The Gators’ offense did enough to help Florida win 11 games last year, and offensive coordinator Brent Pease did enough to get a better contract.
Even though UF finished 104th in the country in total offense, Pease received a one-year extension and a $100,000 raise. His deal now runs through the 2015 season.
“He did an outstanding job,” coach Will Muschamp said before speaking at a Gator Club event in Orlando. “Part of being a really good coach is understanding what your football team can do. That’s something I saw Brent and our offensive staff do throughout the season: create ways to be productive.”
“It wasn’t always what we wanted, but it was productive enough to win 11 football games. I’m not a big stat guy. I worry about one stat, and that’s winning football games. Brent did what we had to do to win.”
Pease’s base pay jumped from $490,000 to $590,000. He also will receive a $100,000 bonus if he’s still on the staff in January.
Florida released several contracts in response to Freedom of Information Act requests by The Palm Beach Post and several other media outlets.
New outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Choate signed a one-year deal worth $290,000 in base pay. According to numbers reported by the El Paso Times in February, that is a $100,000 increase from what he was set to receive as Texas-El Paso's defensive coordinator.
Offensive line coach Tim Davis ($300,000 in base pay), running backs coach Brian White ($290,000) and tight ends coach Derek Lewis ($215,000) were renewed for the 2013 season. Davis and Lewis each received a $25,000 raise.
All coaches get use of a dealer car. They also receive $10,000 from Nike for wearing its gear.
The only assistant not technically under contract for this year is receivers coach Travaris Robinson, though it appears he will be soon. A spokesperson for the University Athletic Association said the terms have been finalized but are not yet available.
Florida-Miami future in doubt: The Gators will make a rare trip to face Miami this season, but this might be the last time it happens for a while.
Florida typically doesn’t schedule any major non-conference opponent outside of Florida State and prefers to have seven home games, four road games and one neutral-site game against Georgia.
Muschamp expects the Hurricanes to be good this year and has always appreciated the rivalry, but he hinted that it won’t continue in the near future.
“Our strength of schedule within the Southeastern Conference is sufficient,” he said.
This year’s game is the completion of a contract that brought the Hurricanes to Gainesville in 2008. The scheduling was done long before Florida hired Muschamp in 2010.
The schools faced each other every season from 1938 through ’87 but have only met five times since then. Two of those were bowl games.
Barbs exchanged: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops drew national attention for questioning the strength of the SEC, which has won the past seven BCS championships, and saying the conference's reputation is fed by "propaganda."
Muschamp, formerly an assistant at Texas, happened to catch that news. He fired back, “I’d be saying the same thing if I were in the Big 12. I said it for three years.”
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