How Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football coach Billy Napier is cashing in on contract bonuses

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, May 18, 2021

Even as he continues to cash in bonus incentives from the 2020 season, UL coach Billy Napier is in line for a pay raise.

It is anticipated new figures for Napier’s 2021 contract will be finalized as the fiscal year turns over, a UL spokesman told The Daily Advertiser on Monday.

UL’s current fiscal year ends June 30.

Napier’s contract – already extended once and amended twice since he originally was hired late in 2017 – was rewritten in January, after he removed himself as a candidate for jobs at South Carolina and Auburn late in 2020.

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On Monday the Ragin’ Cajuns coach was named Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year, triggering one of many incentive clauses in his contract.

Napier will receive a $10,000 “Coaching Recognition Achievement” bonus.

He also would have received a $25,000 bonus had he been named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, but Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell won that.

Napier won the LSWA award after a 10-1 season that ended with a First Responder Bowl win over Texas-San Antonio. The Cajuns were No. 16 in the final USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25.

He’s also met incentive bonuses including $40,000 for the bowl win, $25,000 for winning the Sun Belt West Division, $25,000 for at least nine wins, $25,000 for a Top 25 final ranking and $20,000 for beating a Power 5 team (the Cajuns upset Iowa State).

All of the aforementioned bonuses either have been or will be paid out.

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Napier’s contract additionally calls for a $50,000 bonus for winning the conference championship game. UL made it there, but the game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within Coastal Carolina’s program. The two teams were named co-champions.

The Sun Belt championship bonus is being paid in full, the same spokesman said.

That adds up to $195,000 in total bonuses earned.

Napier’s 2020 salary included $325,000 in base pay and a $580,000 contingent premium benefit, plus benefits including a $6,000 automobile allowance. He also received an annual $100,000 retention incentive payment.

His base pay jumped to $400,000 at the start of 2021, making the total value of his deal slightly more than $1 million before bonuses and before any new salary raise.