Gattuso Contract Extension- Two Years

[Dane96]

Rodger Wyland reporting Coach Gattuso will sign a two year extension.  Well earned!  Congrats, Coach. 

[Clickclack]

46 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Rodger Wyland reporting Coach Gattuso will sign a two year extension.  Well earned!  Congrats, Coach. 

Reasonable considering the results past year. Resets clock to 3 years on contract. Congrats to GG. You gotta reward those results. Hopefully no long downswing again. 

[Eli]

I'm not sure I like this, even though in most cases a year like this year would have been super deserving. If we have a bad year next year - then what? Why do we keep giving out extensions after only one good year?

[UA1882]

27 minutes ago, Eli said:

I'm not sure I like this, even though in most cases a year like this year would have been super deserving. If we have a bad year next year - then what? Why do we keep giving out extensions after only one good year?

While I have not been his biggest fan, I believe a trip the "final 4" warrants a contract extension. 

[cwdickens]

4 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Reasonable considering the results past year. Resets clock to 3 years on contract. Congrats to GG. You gotta reward those results. Hopefully no long downswing again. 

 

2 hours ago, UA1882 said:

While I have not been his biggest fan, I believe a trip the "final 4" warrants a contract extension. 

I concur with the granting of a two-year extension, not only did Greg, his staff and team had a great year, Greg has demonstrated an ability to recruit using the Transfer Portal and there is still need to demonstrate the coach and staff will be around more than a year or two.

This extension could take Greg to retirement.

[mainejeff]

Anyone know what financial terms are?

[Dane96]

36 minutes ago, mainejeff said:

Anyone know what financial terms are?

In 2022, he was making 305,481.00  with a total comp of 310k.  I am sure he probably had a moderate raise in 2023...I'd assume 310-315lk base?  So I would presume incremental increases, at least 325-345?   If I had to guess, his all in package (cash only, not benefits cars, or memberships) is probably going to be  350-360.

Killings made 372k last year.  Total was 377 with his small bonus. 

Marr- just shy of 200k.

Colleen Mullen was in the 270k range

Vives (Track) made 171k in 2022. 

Mark Benson was in the 305 range. 

Associate AD Cegles made 132k. 

Edited February 6 by Dane96

[cwdickens]

While the money was part of extension, I believe the additional commitment of years under contract was more important.  Not having to look for work after you reach your sixties is important.  I speak with experience about this issue. 

[cwdickens]

Roger Wyland used his by-line to comment on Greg's extension:

RODGER’S QUICK TAKE

Greg Gattuso received a well-deserved two-year contract extension, keeping him as UAlbany football coach through the 2026 season. Gattuso who led UAlbany to the school’s first CAA championship and a berth in the FCS national semifinals, had only one year remaining on his current contract. UAlbany has some key players to replace on both sides of the ball, including quarterback. But when you post an 11-4 overall record and finish one win from a spot in the national championship game, good players in the portal want to play for the Great Danes. That’s a credit to Gattuso and the banner season the Danes had in 2023.

Rodger Wyland is the sports director for News Channel 13. Listen to him weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WTMM (104.5 FM, “The Team”).

[HOF2013]

2 hours ago, cwdickens said:

Roger Wyland used his by-line to comment on Greg's extension:

RODGER’S QUICK TAKE

Greg Gattuso received a well-deserved two-year contract extension, keeping him as UAlbany football coach through the 2026 season. Gattuso who led UAlbany to the school’s first CAA championship and a berth in the FCS national semifinals, had only one year remaining on his current contract. UAlbany has some key players to replace on both sides of the ball, including quarterback. But when you post an 11-4 overall record and finish one win from a spot in the national championship game, good players in the portal want to play for the Great Danes. That’s a credit to Gattuso and the banner season the Danes had in 2023.

Rodger Wyland is the sports director for News Channel 13. Listen to him weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WTMM (104.5 FM, “The Team”).

Yep - more commitments and signings to start tomorrow [new commitment this morning]

Edited February 6 by HOF2013

[Dane96]

45 minutes ago, HOF2013 said:

Yep - more commitments and signings to start tomorrow [new commitment this morning]

He's a nice pickup.  Dugery's teammate in H.S.   Big boy. 

[Dane96]

As I mentioned to multiple others since the extension news came to light, I felt that this was Coach's last contract based on the years, his age, and honestly the changing game of portaling, NIL, etc.  Normally, I would have expected a 3-5 year extension.

Well, my presumption seems to be accurate.  Coach told reporters that this is likely his final contract and he'd like to see the reigns handed over to someone in the program.  I like his thought about handing it to someone in the program...and I think he's earned the right to retire on his terms.  If we can keep going forward (plus .500 years until he leaves), he would have done his job.

I imagine there are two folks that could take over his role that are on staff, and I think out of the two, there is a clear leader with the other taking an Associate HC role. 

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Nesselt has done an amazing job, but I have a feeling Ambrose came to the program knowing he would get his HC shot.  Can we have co-head coaches?

[Dane96]

4 hours ago, BestDaneSinceHamlet said:

Nesselt has done an amazing job, but I have a feeling Ambrose came to the program knowing he would get his HC shot.  Can we have co-head coaches?

Bingo.  I see it as Ambrose with Nessalt as Associate HC and DC with Fiacchi as OC.  

[cwdickens]

From today's Times-Union:

UALBANY FOOTBALL

 

Gattuso announces class, hints at retirement

 

By Mark Singelais

ALBANY — University at Albany football coach Greg Gattuso, who guided the program to the best season in its history, recently agreed to a contract extension he said could be his last.

Whether or not he retires after the new deal that takes him through the 2026 season, Gattuso is trying to sustain last year’s unprecedented success. To that end, the Great Danes announced a 21-player recruiting class on Wednesday, the first day of the regular signing period.

 

Gattuso said UAlbany’s run to its first Football Championship Subdivison semifinal appearance helped the Great Danes on the recruiting trail.

“Positive publicity is the best,” he said. “When you have this kind of season, kids want to come.”

Gattuso said he’s still finalizing the two-year contract extension he agreed upon with athletic director Mark Benson. He had one year left on his previous deal.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I love being here. Everybody that knows me knows that. It’s comforting. We’ve had our ups and downs and that’s part of football, especially the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association). Mark and I have always had a good working relationship, and I trust him completely and I think signing on to probably my last contract as a head coach is good and exciting and it’s something that I’m looking forward to.”

Gattuso, who turns 62 in May, will be 64 at the end of the new contract. He said he’d like someone on his staff to succeed him.

“I’m definitely getting to that age and we have some people on our staff that I think are great coaches and my old boss always used to say, ‘Win and we all win,’” Gattuso said. “I think if we continue to win, my dream has always been to hand it off to somebody within this program and I’m going to bust my tail to get us to that point where we win enough that we can keep the consistency. Because, really, in this football world, consistency is such a big thing.”

Gattuso added he’s not looking too far ahead.

“If we’re winning, and I feel great, and they want me back, then we’ll talk again,” he said. “So hopefully we can get back to the final four one of these years coming up and finish what we started this year.”

UAlbany’s recruiting class includes 11 transfers and 10 freshmen, including five freshmen who were announced on early signing day in December.

The transfers include quarterback Myles Burkett, who served as a Wisconsin backup for two seasons. He’ll compete to replace Reese Poffenbarger, who transferred to Miami. Burkett’s competition includes graduate student Trey Lindsey, the former Auburn transfer who backed up Poffenbarger last season.

There are 12 recruits on defense and nine on offense. The only local player is CBA’s Donald Jones, who will play cornerback.

The Great Danes, who have successfully dipped into the Division II college ranks for transfers, found another in defensive tackle Dasean Dixon of East Stroudsburg, who had 81 tackles and 8¹ /2 sacks in 23 career games for the Warriors.

“I do have that small-school mentality, like just work, work, work,” Dixon said. “I wanted to put myself in a position where I know if I can work, I’m going to have a fair shot of being able to play at a bigger level.”