HOT COUGAR ACTION: A Closer Look At WSU Assistant Salaries

When Bill Moos announced the hiring of Mike Leach, he also announced Leach would have a $1.8 million budget to hire his assistants. As it turns out, Leach used every penny.

Christian Caple has the full breakdown of the new assistants salaries including those in football operations who are not included in the pool. As for the on-field assistants, here is the breakdown from Caple's story.

Base salaries for the rest of Leach’s assistants are: special teams coordinator Eric Russell, $225,000; linebackers coach Jeff Choate, $210,000, offensive line coach Clay McGuire, $200,000; running backs coach Jim Mastro, $200,000; defensive line coach Joe Salave’a, $175,000; outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons, $160,000; outside linebackers coach Paul Volero, $155,000; inside receivers coach Eric Morris, $150,000.

Two things immediately stand out to me. First, every coach receives a significant raise over his predecessor from Paul Wulff's staff, including Mike Breske whose $325,000 salary is nearly double the $170,050 former defensive coordinator Chris Ball made.

Second, do you remember when Jeff Choate said his decision to leave Boise State for WSU wasn't about the money but instead about the opportunity to be more than a special teams coach? He wasn't lying. According to the USA Today college coaches salary database, Choate made $257,524 last season with BSU meaning he took nearly $50,000 less to be a part of this staff. You think he is motivated to prove he can coach more than special teams? I'd say so.

Salary details for WSU football assistants - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - Jan. 23, 2012
FROM PULLMAN — We've obtained a list of base salary figures for the WSU assistant football coaches. A story on this topic will appear in Tuesday's paper, and we'll link that when it's available. But for now, here's a list of the salaries. Read on.

Washington, WSU basketball teams turning it around? | Seattle PI Sports Blog - seattlepi.com
After somewhat dubious starts to conference play this year, the Washington and Washington State men’s basketball teams seem to be turning things around. Each team had big wins this past weekend.

Conference power rankings: Pac-12 - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN
9. Washington State: Hey, Ken Bone's team isn't half bad! Provided, of course, it is playing at home. Everyone's more comfortable at home, of course, but few teams in the country seem to suffer such a disparity between their play on their own court and their play away from it. That's why I'm not ready to put Washington State much higher than this spot this week. The Cougars have to show some of that efficient offense in another team's building before I'm willing to let the excitement boil over into a thrilling rise to, like, fifth or sixth. These are the conference power rankings, Smokey. There are rules.

Washington State Cougars Official Athletic Site

For the past year, Washington State University student-athletes and elementary students have been developing unique friendships through a program based on relationships through writing.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Pac-12 names WSU's Aden player of the week | Tri-City Herald - The News Tribune

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Washington State University senior Faisal Aden has been named the Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 16-22, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.

Leach attorney disputes petition against authors | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Allegations made by Craig James in recent court documents against former Tech head football coach Mike Leach are in conflict with sworn statements the former ESPN analyst made in early sworn statements, says Leach’s new attorney.