Washington raises Neuheisel's salary package to more than $1.2 million
Advertiser News Services
The University of Washington gave football coach Rick Neuheisel a $215,000 pay raise that brings his total compensation for this season to more than $1.2 million.
Neuheisel, who led the Huskies to an 11-1 record, a Rose Bowl victory and a No. 3 national ranking last season, will be able to make more than $1.4 million with incentives for bowl game appearances and player graduation rates.
"Rick has done a tremendous job in his first two years at Washington and I felt it was appropriate to make these modifications to his contract," athletic director Barbara Hedges said in a statement. "We think we have one of the very best college football coaches in the country and we want to compensate him accordingly."
The University of Florida's Steve Spurrier is the nation's highest-paid college football coach, making $2.1 million a season. Bob Stoops, who led the University of Oklahoma to the national championship last season, recently received a raise that will pay him $2 million annually.
Neuheisel, 40, is in the third year of a five-year contract that can be extended two years by mutual agreement.
Neuheisel has guided the Huskies to an 18-6 record and two bowl appearances in his first two seasons at the school. He joined Washington in January 1999, after four seasons at the University of Colorado.
The 15th-ranked Huskies open the season Saturday at home against the No. 11 Michigan Wolverines.
MIAMI
• Minor blow: Daryl Jones, the top receiver for the No. 1 Hurricanes, will miss Saturday's game against Rutgers with a sprained knee ligament but should be ready the following week.
Jones hurt his right knee in Miami's 33-7 win over Penn State last Saturday during a punt return near the end of the first half. He wore a cast yesterday but will not require surgery, coach Larry Coker said.
Coker expects the fifth-year receiver to be ready for Miami's Sept. 15 game against No. 15 Washington.
Jones has 41 career receptions, more than anyone else on the team that lost receivers Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne and Andre King to the NFL last spring.
