Hokies Football: Analysis of Bud Foster’s New Contract
By Tim Thomas
Nov 1, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster reacts in the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Today, news broke that Bud Foster and the Virginia Tech Hokies have agreed to a new five-year contract that both Foster and Whit Babcock have signed. This is exciting news for Hokie fans while Texas A&M fans will be disappointed though it isn’t a surprise at all that Foster is staying in Blacksburg.
More details have been discovered about Foster’s new contract including his new salary.
To further clarify, Bud Foster's deal will pay him $900,000 annually, source says. $600K base salary, $300K yearly retention bonus. #Hokies
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) December 22, 2014
Foster will be getting $900,000 a year under his new contract which makes sense for a top defensive coordinator. Some believed that Foster might be headed for a 7 figure salary but only 4 assistants had a regular salary this past season that was above $1 million.
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Foster was also slated to make over $1 million due to his one time $800,000 annuity payment that he was scheduled to get on New Year’s Day if he was still in Blacksburg. Foster still should receive an $800,000 payment on New Year’s Day for still being with the Hokies as it’s unlikely that this contract wil effect that payment.
This new contract will put Foster in the top 10 of paid assistants based on USA Today’s salary numbers for this past season. As of right now, Foster will be eighth among highest assistant pay and just behind Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.
Sep 6, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies athletic director Whit Babcock against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Virginia Tech defeated Ohio State 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Bud Foster is currently slated to be the sixth highest paid defensive coordinator behind Auburn’s Will Muschamp, Alabama’s Kirby Smart, LSU’s John Chavis, Louisville’s Todd Grantham, and Michigan State’s Pat Narduzzi.
However, that could change some depending on how much Texas A&M spends on their next defensive coordinator, and whether Narduzzi goes to Pittsburgh, or stays at Michigan State.
Baylor’s Phil Bennett and Clemson’s Brent Venables could also end up with a little more than Foster depending on how their contracts are structured though those two’s salaries for this past season are just behind Foster’s $900k.
Another interesting fact with this contract is that Foster is now signed through 2019 while Frank Beamer is only signed through 2018. While Beamer is unlikely to be the head coach beyond 2017 or 2018, it is still unique for a coordinator to have a contract that runs longer than the head coach.
However, Foster could very well end up being the next head coach of the Hokies after Beamer, but it is clear that this agreement does not make Foster a coach-in-waiting. If Foster were to not be Beamer’s replacement, paying Foster a salary like this would make it much easier for that replacement to keep Foster as his defensive coordinator.
The biggest thing in all of this is the fact that Whit Babcock has once again proved that he is willing to spend the money to either hire or keep his top coaches. Babcock is also doing a great job as a fundraiser which will help Virginia Tech be able to afford the increases in the program’s expenses.
Bud Foster is now getting paid like the elite defensive coordinator that he is.