UH regents approve coach pay raises

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The University of Hawaii Board of Regents approved increases in the salary ranges for coaching positions yesterday.

The new guidelines allow annual pay for football coordinators and associate coaches between $116,640 and $203,688. The range for other football assistants will now be $56,340 to $165,000.

The highest maximum approved yesterday was $209,784 for women's basketball head coach (the minimum is $118,488).

The BOR also approved bonuses totaling $8,000 per person for eight members of the 2007 football coaching and administrative staff. Four assistant coaches who left UH for SMU with former Warriors head coach June Jones already received those bonuses.

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Hawaii football coaches could be in line for some big raises after the Board of Regents approved new pay scales yesterday. But if that does happen, it won't be until 2009 at the earliest.

New head coach Greg McMackin's assistants (including four holdovers from June Jones' 2007 group) signed one-season deals when they came on board officially last month that will be in place until the end of March 2009.

The current pay scale for offensive coordinator Ron Lee, defensive coordinator Cal Lee and associate head coach Rich Miano ranges from $65,412 to $117,744. The new scale approved yesterday ranges from $116,640 to $203,688.

The other assistant-coach ranges have more variance: The current spread is $50,160 to $90,288 and the new approved range is $56,340 to $165,000.

Interim athletic director Carl Clapp said the football coaches' salaries for the coming season are within the current and new approved ranges.

"All current salaries, with few exceptions, fall within (both) those ranges," Clapp said. "A few (in other sports) will require some adjusting.

"We have different contracts for our coaches and most all assistants are annual," Clapp added. "As they come up, we negotiate a new number and that's an ongoing process."

Ranges for 24 other jobs were also approved yesterday.

The maximum salary for women's basketball head coach went from $135,636 to $209,784. Jim Bolla's base annual salary was $120,000 for his first three-year contract that ended prior to this season. His salary for this year was not immediately available.

"The intent of the adjustment and update is to ensure the UH-Manoa Athletics program remains competitive and salaries are comparable with NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ... programs," a news release from UH read.

Other salary ranges were approved last July, including head football coach. McMackin's base pay is $1.1 million per year, making him the highest-paid state employee.

The Board also approved $8,000 bonuses for eight members of the UH football coaching and administrative staff. That money came from donations to the June Jones Foundation. Four assistant coaches who joined Jones at SMU when he left UH to coach the Mustangs have already received those bonuses.

Short yardage

The UH coaches will hold a free clinic for high school and youth coaches April 19. ... McMackin has begun interviewing candidates for the final opening on his coaching staff (running backs/offensive line).