Leach gets rollover extension to remain on 5-year contract

PULLMAN – Washington State added a rollover year into football coach Mike Leach’s contract on Monday.

The extension adds one year to the agreement at the end of each year. The clause effectively means that Leach is continually on a five-year contract unless either party stipulates in writing that they wish to forego the extension by Dec. 31.

The contract entitles Leach to a $2 million base salary per year, as well as collateral compensation for media appearances, speaking engagements and the use of his likeness for promotional purposes.

“Mike Leach has done a fabulous job in his short time at Washington State,” said athletic director Bill Moos. “Extending his contract through the 2018 season will ensure a bright future for Cougar football. He has elevated the program on the field, in the community and in the classroom. I believe he is among the best college football coaches in America and is a fantastic fit in Pullman.”

With two games left in the 2013 season, Leach has led the Cougars to five wins for the first time since 2007. The team was 3-9 in his first season and is 5-5 this season with a home game against Utah on Saturday and the Apple Cup at Washington on Nov. 29. With a win in either game, Leach will have positioned WSU to earn its first bowl bid since 2003.

Leach said the support he has received from students, alumni and the administration has been “tremendous.”

He added that by the end of the year, WSU’s upgraded facilities would “rival anyone in the country.

“As I’ve said many times, my family and I are extremely happy at Washington State and love living in Pullman,” Leach said.

Jacob Thorpe