Arkansas extends contracts of 6 assistants, including both coordinators
By Keith Farner
Published:
Sam Pittman has rewarded his coaching staff with a slew of contract extensions.
The Razorbacks gave 6 assistants contract extensions, including coordinators Kendal Briles and Barry Odom through the 2024 season, Whole Hog Sports reported. The new deals came after Briles was reportedly targeted by Miami earlier this offseason.
Odom received a $100,000 pay raise to $1.85 million per year and Briles received a series of pay raises that will increase his salary from $1 million to $1.2 million in 2022. Briles’ salary would increase to $1.3 million by the final year of his agreement.
“I think it was very publicized that Kendal had the opportunity to leave and Barry does every single year,” Pittman said Thursday. “To maintain those guys I think is a big, big deal that talks about they can’t leave something. … It’s a big deal to me that we were able to maintain the people that are in front of the most players.”
Arkansas special teams coordinator Scott Fountain, receivers coach Kenny Guiton, linebackers coach Michael Scherer and running backs coach Jimmy Smith also received contract extensions through the 2023 season. Fountain’s salary was increased by $65,000 to $515,000; Smith’s salary was increased by $60,000 to $360,000; Guiton’s salary was increased by $40,000 to $340,000; Scherer’s salary was increased by $150,000 to $325,000.
Pittman is also negotiating a new contract that has yet to be finalized.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
