Assistants in line for $719,756

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ transition to a new coaching staff will be an expensive proposition, in terms of salaries for the new head coach and his staff, their potential buyouts, as well as the remaining payments to the Razorbacks’ current assistants.

Arkansas’ athletic department and Razorback Foundation saved a substantial sum in not paying eight months of former Coach Bobby Petrino’s $3.1 million salary this season, which was partially offset by the $850,000 guaranteed to pay John L. Smith’s 10-month contract.

Athletic Director Jeff Long also arranged for the nine-member staff to receive “longevity incentive payments” that will total $719,756. The longevity inducement was put in place ideally to keep the staff on board during the interim period between last Friday’s regular season finale and a bowl. However, the payments, which ranged from 25 percent to 33 percent of the coach’s annual salary, were also to be paid in the event Arkansas did not qualify for a bowl.

Three coaches hired by former Coach Bobby Petrino before his firing in April: Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino ($141,667), defensive coordinator Paul Haynes ($141,667) and assistant head coach Taver Johnson ($91,667), are all getting onethird of their annual salaries.

The other assistants: offensive line coach Chris Klenakis ($66,605), defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell ($64,250), cornerbacks coach Bobby Allen ($58,950), receivers coach Kris Cinkovich ($53,700), running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Tim Horton ($51,250), and defensive tackles coach Kevin Peoples ($50,000) are receiving 25 percent of their salaries.