Oregon's coaching transition through the recruiting cycle
Oregon's coaching transition through the recruiting cycle
Willie Taggert was set to earn $3 million per year. He left an extension on the table of a new five-year, $20 million deal and accepted a six-year, $30 million contract to coach Florida State. Florida State will pay Taggart’s $3 million buyout at Oregon - plus $1.37 million from his buyout at South Florida. After Taggart left, five four star recruits decommitted - athletes Braden Lenzy and Tre’Shaun Harrison, wide receivers Miles Battle and Warren Thompson and cornerback Isaiah Bolden.
Oregon promoted from within, signing new head coach Mario Cristobal to a five-year, $12.5 million contract with an annual base salary of $2.5 million. Then, they addressed retention of their assistant coaches. Seventy football players signed a petition urging the Athletic department to promote Cristobal.
DC Coordinator, Jim Leavitt, who made $1.15 million during his first year at Oregon signed a four-year extension with an annual base salary of $1.7 million, making him the second-highest paid assistant at the FBS level. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and defensive line coach Joe Salave’a also signed contract extensions. Arroyo, who made $300,000 in his first year at Oregon gets a $450,000 pay raise and will make $750,000 in 2018, $825,000 in 2019 and $850,000 in 2021. Salave’a, who made $555,000 during his first season at Oregon, will have a $650,000 base salary over the next three years. Each have buyouts, but they would be waived if Arroyo or Salave’a becomes an FBS head coach or defensive coordinator.
That continuity of coaches paid bonuses as recruiting came down to the early signing period. Oregon scrambled to cement commitments from recruits and to obtain new verbals. Oregon's 2018 Class is ranked thirteenth nationally with 9 four star recruits and 10 three stars. ND's Class has ten four stars, and ten three stars. If they had retained those five four stars that decommitted after Taggart left.....
The hole in their class is at WR where Lenzy, Harrison, Battle and Thompson were all to play. But, for WR, Oregon currently is the favorite of Devon Williams (#4 nationally), in the top 2 for Jalen Hall (#13) and is the favorite to regain a commitment from Tre'Shaun Harrison (#6 Ath) - all four stars.
Jim Leavitt recently tweeted:
“Just another day in paradise! I am so fortunate to be able to coach for the Ducks! Been recruiting all night so first chance to say Thanks!”
Continuity pays off for the Ducks.