Cougs To Reward Price Long-Term Deal Worth $450,000 Per Season Will Make Him One Of Best-Paid Pac-10 Coaches

Washington State football coach Mike Price is expected to sign a long-term contract worth roughly $450,000 per season, a deal that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in the Pacific-10 Conference, a highly placed source said Monday.

WSU athletic director Rick Dickson wouldn’t confirm terms, but he said an agreement is expected soon. Price was out of town recruiting and unavailable for comment.

“It’s really just a matter of time,” Dickson said.

With Price gone until the weekend, an agreement isn’t likely before then. But a contract is expected to be signed no later than next week, Dickson said.

Price’s current contract, reportedly worth $252,970 annually in salary and outside income, is not commensurate with those of his Pac-10 peers.

The new offer is for more than five seasons and would move Price near the top of the conference hierarchy. Only USC’s Paul Hackett, Arizona State’s Bruce Snyder and Stanford’s Tyrone Willingham earn more than $450,000 per season.

“It’s premature to comment on the specifics of the contract, but it will be a representative one,” Dickson said. “It probably won’t lead the marketplace, but by no means will it be at the bottom, either.”

Hackett recently signed a five-year contract worth $640,000 annually. Snyder ranks second at $533,500 per season, while Willingham is believed to be in the $500,000 range.

WSU’s offer is an attempt to reward Price for exceeding expectations on the field and in the classroom, and it should also make it tougher for other schools to lure Price, Dickson said.

In addition to winning a share of the Pac-10 championship and going to the Rose Bowl this season, all 26 seniors are on pace to graduate in May, Dickson noted.

“When I came here four years ago, we weren’t doing that,” Dickson said. “Now we’re doing that - 26 of 26. I want to reward that.”

Price currently earns $112,970 in base salary and another $140,000 from various outside sources, including TV and radio contracts, an annuity, football camps and speaking engagements.

WSU’s offer would bump the base salary into the $140,000 range - in line with the pay scale for top state employees - while providing another $300,000 or so in guaranteed outside income, the source said.

Included in the proposal are incentives for graduation rates and on-field performance, and Price would receive an increase in the amount of money used to pay assistant coaches.

UCLA’s Bob Toledo, who led the Bruins to a 10-2 record and No. 5 national ranking, recently re-signed for $403,000 per season, up from $285,000.

Washington’s Jim Lambright is attempting to renegotiate a four-year deal that pays $400,600 per season.

Arizona’s Dick Tomey earns $394,100. Oregon’s Mike Bellotti, Oregon State’s Mike Riley and California’s Tom Holmoe are believed to earn slightly less.

Of those coaches, only Lambright has led his team to the Rose Bowl.

Price has a 53-49 record in nine seasons at WSU.

In addition to renegotiating Price’s contract, Dickson is working on next season’s schedule.

Finding a sixth home game is the top priority. If a quality opponent can be secured, Dickson said he will give strong consideration to moving one game to Seattle.

Further, the Sept. 5 home opener against Illinois could be moved to the night of Sept. 4, providing ABC and Fox can work out the details.

Last season’s opener was also scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, and only 26,000 turned out on a sunny Saturday. More people might be apt to turn out on a Friday night, Dickson reasoned.

“People would still have that three-day weekend,” Dickson said. “Right now, ABC and Fox are discussing who wants to televise it. If it’s ABC, it would remain a Saturday day game.”

Price, meanwhile, reportedly spent Monday evening in the San Diego area pursuring a prized prep.

According to the Arizona Daily Star newspaper, Price visited the home of Ryan Zylius, a highly recruited tight end from nearby San Marcos, Calif.

Zylius, a SuperPrep Magazine pre-season All-America selection, reneged on an oral commitment to USC after the Trojans fired coach John Robinson. He has reportedly narrowed his choices to WSU and Arizona, and a decision is expected in the next few days.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WHAT THE COACHES ARE MAKING Coach, school Total salary Paul Hackett, Southern Cal $640,000 Bruce Snyder, Arizona State $533,500 Tyrone Willingham, Stanford $500,000 Mike Price, Washington State $450,000 Bob Toledo, UCLA $403,000 Jim Lambright, Washington $400,600 Dick Tomey, Arizona $394,100 Salary numbers listed may include payments from outside sources, such as endorsements, speaking engagements, camps, television or radio programs and bonuses.