Skip Holtz' Contract Modified
December 15, 2006 | Football
Dec. 15, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University has announced a modification of head football coach Skip Holtz' five-year contract, which secures his position through 2011. The new agreement, approved Friday by the University's Board of Trustees and announced by ECU Director of Athletics Terry Holland, provides a total compensation package of $4.35 million with the ability to earn additional incentives.
"I'm grateful to the leadership we have at East Carolina for the confidence they have in the direction that our program is heading," Holtz said. "I think it's another testament to the commitment that is in place for ECU to compete and be successful at a high level in today's college football environment."
After inheriting a program which recorded a 3-20 mark in two previous years prior to his arrival in December, 2004, Holtz has guided the Pirates to their first winning season since 2001 with a 7-5 record in 2006. Heading into this year's bowl game against South Florida Dec. 23, Holtz owns a 12-11 record in his two years at East Carolina and, in addition, the Pirates set a school single-season attendance record at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this fall by drawing 223,006 fans to six games.
"We have been working since the end of the 2005 football season to find a reasonable and responsible compensation package for our head coach that helps reposition our football program for the future," Holland said. "It is not our intention to attempt to "buy" our coaches' loyalty because I believe "earning" their loyalty by supporting them through tough times, as well as the good times, is more important.
"College football is a highly competitive business and no one wins all the time," he added. "Eighty-four percent of the Division I-A football programs have experienced at least one losing season since the 2000 season. Our goal is to provide a fair compensation package and a guarantee of great support from the Pirate Nation to both enjoy the good times and fight through the tough times together."
The amended contract calls for one-time supplements of $600,000 in 2008 and $900,000 in 2011 if Holtz remains the head coach for the Pirates. Other incentive compensation includes bowl participation, conference championship game appearances and titles, and season ticket sales.
"We are equally committed to the creation of a similar compensation approach for our outstanding assistant coaches," Holland said. "Coach Holtz has put together a remarkable group of people and we are truly blessed to have one of the very best coaching staffs in college football."
