Davis Received Unapproved Signing Bonus

Members of the Idaho Board of Education were surprised Thursday to learn that University of Idaho officials agreed to pay former head basketball coach Kermit Davis a $20,000 signing bonus - and didn’t tell the board about it.

Davis left earlier this month after just one season as the Vandals head coach to become assistant head coach under John Brady at Louisiana State.

Board members learned that the bonus arrangement apparently was approved by the school’s former athletic director, Pete Liske, who since has left Idaho. It was in addition to Davis’ base salary of about $75,000.

Board officials said Davis’ $75,000 salary was approved in a letter, but it said nothing about a signing bonus.

Rayburn Barton, executive director for the board, said a search of records indicates the $20,000 bonus wasn’t approved by the Board of Education.

“We need to decide whether to kiss it goodbye or try to get it back,” said board member Thomas Dillon.

The board gave routine approval to a one-year contract for C. David Farrar, who moved up from associate head basketball coach under Davis to head coach. It calls for $75,042. The new coach can earn a bonus up to one month’s pay based on the team’s won-lost record and academic performance.

Farrar received $50,028 as Davis’ top assistant.

Board members learned that the University of Idaho apparently paid Davis the first three $5,000 installments of the bonus earlier. Mike Brassey, director of the Division of Financial Management, said a $5,000 payment to Davis, coded as a bonus, went through April 4.

Members voted to look into the matter and then decide what to do about it.

When he learned of the bonus to Davis, Dillon asked, “On what?” Idaho was 13-17 under Davis the last season and was one of just two Big West teams that didn’t make the post-season tournament.

Davis had a strong winning record when he was head coach at Idaho for two seasons ending in 1990. Davis took the top job at Texas A&M, but left after an 8-21 record and the school was placed on probation by the NCAA for rules violations.

“A lot of people went way out on a limb to help him revive his career,” said board member Curtis Eaton, who said he wasn’t happy that Davis left after just a single season.

The Idaho job was Davis’ first head-coaching job at a major college since the problems at Texas A&M.