http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/

Half a dozen mid-major head coaches have higher salaries according to this list, and Wilcox's salary is only $50,000 more than what Fresno State is paying Tedford.

Cal better ante up, and might have to do so before a new AD is hired.

I agree that we need to step up immediately and recognize that Wilcox has already proven himself to be a great program builder and has completely changed the trajectory of our program.

I haven't looked at the article yet but wonder if they account for the many bonuses that Wilcox is on the verge of earning.

But mainly I hope the donors and our interim AD are working on raises for everyone!

First year for a first time head coach. I don't think it's such a bad thing and I'm sure if he shows good results quickly, he'll make much more.

NVBear78 said:

---

I agree that we need to step up immediately and recognize that Wilcox has already proven himself to be a great program builder and has completely changed the trajectory of our program.

I haven't looked at the article yet but wonder if they account for the many bonuses that Wilcox is on the verge of earning.

But mainly I hope the donors and our interim AD are working on raises for everyone!

---

Since the bonus payouts lag by one year, they are not included.

NVBear78 said:

---

I agree that we need to step up immediately and recognize that Wilcox has already proven himself to be a great program builder and has completely changed the trajectory of our program.

I haven't looked at the article yet but wonder if they account for the many bonuses that Wilcox is on the verge of earning.

But mainly I hope the donors and our interim AD are working on raises for everyone!

---

They take potential bonus earnings into account, i.e. they list 900k for him. But that figure is obviously not factored into his actual pay as he hasn't (and may not) earned that.


Anyway, Lincoln Riley is 52nd in Oklahoma. There's no reason to overpay for a first year coach you weren't bidding for to begin with.

Right now, he's making market value for a first-year guy with his resume. Hopefully, as his market value increases (as it appears to be doing before our very eyes), the powers that be will be wise enough to keep paying him what he's worth.

Hopefully...

Unbelievable!!! Arizona is paying Rich Rodriguez over $6 million bucks. How stupid are they in Tucson? He is a terrible coach. Once the Pac12 figures out how to stop Tate, he will return to the Hot Seat. We figured it out in the second half that Tate likes to go to this right to run or throw and his production was reduced. He is a great athlete, but even they can be stopped, particularly, when they are the entire team. If Tate gets injured, Rodriguez will catch pneumonia.

Big C said:

---

Right now, he's making market value for a first-year guy with his resume. Hopefully, as his market value increases (as it appears to be doing before our very eyes), the powers that be will be wise enough to keep paying him what he's worth.

Hopefully...

---

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHHH

Bear8 said:

---

Unbelievable!!! Arizona is paying Rich Rodriguez over $6 million bucks. How stupid are they in Tucson? He is a terrible coach. Once the Pac12 figures out how to stop Tate, he will return to the Hot Seat. We figured it out in the second half that Tate likes to go to this right to run or throw and his production was reduced. He is a great athlete, but even they can be stopped, particularly, when they are the entire team. If Tate gets injured, Rodriguez will catch pneumonia.

---

It was a weird contract retention bump, but not his new base going forward. Still a ton of money though...

He's at the bottom of the Pac 12. Next time you hear someone bash our "overpaid football coach" in an anti-athletics rant, tell them we pay the least in the conference. Why should one of the top schools in the conference, with great new facilities, be last in coach's pay?

And seeing that we're pooled with the Boise St's of the world, it makes you wonder why the flagship UC school located in one of the most expensive metropolitan locations pays so low? Makes absolutely no sense.

Then again, if Cal finishes last in the Pac, perhaps the low salary is deserved. But then again, perhaps that's exactly why we finished last: you get what you pay for! A lot of ways to look at it.

Let's not forget we hired this guy in mid-January, and many people were scratching their heads by this hire.

So his compensation makes sense.

TandemBear said:

---

He's at the bottom of the Pac 12. Next time you hear someone bash our "overpaid football coach" in an anti-athletics rant, tell them we pay the least in the conference. Why should one of the top schools in the conference, with great new facilities, be last in coach's pay?

And seeing that we're pooled with the Boise St's of the world, it makes you wonder why the flagship UC school located in one of the most expensive metropolitan locations pays so low? Makes absolutely no sense.

Then again, if Cal finishes last in the Pac, perhaps the low salary is deserved. But then again, perhaps that's exactly why we finished last: you get what you pay for! A lot of ways to look at it.

---

You understand why we're currently last, though, right? First-year coach with his resume. And that's the way we pretty much had to go. We weren't in last place last year, after Dykes had gotten his new contract, nor will we be in last place when Wilcox gets his next one.

kingpindonuts said:

---

NVBear78 said:

---

I agree that we need to step up immediately and recognize that Wilcox has already proven himself to be a great program builder and has completely changed the trajectory of our program.

---

I like Wilcox but how exactly has he proven himself to be a great program builder already?

---

He hasn't.

kingpindonuts said:

---

NVBear78 said:

---

I agree that we need to step up immediately and recognize that Wilcox has already proven himself to be a great program builder and has completely changed the trajectory of our program.

---

I like Wilcox but how exactly has he proven himself to be a great program builder already?

---

Well, um, uh, ...

The days of waiting 1-3 years to determine if a coach is "worth" a compensation increase are long gone. Wait in 2017, and you'll see your coach lured to another program with a big pay increase.

Wilcox is definitely on the target list for HC at a number of schools due to the turnaround at Cal this year. It's just reality. This staff has already proven they'll have Cal winning consistently in very short order. Don't forget that this year's schedule was rated the most difficult in the nation, and no one expected us to be doing this well.

With the stadium funding issue looming large, Cal is depending on a winning football program to increase revenues by filling the stadium despite night time starts, etc.

Whatever increase we give Wilxox & staff to keep them at Cal is tiny in comparison. Increase the coaches' compensation now, or face the consequences.

Lol

Bear19 said:

---

The days of waiting 1-3 years to determine if a coach is "worth" a compensation increase are long gone. Wait in 2017, and you'll see your coach lured to another program with a big pay increase.

Wilcox is definitely on the target list for HC at a number of schools due to the turnaround at Cal this year. It's just reality. This staff has already proven they'll have Cal winning consistently in very short order. Don't forget that this year's schedule was rated the most difficult in the nation, and no one expected us to be doing this well.

With the stadium funding issue looming large, Cal is depending on a winning football program to increase revenues by filling the stadium despite night time starts, etc.

Whatever increase we give Wilxox & staff to keep them at Cal is tiny in comparison. Increase the coaches' compensation now, or face the consequences.

---

Spot on.

And I will repeat what I said in an earlier post; if you were USC would you rather have Clay Helton or Justin Wilcox?

Now insert any other underperforming big program name and you will understand why other schools will come knocking.

And as the final point look at our own experience with Steve Mariucci being hired away after one 6 win season.

I'm surprised they published Navy's Ken Niumatalolo's salary at $2 million, I wonder if this is from donors or taxpayers?

Will Wilcox go on one of Sonny's end of season job hunting expeditions and give Cal a chance to at least match?

Big C said:

---

TandemBear said:

---

He's at the bottom of the Pac 12. Next time you hear someone bash our "overpaid football coach" in an anti-athletics rant, tell them we pay the least in the conference. Why should one of the top schools in the conference, with great new facilities, be last in coach's pay?

And seeing that we're pooled with the Boise St's of the world, it makes you wonder why the flagship UC school located in one of the most expensive metropolitan locations pays so low? Makes absolutely no sense.

Then again, if Cal finishes last in the Pac, perhaps the low salary is deserved. But then again, perhaps that's exactly why we finished last: you get what you pay for! A lot of ways to look at it.

---

You understand why we're currently last, though, right? First-year coach with his resume. And that's the way we pretty much had to go. We weren't in last place last year, after Dykes had gotten his new contract, nor will we be in last place when Wilcox gets his next one.

---

Ah the Cal fan. Alternate between blasting the AD for not recognizing we have found Jesus with a clipboard after a handful of games and locking him up with a fat pay raise and extension and decrying the stupidity of the AD giving ultimately failed coaches extensions before they have proven themselves thus dooming us

philbert said:

---

Will Wilcox go on one of Sonny's end of season job hunting expeditions and give Cal a chance to at least match?

---

No, he won't have to because the offers will eventually come to him. All that Wilcox is currently proving is that
he has a pretty good opportunity to become a multi-millionaire whether at Berkeley or elsewhere.

Bear8 said:

---

Unbelievable!!! Arizona is paying Rich Rodriguez over $6 million bucks. How stupid are they in Tucson? He is a terrible coach. Once the Pac12 figures out how to stop Tate, he will return to the Hot Seat. We figured it out in the second half that Tate likes to go to this right to run or throw and his production was reduced. He is a great athlete, but even they can be stopped, particularly, when they are the entire team. If Tate gets injured, Rodriguez will catch pneumonia.

---

I can't remember who they played, but I'm pretty sure they just pulled off a prettt good road win against another PAC12 team.

bearsandgiants said:

---

Bear8 said:

---

Unbelievable!!! Arizona is paying Rich Rodriguez over $6 million bucks. How stupid are they in Tucson? He is a terrible coach. Once the Pac12 figures out how to stop Tate, he will return to the Hot Seat. We figured it out in the second half that Tate likes to go to this right to run or throw and his production was reduced. He is a great athlete, but even they can be stopped, particularly, when they are the entire team. If Tate gets injured, Rodriguez will catch pneumonia.

---

I can't remember who they played, but I'm pretty sure they just pulled off a prettt good road win against another PAC12 team.

---

Would that be at 1-4 (in conference) Colorado or at 1-4 (in conference) Cal?

>I like Wilcox but how exactly has he proven himself to be a great program builder already?

Yeah, it's a bit early to say "great program builder". I would however say "great job of making the most of out of what you have". And honestly, can you expect anything more for the cut rate wages we pay our HC and his staff?

The big window of risk to Cal football is when/if Wilcox ever goes 8-4 and wins a bowl game. At that point his salary is going to make him a target. Even more so the ridiculous amounts we pay our OC/DC. Quite literally, winning is the biggest threat to Cal football. How badly run is Cal Athletics, if you can say that?

BearSD said:

---

http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/

Half a dozen mid-major head coaches have higher salaries according to this list, and Wilcox's salary is only $50,000 more than what Fresno State is paying Tedford.

Cal better ante up, and might have to do so before a new AD is hired.

---

As badly run as Cal athletics is, we could be Arizona, paying over $6M (sixth most in the country) for Rich "Mediocre" Rodriguez.

Cal84 said:

---

The big window of risk to Cal football is when/if Wilcox ever goes 8-4 and wins a bowl game. At that point his salary is going to make him a target. Even more so the ridiculous amounts we pay our OC/DC. Quite literally, winning is the biggest threat to Cal football. How badly run is Cal Athletics, if you can say that?

---

I'm so ****ing tired of this myth.

The last time that Cal lost a football coach to someone coming along to pay more was Steve Mariucci. 21 years ago. Before that was Bruce Snyder and the only reason we lost him was because we refused to give him a raise. I can assure you that if Wilcox ever goes 8-4, he's going to get a raise.

Stop convincing yourselves that we can't hold on to a coach we want to keep.

Quote:

---

Before that was Bruce Snyder and the only reason we lost him was because Bob Bockrath, one of the worst things to ever happen to Cal athletics, we refused to give him a raise.

---

FIFY.

BearSD said:

---

Quote:

---

Before that was Bruce Snyder and the only reason we lost him was because Bob Bockrath, one of the worst things to ever happen to Cal athletics, we refused to give him a raise.

---

FIFY.

---

I'm no fan of Bockwrath, but I think he was just following Tien's orders to be the hatchet man.

Cal84 said:

---

>I like Wilcox but how exactly has he proven himself to be a great program builder already?

Yeah, it's a bit early to say "great program builder". I would however say "great job of making the most of out of what you have". And honestly, can you expect anything more for the cut rate wages we pay our HC and his staff?

The big window of risk to Cal football is when/if Wilcox ever goes 8-4 and wins a bowl game. At that point his salary is going to make him a target. Even more so the ridiculous amounts we pay our OC/DC. Quite literally, winning is the biggest threat to Cal football. How badly run is Cal Athletics, if you can say that?

---

Is an 8-4 coach at Cal really that exciting to a top flight program? Like isn't that just like us hiring Sonny winning 9 games at La Tech?

kingpindonuts said:

---

Cal84 said:

---

>I like Wilcox but how exactly has he proven himself to be a great program builder already?

Yeah, it's a bit early to say "great program builder". I would however say "great job of making the most of out of what you have". And honestly, can you expect anything more for the cut rate wages we pay our HC and his staff?

The big window of risk to Cal football is when/if Wilcox ever goes 8-4 and wins a bowl game. At that point his salary is going to make him a target. Even more so the ridiculous amounts we pay our OC/DC. Quite literally, winning is the biggest threat to Cal football. How badly run is Cal Athletics, if you can say that?

---

Is an 8-4 coach at Cal really that exciting to a top flight program? Like isn't that just like us hiring Sonny winning 9 games at La Tech?

---

I wouldn't be surprised if there are a lot of coaches out there that see La Tech as a better program to work at than Cal.

Rich Rod is up there for sure, but he has not exactly been a poor HC at Arizona. I suppose many remember last year, which was not a good one. In five completed seasons there, four were 7+ wins. Two 8-win seasons, and one with 10 wins. Averaged over 8 wins his first four years... Five wins already in 2017.

Not saying that merits his salary, or that I'd want him at Cal, but he has been quite successful by most measures; especially compared to the prior regime. His recruiting classes has generally been in the middle of the conference, to slightly below...

Bear19 said:

---

The days of waiting 1-3 years to determine if a coach is "worth" a compensation increase are long gone. Wait in 2017, and you'll see your coach lured to another program with a big pay increase.

Wilcox is definitely on the target list for HC at a number of schools due to the turnaround at Cal this year. It's just reality. This staff has already proven they'll have Cal winning consistently in very short order. Don't forget that this year's schedule was rated the most difficult in the nation, and no one expected us to be doing this well.

With the stadium funding issue looming large, Cal is depending on a winning football program to increase revenues by filling the stadium despite night time starts, etc.

Whatever increase we give Wilxox & staff to keep them at Cal is tiny in comparison. Increase the coaches' compensation now, or face the consequences.

---

I guess that confirms, once and for all, why you can't talk about the difficulty of schedules until the end of the season. In hindsight, Cal's OOC slate was a picnic with an FCS school, one of the worst P5 programs in the country and a school going through the turmoil of having fired their coach just before the season started.

This commentary has no bearing on Wilcox. He came in with a plan to change the culture of the program (no more whining and no excuses) and he has accomplished that task. Next up, compete for the conference championship. After next season, assuming he continues to improve on his results this year, he will deserve an extension.

I think Wilcox has the fundamentals down, both in general prep and with his staff. He hired an excellent staff and wasn't afraid of hiring former HCs, even as he was never a HC. As the saying goes, smart people hire smarter people and aren't afraid.

The fact he turned Cal around on defense says quite a bit, especially after the Sonny Dykes era of exceptionally poor defense. He also seems to make generally sound decisions and the staff generally adjusts at halftime.

What will tell everyone if he's the chosen or if he'll get Cal football really rolling is recruiting. He and his staff haven't gone through a full recruiting cycle. Despite this, he has turned the program around and on good footing.

The next 18 months will be telling. Wilcox has the advantage of telling recruits the program is headed in the right direction. A bowl game appearance will add to that. If he can get local kids recruited and hits SoCal hard, I see next season as development and year three as go time. No reason for an extension this season but maybe next season.

triplebear said:

---

...The fact he turned Cal around on defense says quite a bit, especially after the Sonny Dykes era of exceptionally poor defense. He also seems to make generally sound decisions and the staff generally adjusts at halftime...

---

Our D under SD I believe to be the worst ever over a four year stretch in CFB, at least in the modern era (available stats)...

Darn near miraculous that our D is surrendering just 28 PPG.