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Tennessee assistant Chris Weinke has signed a new contract with UT and is receiving a raise, according to a report by Blake Toppmeyer of the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Toppmeyer received Weinke’s new deal with Tennessee through a records request. Weinke’s previous contract with UT expired at the end of January. The new deal, which expires on Jan. 31, 2022, bumps Weinke’s pay up from $355,000 per year to $450,000. Weinke signed the deal on Feb. 25, which was made retroactive to Feb. 1 to bridge the gap with the previously expired contract.
According to the report, if Weinke is fired without cause, Tennessee would owe him his remaining salary. The deal requires Weinke to try to mitigate the damages. If Weinke departs on his own before Feb. 1, 2021, he would UT a buyout equal to one-third of his remaining salary. After Feb. 1, 2021, Weinke’s buyout drops to $50,000. UT may waive the buyout if Weinke leaves for an FBS head coaching job.
Weinke joined Jeremy Pruitt’s staff in 2018 as Tennessee’s running backs coach. After the 2018 season, Pruitt made some staff changes and Weinke, a former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Florida State, moved to coaching QBs. Weinke and Pruitt previously worked together at Alabama where Weinke was an offensive analyst during the 2017 season while Pruitt was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
