By Wyatt Garrett
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An era of Razorback football comes to a close as the university decided to part ways with head coach Chad Morris, but the school isn’t yet done paying him.
According to Chad Morris’ contract, the university’s athletic department will pay 70 percent of Morris’ $3.5 million annual salary over the next four years.
It equals out to about $10.02 million in total and $205,000 a month over those four years.
Athletic director Hunter Yurachek understands how difficult it can be to pay for contract buyouts.
“It’s a challenge for us to take that money from somewhere and apply it to a buyout,” Yurachek said.
However, Yurachek isn’t concerned about the amount of cash owed to Morris.
“We’ve got a great chief financial officer who has assured me that we had the means to do so,” said Yurachek. “It was comfortable making that change because of that.”
Students at the University of Arkansas see both sides of the situation.
“No telling how many million in ticket sales, and things like concessions, that we’re losing. I think at this point in time, the situation we are in is disappointing,” said Jared Pinkerton, Arkansas Student Government president. “But I think in long term what would have cost us more money. I’m pretty sure that continuing on the trend that we were on, probably would’ve cost us in the long run.”
But many students on campus look forward to the future of the football program.
“If our football team does go on the path that I hope it does, which is a positive path forward. I think it’ll even itself out in the long run,” Pinkerton said.
The Razorbacks and interim head coach Barry Lunney Jr. take on the LSU Tigers on Nov. 23 in Baton Rouge, La.