Football: UL Ragin’ Cajuns nearly double football coach Billy Napier’s total pay, will earn $2M

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, June 22, 2021

The University of Louisiana System Board of Governors Athletic Board committee will vote Thursday on proposed contract extension for UL football coach Billy Napier that would bring his compensation for 2021 to $2 million.

Napier’s new deal comes with a base salary of $400,000 per year  but he will also receive a contingent premium benefit from the Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Foundation of $1.6 million for his promotion and production of UL football, according to committee documents obtained by The Daily Advertiser.

The new contract, which runs through Dec. 31, 2025,   would nearly double the total value of Napier’s previous deal, from $1.005 million in 2020 to $2 million. His contract also includes a $900,000 budget increase for his assistant coaches and staff, from $2.87 million to $3.77 million.

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If Napier, 41, were to end his deal with UL, he would have to pay UL  a $3 million buyout if it were to occur between June 30 and Dec. 31, 2021. The buyout would drop to $2 million if he would want out of  his contract in 2022 or 2023, but all fees would be cut in half if athletic director Bryan Maggard no longer held his position at the school, according to committee documents.

This is the third time Napier’s contract has been amended during his tenure at UL. His contract had most recently been restructured late last year when his name surfaced for openings  at South Carolina and Auburn.

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In three seasons at UL, Napier has led the Ragin’ Cajuns to three bowl game appearances and a 28-11 record. UL went 10-1 last season and finished No.15 in the final Associated Press poll.

Napier had previously been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arizona State for a season after spending time as an assistant coach at Alabama, Colorado State and Clemson.

The board will also vote on contract approvals for newly hired assistant coaches Jeff Burris, Wes Neighbors, Jeff Norrid, Galen Scott and Darnell Stapleton.