FORT WORTH, Texas — Saying he’s encouraged by the progress made in discussions, Air Force Academy athletic director Hans Mueh said Sunday he hopes to have a new financial plan in place for the football coaching staff as early as Jan. 5.
On hand for Air Force’s game against Houston in Wednesday’s Armed Forces Bowl, Mueh confirmed there was a sense or urgency involving head coach Troy Calhoun’s contract. Calhoun informed Mueh after the regular season ended that “several” schools looking for a coach had contacted him, and he probably would talk to them.
Mueh said the discussions are outlining wage increases for Calhoun and all of his assistant coaches.
“The work on the assistant coaches is done,” Mueh said. “A new buyout clause is done. Now it’s just a matter of working out the final details on Troy’s contract. We want to keep Troy Calhoun at Air Force, and I don’t see any hang-ups from our discussions.”
Without giving numbers, Mueh said the new plan would bring the wages of Air Force’s assistant coaches up to at least the average compensation for assistants in the Mountain West Conference. Mueh’s discussions have been with Calhoun and Calhoun’s agent, Matt Baldwin.
Calhoun is working on what Mueh called a rolling five-year contract, with wage discussions each year. Calhoun has guided Air Force to a combined 17-8 record and two bowl games in two years after replacing longtime coach Fisher DeBerry.
Mueh said the new buyout language being discussed called for a $500,000 payment to Air Force if Calhoun leaves before the end of the contract. Calhoun was paid $600,000 in his second year.
Mueh said he continues to work on making adjustments in Air Force’s future schedules as well as a new indoor practice facility. Calhoun is hopeful Air Force can get out of playing dates against Oklahoma and Florida State on future schedules. The academy hopes to break ground on an indoor practice facility this summer.
Tickets anyone?
Air Force officials predicted that more than 7,000 Air Force fans will have bought tickets for Wednesday’s game, a number down from the 12,000 sold a year ago when Air Force played California in the same bowl game.
“There’s still going to be a lot of blue and silver in the stands,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun did his part by buying $5,000 worth of tickets, providing two tickets each to the first 125 Air Force cadets who requested tickets.
Footnotes.
Calhoun said nose guard Jared Marvin as out with a knee injury and fullback Todd Newell as extremely doubtful. Receiver Jonathan Warzeka injured a hip in Saturday’s practice and is 50-50. Calhoun expects everyone else to be available.
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
