OCTAVIO JONES | Times
Roughly four hours before Monday afternoon's Miami Beach Bowl, USF released coach Willie Taggart's new contract: a five-year, $9 million deal that includes a significantly increased buyout and assistant salary pool.
Taggart, who signed the contract Thursday, is completing Year 3 of his old deal that paid roughly $1.2 million annually. USF (8-4), winner of seven of its last eight, entered Monday's game against Western Kentucky seeking the program's fourth nine-win season ever.
“We are very excited about the direction of our football program and the leadership, vision and enthusiasm that Coach Taggart has provided,” USF athletic director Mark Harlan said in a school news release.