Hoke Signs 6-Year Contract

Brady Hoke watching drills during Michigan's first spring practice open to the media on March 29, 2011

Brady Hoke said he would have walked to Michigan from his home in San Diego when he was first contacted by UofM back in early January. He interviewed and accepted the head coaching job without ever discussing compensation. Michigan AD Dave Brandon joked during the presser that they would get around to the financials in due time.

Well, that time came to an end on  Monday, when Hoke signed a six-year deal worth up to 3.25 million dollars a year.

Via AP writer Larry Lage in the Chicago Tribune...

Brandon said Hoke will be paid $2 million this year and his base salary will increase by $100,000 each season. Hoke will earn a $1.5 million "stay bonus" after his third year and another $1.5 million "stay bonus" if he is still leading college football's winningest program in the sixth season of his contract. 

Dave Brandon:

"It's a big job with a lot of expectations and we feel very good about how much we're compensating him to help us reach those expectations," Brandon said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"Brady's contract puts him in the top third of the Big Ten and that's where the Michigan football coach should be," Brandon said.

"The economics were worked out in minutes -- not hours or days," Brandon said. "It was quick, easy and stress-free, but it took several weeks to get done because we let the lawyers do their work with the contract language." 

What I found interesting in the article, and something I didn't know was that when Brandon called to offer the job to Hoke, Brady didn't answer the phone because his wife wasn't there with him.

"I wanted her to be there," Hoke said last month. "She's been my rock forever. When she got home, Dave called again and we kind of looked at each other and said, 'OK, let's go to work."