Look at any of the ‘hot name coaches’ lists about those who could be candidates to take some big Power Five jobs after this season and chances are that you’ll find Frank Wilson somewhere on the page.
The UTSA head coach had a very nice turnaround campaign in his first year on the job that included the young school’s first-ever bowl game appearance. While Wilson has already been mentioned for openings, such as the one at Ole Miss, the program is stepping up their game in hopes of keeping him around San Antonio longer than expected with a new contract.
While a few details leaked ahead of time, the school confirmed on Thursday that system regents had approved a new five-year deal for Wilson, starting on Sept. 1st, that will run through the 2021 season.
“We are very excited about the leadership that Coach Wilson has brought to our football program and athletic department as a whole,” UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey said in a release. “Our objective is to be a dominant player in Conference USA, and making a commitment to Coach Wilson is an intentional step in ensuring that we become a program of excellence. A strong commitment to our football program will build the foundation that is needed to strengthen and grow resources for our all of our sports. We are fortunate and grateful for our donors who share in our vision and have enabled us to make this commitment.”
The new deal guarantees Wilson $900,000 for the upcoming season, followed by $50,000 and $25,000 increases the next two years. That results in a total of $4.775 million over the lifetime of the deal, which replaces the previous one agreed upon between the two parties and makes Wilson the highest paid coach in Conference USA when all is said and done.
Wilson is just 43 and has already developed a strong reputation for his ability to recruit after stops at LSU and Tennessee among others. Given how quickly he turned around things at UTSA it makes sense for the program to reward him with a new deal, not only as a way of saying thanks but also in hopes of having him stick around to keep things pointed in the right direction before Power Five programs come calling.