Dr Z Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Dantonio Bearcat through 2010Football coach's deal was extended by Goin last yearBY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERAlready the rumors have begun: If the University of Cincinnati has another losing football season, new athletic director Mike Thomas might be looking to get rid of Mark Dantonio and install his own man - perhaps Akron's J.D. Brookhart - as the head coach.Don't believe it.The UC coach, who signed a five-year deal when he was hired to replace Rick Minter in December 2003, has five years remaining on his contract after former athletic director Bob Goin, who hired Dantonio, quietly extended it before he retired at the end of last November.And that's OK with Thomas."The confidence that was placed in Mark is consistent with the confidence that I have in Mark," Thomas said Thursday. "I truly believe and hope that Mark is coaching here for a long time."Dantonio, the 50-year-old former Ohio State defensive coordinator, says he intends to be at UC for the long haul. And his contract extension makes it likely that he'll have all the time he needs to attempt to build a successful Bearcats program."I want to be here," Dantonio said. "I am not interested in going to another school. ... I have not applied for another job. I don't want to, or I wouldn't have come here. My children are here. I'm not interested in moving them into different schools. That's where I'm at."Goin actually extended Dantonio's contract twice. He added a year after Dantonio's first season in 2004 and then again after last season's 4-7 team."At Cincinnati, five years isn't going to get it done," Goin said. "I felt really comfortable with him there, not just the way he coaches but the way he relates to the players."I knew we had a problem (last year) but he never let it get away from him. He wasn't a screaming maniac."The school didn't announce the extensions, Goin said, because "that wasn't earth-shaking to say, 'We want you to be here a longer period of time (than the original contract).' "Dantonio is now under contract through the 2010 season.He makes a base salary of $175,000, but also receives $130,000 for his television and radio shows, $60,000 for public and alumni relations activity, $60,000 when total home attendance exceeds 40,000 and $75,000 for every year he remains at UC through 2008. He can make more money with various incentives.Dantonio inherited a senior-laden program when he took over at UC, and those players went 7-5 and won the Fort Worth Bowl.Last year, with a team dominated by freshmen and sophomores, the Bearcats were expected to struggle. And they did.As Dantonio begins his third season with the arrival of players on Sunday, only 20 remain on the roster from the Minter era."I don't feel like the clock started running until we got into the Big East (in 2005)," Goin said, "and we had these (new) facilities done. I think his clock is running now. He's going to be successful. We're very fortunate to have a guy like that leading that program."Dantonio was very close to Goin but says he also has a solid relationship with Thomas."I've enjoyed being around Mike Thomas," he said. "He wants to win a championship in every sport. That's what I want. From day one, our goal was to win a championship here. How long that takes - is it four years? Is it five years? Whatever it takes, we'll get there."Source (click here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickzips Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 A little comforting, but contracts are meant to be broken. In this day in age a fat contract extension doesn't mean a whole lot if either party isn't satisfied with the results or is looking for greener pastures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipboy Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Amazing that they get an extension done at UC and we are still waiting for JD and KD to get theirs. Must be our infamous legal dept holding it up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fear the brown roo Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 might be JD holding out for one of those fancy $500 parking spaces for the team bus next to the rubber bowl. otherwise the team bus will be parked on a side street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljc Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 might be JD holding out for one of those fancy $500 parking spaces for the team bus next to the rubber bowl. otherwise the team bus will be parked on a side street Thanks for that one. I needed to laugh about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Cincinnati is a sinking ship and it will never get better. They will never be able to compete in the Big East with the big football or basketball powers. Why would JD leave to go to that place when if he plays his cards right and has success, he could go somewhere that pays a million dollars per year?Mike Thomas will reign over eight to ten years of misery in Cincinnati. He will fire both the football coach and basketball coach before he gets fired himself. The next guy will do no better. In the mean time, he will make a ton of cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZipsCrazy Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 JD WILL LEAVE AKRON... after He takes us to a BCS Bowl in 2009!!! Then we'll pick up another coach that's a rising star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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