Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze got his just reward for leading his team to a 7-5 record and its second-straight bowl: A contract extension and a nearly 50 percent raise.
According to the school, Freeze’s contract has been extended by one year to the maximum four years and his base salary will rise to $3 million (from $2 million) and increase by $150,000 each year. Incentives for Freeze’s new contract will be based on conference championships, postseason accomplishments and academic performance. In addition, the salary pool for the Ole Miss football staff was increased by 12 percent with $400,000 of new money.
“In just two short years, Coach Freeze and his staff have placed Ole Miss among college football’s top rising programs,” athletic director Ross Bjork said. “Their hard work and devotion in all facets of the program have resulted in postseason berths, elite recruiting success, personal development of our student-athletes and a renewed energy throughout Rebel Nation.”
It’s probably a smart investment by Ole Miss. After all, Freeze took over a 2-10 team and brought it back to bowl eligibility. He then signed one of the nation’s top recruiting class last spring and has another top 15 class in the works. The future is bright in Oxford and the only thing that can really derail it is more instability at head coach.
Since it looks like Freeze won’t be going anywhere soon, he might actually get a chance to see just how good those recruiting classes turn out to be.