ORLANDO, Fla. — A University of Central Florida offensive coordinator won’t be getting George O’Leary’s gig, but he will be getting a handsome consolation prize.
A contract clause guarantees offensive coordinator Brent Key $700,000 for not being promoted to head coach, the university said.
UCF said it gave the incentive a green light because Key had other offers when he was hired.
"When the clause was proposed by Coach O'Leary and our athletic director at the time, they ran it past Dr. Hitt,” said Grant Heston, a UCF spokesman. “He relies on their judgment for what's best for the football program, so he said ‘if it's fine by you, it's fine by me.’”
Incentives aren’t uncommon in collegiate football, Heston says, but no other UCF coach has such a contract clause.
O’Leary retired as head coach Sunday, a day after the 0-8 Knights suffered their worst home defeat in school history.
Quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett was named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2015 season, school officials said.
UCF President John C. Hitt said the university will likely look outside the football program in hiring O'Leary's permanent replacement.
The university said it plans to hire a new vice president and athletics director by December. The new hire will lead the search for a new head football coach.
O’Leary, 69, agreed to a four-year contract extension in 2014 on the heels of a program-best 12-win season and Fiesta Bowl victory.
He leaves UCF with an 81-68 record. He went 0-11 in his first season at UCF in 2004, but took the Knights to their first bowl appearance in 2005. It was the first of seven appearances in bowl games.
Cox Media Group
