Huesman, UTC assistants rewarded

After a season in which they guided the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program to unparalleled success, head coach Russ Huesman and his staff are reaping some financial rewards.

Huesman has signed a contract extension that will pay him $230,738 a year through 2020 -- a $25,000 pay increase from last season. It is the second extension and pay raise for Huesman in the past 11 months and includes a buyout clause of just over $1 million.

Under terms of the new contract, $50,000 is being allocated to Huesman to use at his discretion in being divided among the assistants. Each assistant coach received a $3,000 bonus for last season's success, getting $1,000 for each round of the playoffs the team reached.

UTC head football coach Russ Huesman during the Mocs' spring football scrimmage Friday, March 28, 2014, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"The job that Russ and his staff have done, they've earned this," UTC athletic director David Blackburn said. "This isn't something that's just being given to them: They deserve it and have worked hard to earn it. This makes Russ and our entire staff among the upper echelon nationally in terms of salaries at the FCS level.

"We're excited because we want our coaches to know they're appreciated. This will let recruits and everyone know that we intend to keep our coaching staff here and remain very competitive with other programs our size as far as pay."

The contract Huesman signed last February, which would have paid him through 2018, included a $5,000 bonus for reaching several incentives, which included winning the Southern Conference championship or making the playoffs, being voted coach of the year by either his peers or the media, and meeting the NCAA Academic Progress Rate standards. Huesman achieved every incentive from his previous contract except reaching and winning a national championship.

The Mocs are coming off a school-record 10-win season, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1984 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history.

"I think it proves that the administration is serious about wanting to have a successful program," said Huesman, who has now received four raises in his six years as coach, including three since Blackburn became AD. "I'm grateful that I have this opportunity and grateful that they think enough of us to keep us around. It's a great place. I don't know that we could win without the support of our administration, and they've been great to me for six years.

"Obviously it feels really good, especially to be able to take care of the assistants. We have good coaches and we want to keep them and reward them."

A 1983 UTC graduate and former defensive back, Huesman is a three-time SoCon coach of the year and has a 41-29 (.586) overall record in six seasons. UTC won just 44 games in the 12 seasons prior to Huesman taking over his alma mater.

The Mocs had 17 players on the All-SoCon team and a school-record five All-Americans -- including senior defensive end Davis Tull and junior quarterback Jacob Huesman, who were named the league's offensive and defensive players of the year, as well as offensive lineman Corey Levin, punt returner Tommy Hudson and tight end Faysal Shafaat.

Huesman also has taken UTC from having a postseason ban for its low APR scores to now having a 963 APR. The Mocs had a program-record 24 players who made the dean's list in the fall, including seven who were named to the Academic All-Socon team.

"We weren't just successful on the field," said Huesman, whose staff brought in the nation's top-rated FCS signing class last February and is working on another solid group of incoming players. "It showed up in the classroom and socially with how we handle ourselves in public. I'm proud of the kids and the coaches for bringing in quality kids.

"It always helps in recruiting to be able to say we have stability. Just winning football games helps more than anything. When you have success, people want to be a part of it."

UTC also has seen a strong growth in attendance. Seven of the Mocs' top 10 crowds in school history have come in the 32 home games since Huesman took over in 2008. UTC is averaging 10,516 fans per game since 2009, up from an average of 5,767 in 2008.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.