Bush Hamdan’s Kentucky football contract will include massive buyout, big pay increase

In moving from Boise State to Kentucky, new UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan almost tripled his salary.

Kentucky will pay Hamdan $1.25 million for the 2024 season, according to the term sheet he signed upon accepting the job. Hamdan’s salary will increase to $1.35 million in 2025 and $1.45 million in 2026 as part of a three-year deal.

The Lexington Herald-Leader obtained the term sheet, which is a non-binding document that outlines Hamdan’s salary and other benefits while his contract is being finalized by the university, through the state’s open records law.

Hamdan’s most recent Boise State contract would have paid him $460,000 for the 2024 season, according to the Idaho Statesman.

His UK salary does not match the $1.8 million Kentucky was scheduled to pay former offensive coordinator Liam Coen for 2024 before Coen left UK for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it still represents a significant investment from the Wildcats. Only four other SEC programs paid their offensive coordinator more than $1.25 million last season, according to a USA Today database.

UK coach Mark Stoops was faced with hiring a new offensive coordinator for the fourth consecutive offseason after Coen returned to the NFL for the second time as UK’s offensive coordinator. The university appears to have made a substantial effort to stop that turnover with Hamdan’s contract.

If Hamdan leaves UK before Nov. 30, 2025, he would owe the school $1.5 million, increasing the chances he will stay at UK for at least two seasons. Coen’s buyout to leave UK was $250,000 per year left on his contract. Hamdan’s buyout drops to $250,000 per year remaining on his contract on Dec. 1, 2025.

“I think there certainly had to be that commitment, I felt like, for him and I,” Hamdan, who has had eight jobs he stayed at for just one season, said at his introductory news conference Thursday when asked about Stoops looking for more stability at offensive coordinator. “I think it’s there. As you know in this day and age of college football more than ever you’ve got to take it one day at a time.

“… I also think I understand this is the SEC. These jobs don’t come open very often, and I’m well aware of that.”

The increased buyout continues a trend this offseason for UK. New wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts would owe UK $500,000 if he left for another coaching job before June 30, 2025. New offensive line coach Eric Wolford, who previously coached at UK but left for a job at Alabama after just one season, would owe UK a prorated buyout of $500,000 per year remaining on the contract if he leaves for another coaching position at any point before his contract expires in June 2026.

If Stoops retires or leaves Kentucky for another coaching position before July 1, 2026, and UK’s next coach chooses not to retain Hamdan, he would continue to receive his monthly salary for 12 months. UK’s other assistant coaching contracts allot for a six-month severance period in that scenario.

Hamdan will be the third-highest paid coach on Stoops’ staff next season. Hamdan’s salary would place UK’s assistant coach salary pool at $7.34 million for the 2024 season, not including the $1.75 million still owed former offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello and offensive line coach Zach Yenser as severance payments after they were fired before the end of their contracts.

Kentucky football assistant coach salaries

▪ Defensive coordinator Brad White: $1.6 million.

▪ Associate head coach Vince Marrow: $1.3 million.

▪ Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan: $1.25 million.

▪ Linebackers coach Mike Stoops: $675,000.

▪ Special teams coordinator Jay Boulware: $550,000.

▪ Defensive line coach Anwar Stewart: $500,000.

▪ Safeties coach Frank Buffano: $415,000.

▪ Defensive backs coach Christopher Collins: $400,000.

▪ Offensive line coach Eric Wolford: $350,000.

▪ Wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts: $300,000.

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