Friedgen Agrees to New Contract
8/20/2004 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 20, 2004
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland director of athletics Deborah A. Yow announced today that head football coach Ralph Friedgen has signed a new contract with the school.
Friedgen's contract will run through 2012 and will pay him a base salary of $210,790, according to Yow. His annual guaranteed compensation is now approximately $1.5 million. The contract also requires that $1 million be paid to the University, should the term not be fulfilled due to a decision by Friedgen to coach at any other college or professional team.
Friedgen was tabbed by The Sporting News as the best coach in the ACC in its preseason college football preview.
"Coach Friedgen has transformed Maryland football and returned us to a position of national prominence in three seasons," said Yow. "We're very proud of what he's done competitively on the field. Just as important is his strong emphasis on the graduation of our football student-athletes."
Under Friedgen's leadership 58 of 66 football players who have exhausted their eligibility have graduated, including 30 of them in fewer than five years, a rarity in Division I-A football programs.
"I am excited about the signing of this contract and its significance in securing my finishing my coaching career here in College Park," said Friedgen. "Maryland is where I want to be, and with the improvement of our facilities and the progress this program has seen in the last three years, I am enthusiastic about seeing how high we can take it.
"As we have to this point, we will continue to strive to be the best we can be with my personal goal being bringing a national championship back to my alma mater."
Friedgen, 57, has compiled a record of 31-8 in his three seasons as the head coach at his alma mater. He was the consensus national coach of the year in 2001, his first year, when he led the Terrapins to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and a berth in the FedEx Orange Bowl as the ACC's BCS representative.
Maryland is one of only five schools in NCAA Division I-A to have won at least 10 games in each of the last three seasons. Friedgen is the most successful third-year coach in ACC history, with his record eclipsing those of such coaching stars as Danny Ford and Lou Holtz. He also ranks seventh-best in NCAA history in terms of wins during the first three seasons.
The sale of football tickets for the 2004 season are at record highs, with historic highs in season ticket sales and three regular-season games expected to be sellouts before the season begins.
Maryland opens its fourth season under Friedgen on Saturday, Sept. 4 at home against last year's nationally ranked, Mid-American Conference opponent Northern Illinois.
