MTSU coach delays raise to help program with cost of attendance
Middle Tennessee State head coach Rick Stockstill won’t receive the $100,000 raise he was due in 2015.
Instead, according to the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, Stockstill decided it was best to delay the raise (until 2018) and allocate the money elsewhere for the greater good of his program.
“I went to (athletic director) Chris (Massaro) at the end of the season,” Stockstill told the Daily News Journal. “I knew financially we were going to be in a tight place with cost of attendance and everything else going on. I went to him, and I said I want to do everything I can to make sure that we can pay the cost of attendance.”
Stockstill, who is entering his 10th season as head coach, is set to make $721,704.21 until Dec. 31, 2018. At that point, the $100,000 raise will come into play. Additionally, the new contract inclues a two-and-a-half year extension through Dec. 2023.
He signed the amended contract on May 25
Providing the cost of attendance for student-athletes ensures that everything it takes to complete a full year of college – beyond the normal tuition and room and board – is covered financially for student-athletes. MTSU’s conference, Conference USA, will allow its member schools to individually decide how much it gives to each athlete for cost of attendance.
Stockstill said the program could also benefit from new facilities.
“We need some new facilities (too),” Stockstill added. “All of that went into my thinking.
“I wanted to do this. I came up with this deal, and I said don’t pay me the $100,000 raise the first four years, so I’m saving $400,000 to get us through cost of attendance and to where, hopefully, we can get the facilities that we need to compete with everybody else in these next few years.”
Stockstill’s Blue Raiders went 6-6 in 2014, but were not invited to a bowl game. Overall in his nine seasons with the program, Stockstill has a 57-55 overall record with a 43-26 conference mark. The Blue Raiders moved from the Sun Belt to Conference USA after the 2012 season.
For more Middle Tennessee news, visit GoMiddle.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
