O’Leary won’t share contract

UCF’s George O’Leary is declining to release his contract to public, the coach said during a radio interview with Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi on 96.9-FM.

“My contract is my contract. And if asked, I won’t release my contract. That’s why it’s my contract,” O’Leary said Thursday morning, adding he was more focused on coaching the Knights still chasing their first win this season. “. . . I guess the big [word] the use is transparency and stuff, but I think that I’m worried about our football season and that’s what I’m concerned with. That contract stuff, I haven’t given much thought to it at all.”

UCF is the only public university in the state that has declined to release coaches’ contracts, stating the UCF Athletics Association that runs the Knights’ athletics department operations is a Direct Support Organization that is not subject to public records laws.

The school’s general counsel stated in an email obtained this week by the Orlando Sentinel releasing contracts coaches expected to be confidential would violate the law, citing a recent opinion issued by the Fifth District Court of Appeal. The school announced it would ask the coaches after the Knights play No. 21 Houston Saturday if they would agree to voluntarily share the contracts.

The Orlando Sentinel has requested the football coaches’ contracts numerous times since 2009, the last time the school voluntarily shared a copy of O’Leary’s contract. UCF has confirmed O’Leary has since signed at least one contract extension, but shared few other details about the agreement. His last known buyout was due to expire Jan. 4, 2016. It is unclear whether that buyout has been extended.

O’Leary told Bianchi Thursday morning he answered a TV reporter’s question during his weekly news conference Monday inquiring whether there was any language in his contract about the Knights’ next head football coach, alluding to rumors offensive coordinator Brent Key had been promised the head coaching position whenever O’Leary retires. O’Leary said during the news conference Monday there was no reference to a head-coach-in-waiting in his contract and said during Bianchi’s show Thursday he answered the question.

When Bianchi asked if Key’s contract assured him of being UCF’s next head coach, O’Leary said he would not comment.

“That’s Brent Key’s contact, and I don’t comment on contracts,” O’Leary said.