By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — With potential job openings looming at college basketball blue bloods Kansas and North Carolina, Florida is looking to sign coach Todd Golden to a third contract extension in as many years.
Athletic director Scott Stricklin said Tuesday that “we’re going to do everything in our power to make sure he always knows that he’s really valuable.”
Golden already received raises in back-to-back years, first signing a two-year extension in March 2024 that bumped his average salary to $4.1 million annually and then adding another year to the deal last May — after winning the national title — that rocketed his average salary to $6.75 million.
Among the seven current coaches who have won national championships, the 40-year-old Golden ranks fifth in compensation behind Bill Self at Kansas, John Calipari at Arkansas, Dan Hurley at UConn and Tom Izzo at Michigan State. That could change with another raise.
The No. 1 seeded Gators (27-8) lost to ninth-seeded Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, ending their shot at winning back-to-back titles for the second time in program history. Golden’s future has been speculated about since.
Golden has five years remaining on his current contract, which includes a $16 million buyout to leave for another college. That number drops to $11 million beginning April 16. Adding another year to the deal might allow Florida to keep his buyout high enough to potentially stave off suitors.
“When we have talented, successful coaches, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are appreciated at the University of Florida,” Stricklin said. “We’ve given Todd new contracts each the last two years. He’s a priority for the University of Florida, and we’re going to treat him as such.”
Golden is the fastest basketball coach in Florida history to reach 100 wins, accomplishing the feat in 139 games and smashing the previous record (154) set by Billy Donovan in 2001. Golden joined Calipari and Tubby Smith as the only Southeastern Conference coaches to do it in four seasons.
Many consider this season as Golden’s best coaching job. The Gators started the season 5-4 and had dropped out of the AP Top 25 by the end of December.
Golden, who was named SEC coach of the year, responded by revamping the team’s offensive approach. No more finesse plays. No more firing from 3-point range. Golden implored his guys to embrace “ugly basketball.” Be physical. Dominate the paint. Drive, dish, dunk. Take the fight to opponents on both ends of the floor. It became the team’s calling card — and yielded impressive results.
Florida won 21 of 23 games before losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament. The Gators regrouped from that and dominated Prairie View in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, 114-55. They were a double-digit favorite against Iowa and lost 73-72, failing to get off a final shot in the closing seconds.
Stricklin called the last 12 months under Golden “unbelievable.”
“It’s pretty rarefied air that Todd and his staff and the players are taking us on,” he said. “This particular group of guys connected with Gator Nation at a really unique level. … They just feel a connection because how hard the guys play and how good a job they do representing the University of Florida. We’re going to be back. Todd’s going to have a program that’s going to last a long, long time.”
And Stricklin expressed confidence it will happen in Gainesville.
“Todd wants to be at the University of Florida,” he said. “I wish all those (other) programs really good luck. I’m sure they’ll find a good coach out there, and I’m glad Todd’s going be here for a long time.”