The LSU System Board of Supervisors unanimously approved new contracts Friday for a multitude of head coaches, including football coach Les Miles, men’s and women’s basketball coaches John Brady and Pokey Chatman and newly-hired baseball coach Paul Mainieri. Miles’ guaranteed compensation will increase from $1.25 million last season to $1.65 million this season and $1.8 million in 2007. Brady’s guaranteed yearly salary will increase by 35%, from $665,000 to $900,000 beginning this season. Chatman’s assured income has only risen by $15,000 to $400,000 in 2006-2007. She will earn a base salary of $250,000 and receive $150,000 for media programming in 2006-2007, $175,000 in 2007-2008 and $180,000 in 2008-2009; however, the amount of money Chatman can make through incentives has increased. She has the chance of earning $30,000 for winning an outright SEC Regular Season Championship, $75,000 for an appearance in the Final Four and $150,000 if the Lady Tigers win a national championship. She may also pocket $25,000 for winning the SEC Coach of the Year award and $50,000 for a National Coach of the Year honor. Paul Mainieri, who was announced as Smoke Laval’s successor on June 28, is guaranteed $450,000 per year. That amount is broken down into $150,000 from his base salary, $150,000 from University sanctioned media programming appearances and $150,000 from the team’s baseball equipment providers. Some coaches have the possibility of earning even more money if their respective teams meet academic requirements set forth in the contracts. If the Academic Performance Rate (APR) for Miles’ football team is 950 or higher (out of a possible 1000) in either of the next two academic years, Miles will receive a one-time payment of $25,000. If the APR is greater than or equal to 960 in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010, he will again receive $25,000. Miles may also receive a payment of $50,000 each academic year his team’s GPA is 2.80 or higher. The Academic Performance Rate has been computed by the NCAA to measure the academic success of student athletes. Each scholarship athlete on a team has the chance of earning two points, one point for keeping a GPA that continues their progress toward graduation and one point for returning to school the following semester. The total points acquired by the team is divided by the total points possible. That number is multiplied by 1,000 to calculate the team’s APR. The academic progress incentives in Brady and Chatman’s contracts share similarities to those in Miles’ deal. In the event the APR of the men’s basketball team is 925 or higher in the next three academic years, Brady will collect compensation of $25,000. If the APR is 935 or higher in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, Brady will again receive supplemental compensation of $25,000. He will also make an additional $12,500 for each academic year the GPA of the men’s basketball team is 3.00 or higher. If the APR of the Lady Tigers is 945 or higher in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, Chatman will receive a payment of $25,000. If the APR is 960 or higher in 2008-2009, she will receive the supplemental compensation of $25,000. Jerry Shea Jr., chairman-elect of the Board of Supervisors, said the success of student athletes both on the field and in the classroom is very important. “One of the best things we can do is make sure student athletes are getting the best education they can get,” he said. Nine of the University’s 10 other head coaches also received new contracts. The only coach not to receive a new deal was gymnastics coach D-D Breaux. Breaux signed a three-year deal last year that pays her $110,000 annually.
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