Mack Attack - Brown Gets Another Raise

Big bucks for Brown

Brown earned raise from Regents

By: Ryan Killian

Posted: 8/29/07

Mack Brown wasn't born yesterday. He was born 56 years ago yesterday.

So it's safe to say knows a good deal when he sees one, and it's even safer to say he got a good one Tuesday. His raise from the Board of Regents nets him an extra $150,000 for the coming season. Additionally, he's got another $100,000 coming to him this weekend. Then there's that $1 million "retention bonus" in 2009 and another one in 2010 for double that.

It's a mind-numbing amount of money, but he's earned it. Texas is reaping a bountiful financial harvest, and Brown's football program is responsible for a nice portion of those revenues. Brown, whose success since 1990 is bested by only Florida State University's Bobby Bowden, isn't the top paid coach in the sport. He's not even the highest paid coach in the Big 12 conference. That honor goes to Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, who, with maximum bonuses, could have made $3,450,000 last year.

Before Brown, the last head coach to lead the Longhorns to a national title was Darrell K. Royal in 1970. He was a legend, and everyone after him a disappointment - until Brown. Since 2001, Texas has won at least 10 games every year. The team has had nine straight bowl appearances, and if they can win a measly six games this year they'll earn a school-record 10th straight.

He's not having this success in an empty stadium, either. No, he's packing them in there as tight as they'll fit. Extra bleachers are in one end zone to accommodate them, and the other end zone is being revamped to fit in even more.

Those fans have money, and it's that money that's driving this whole thing. Remember, Brown's salary comes from athletic revenues. Your tax money isn't being used to enhance his stocks portfolio or buy him a 1,500-count Egyptian cotton bed spread. No money's being taken from the state's coffers and stuffed in his wallet.

He's literally earned this dough.

In 2006, Brown was eligible to make $2,474,345 more than Steve Roberts, his counterpart in Saturday's opener. But that's just the way things work in college football, and the final score will likely reflect the teams' differences.

To keep the top talent, you've got to have the top coaches. To keep the top coaches, you've got to pay top dollar.

Brown's incentives were also modified Tuesday. Winning the Big 12 Championship is now worth $100,000. Winning the national title is worth almost half a million bucks. It's another reminder that the goal here is winning.

If that's not enough of a reminder, it should be noted that his compensation in the event of a termination was also altered. They love him now, but they'll ditch him like an ugly girl at prom if he dares to lose too often.

In Tuesday's motion Vice Chairman Cyndi Taylor Krier did "further move that the Board finds, as required by state law, that this proposed contract change is in the best interest of UT-Austin."

I second that motion.