Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher has "officially signed a new five-year deal" worth $21M through the '18 season, according to ESPN.com. The deal was "agreed to during the season." A source said that it "includes a buyout that is not expected to result in an increased payment if Fisher were to leave." Fisher's current salary is $2.75M, and the new deal "would put him among the highest-paid coaches in the country" (ESPN.com, 1/1). ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach reported the new contract is "expected to raise Fisher's salary" to about $4M annually. FSU officials "aren't expected to release details of Fisher’s contract until early next week, presumably after" FSU plays Auburn on Monday in the BCS Championship Game (ESPN.com, 12/31). Fisher's extension "will rank him among the top 10 highest paid coaches in the country" (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 12/31). In Tallahassee, Ira Schoffel writes the buyout clause likely is "going to be something reasonable -- Fisher's agent would never allow him to sign a deal with an outrageous buyout" (TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT, 1/2).
COMING UP ROSES: Michigan State AD Mark Hollis yesterday said that football coach Mark Dantonio "will be among the top three Big Ten coaches in terms of salary with his new deal." In Detroit, Joe Rexrode notes that salary "could potentially mean an increase" from $1.96M -- ninth in the Big Ten -- to the $4M range, "based on the current salaries of the top three" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/2). The highest-paid Big Ten coaches are Ohio State's Urban Meyer at $4.6M, Michigan's Brady Hoke at $4.15M and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz at $3.985M. A source said that Dantonio's deal also "will place his assistants among the three highest-paid staffs in the conference" (ESPN.com, 1/1).
MASS APPEAL: The BOSTON HERALD reported UMass has hired Florida-based Carr Sports Consulting "to assist in identifying potential candidates" for its open football coach position. The school said that it "hopes to hire a new coach by mid-January" (BOSTONHERALD.com, 12/31).
