Some of the details are beginning to trickle out about Mike Leach's contract for the Washington St. Cougars. It is a good one, and could spur a Pac-12 arms race when it comes to coaching.
If all goes well, Leach will be in Pullman for the next five years. The deal is reported to last through the 2016 season.
Leach will be paid handsomely. Pete Thamel of the New York Times is reporting that the WSU head coach will be making $2.2 million per year, or about $11 million through the extent of his confernece. That would put him at or near the level of the premier coaches of the conference like Chip Kelly of Oregon, Lane Kiffin of USC, and Jeff Tedford of California.
This wouldn't have been possible even as soon as a year or two ago. However, the Pac-12 TV contract has really opened up avenues for most athletic directors to start spending higher to pay for top football coaches. The conference is looking stronger every day, and Washington State is looking much stronger right now.
To discuss Leach and the Cougars, head to CougCenter.