, while his annual retention bonus of $750,000 remains unchanged.
McElwain is now the fifthhighest coach in the SEC, trailing only Alabama’s Nick Saban, Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, Auburn’s GusMalzahn and Ole Miss’Hugh Freeze.
But the 55-year-old McElwain could make as much as $875,000 in performance bonuses, up from $450,000. (White will continue to have $300,000 in bonus opportunities.)
The biggest increase will be based on his team’s academic performance. McElwain can receive $100,000, up fromjust $4,000.
McElwain made $37,500 for reaching the 2016 SEC title game, but now would earn $100,000. He would earn $200,000 for winning the game, up from$75,000.
Access to aNewYear’s Six bowl game would yield $200,000 (up from$100,000); a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance is worth $250,000 (up from $150,000); and a spot in the national title game would earn McElwain $300,000 (up from $200,000). He would earn $400,000 for a national title, a $150,000 increase.
But the Gators have a long way to go for McElwain to earn those on-the-field bonuses.
UF is 19-8 during two McElwain’s two seasons and have reached theSECChampionshipGame both seasons. But each time the Gators suffered lopsided losses to Alabama that showed how far the program still has to go.
Florida is a combined 0-4 againstAlabamaandFloridaState, losing those games by a combined score of 141-46.
But McElwain’s overall approach to rebuilding the program was a big reason the school awarded him a $750,000 raise in March 2016.
McElwain pushed for facility upgrades, highlighted by a $17 million indoor practice facility. The school currently is raising money for a $60 million stand-alone football facility.
If terminated, White would $1.75 million for each year remaining on his contract. McElwain would receive $2.5 million for each year, an increase of $250,000 with his new deal.
Each coach’s buyout would be offset by his income from another job.