LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self’s new, five-year rollover contract was not negotiated by athletic director Travis Goff, who was introduced to the public at a news conference Wednesday morning at the Lied Center, but by university chancellor Douglas Girod.
“I think it was a decision there’s a lot of things going to be on Travis’ plate moving forward and regardless of whether you like the timing or not, regardless, there have to be some decisions that are made on basketball moving forward,” Self said.
KU announced the signing of Self’s new deal Friday, three days before Goff’s hiring was revealed. Self’s 10-year contract was slated to expire in March 2022. Meanwhile, Self and his program face major NCAA infractions allegations in an ongoing case.
“You can’t stop living because we’ve got this other thing above our head,” Self said of timing of contract talks. “You still have to address certain situations that are coming up. The chancellor felt this was the best way to do it. I’m so appreciative of the confidence that he’s shown in me.”
Asked by a Kansas City Star reporter what he thought of Self’s new contract, Goff said Wednesday: “I think it’s awesome. I’m glad it was done on Friday and I didn’t need to be the guy doing that, not because I wouldn’t have wanted to, but because it was such a clear demonstration from Chancellor Girod and the entire Kansas community that Bill’s our head basketball coach and exactly who we need at the helm there.”
While the rollover contract is common in college sports, it was marketed by KU on Friday as a “lifetime contract.”
Self was asked how that contract might look to the NCAA, which is running its infractions case against KU through a new independent council. The Jayhawks are accused of five Level I violations.
“The chancellor explained it to the NCAA. The chancellor talked with them before he did it,” Self said. “That wasn’t my call to determine how it looked. I think it was more of the call of the chancellor just having confidence in the way we’ve done things (in 18 years at KU).
“The other thing is … we can’t go into any details. The media doesn’t know what’s going on with our NCAA investigation. They don’t know and who really does know? I’m not saying we know either. If we don’t really know how does the media know? I’ve had people send me stuff (articles). From a national perspective there were some people that really got after me and got after the university on making this decision,” Self said.
Self said in his four conversations with Goff made prior to the announcement of Goff’s hiring on Monday, “we talked about that (NCAA investigation) but not in great detail. I’m sure the chancellor and school attorneys have clued him in on that. I don’t know if that’s my position to do that. I think it’s more an administrator’s position to do that. I certainly have a perspective. I don’t know if it’s exactly the same thing as what a chancellor would tell somebody considering the position. That was not something I did.”
As far as the “lifetime contract,” Self said: “I think it is what everybody is believing will happen but contractually it really wasn’t done the exact way as the headline if you read it.”
Most notably, Self’s contract states he cannot be fired for cause because of this infractions matter. If Self is suspended as a result of this NCAA case, he will forfeit half of his $2.975 million annual salary during the length of that suspension, though it will not affect the $2.435 million retention bonus he’s set to receive on April 1 of each year.
If KU chooses to fire Self without cause, it would owe him one year of his total guaranteed salary at $5.41 million, plus a prorated share of his annual $2.435 million retention bonus given every April 1.
If Self chooses to leave KU for an NBA head coaching position, he will owe the school $2 million within 60 days.
“What you would think a lifetime is, is it guaranteed for a lifetime? And the answer is no,” Self said. “It’s guaranteed for a year. As long as we do what we’re supposed to do we’ve got a chance to stay here for a while. If we don’t there obviously are decisions that can be easily made.”
Self said he’s appreciative of the new deal.
“I think it’ll help us recruiting. I don’t think it can hurt,” he said. “I can’t comment on the NCAA stuff, but I feel like the university has a pretty good feel on all the things that have transpired so far. That doesn’t mean anything as far as sanctions or anything like that, but regardless of what we go through, the chancellor made it clear he wanted me to be the one to navigate us through it. I hope it (any penalty) is less rather than more, but I know I’m not going to run from it.”
SELF ON ASSISTANT COACH VACANCY
Self said he’s in no hurry to fill Jerrance Howard’s spot on the KU coaching staff. Howard, who worked for Self for the past eight seasons, on Tuesday accepted a position on Chris Beard’s coaching staff at Texas.
“It has been very, very pleasantly uplifting and surprising to know the pool that would be interested in coming here. I mean very,” Self said.
Video coordinator Jeremy Case will take over as assistant until a permanent assistant is named. It’s also possible Case could get the job.
ANYBODY TURNING PRO?
Self said “there could be some news in a short period of time,” regarding the decisions to be made regarding the futures of some players on the 2020-21 Jayhawks roster.
Senior point guard Marcus Garrett, who is eligible to return another year, “is a senior. He wants to go (pro),” Self said. “He also has the option (of returning) if he doesn’t get the feedback. I don’t think the time frame on him (would include) hustling to get the feedback. Same with Ochai (Agbaji, who has not announced plans to return for a senior season or turn pro). The way it’s set up the kids have until July 19 to go back to school. That’s three and a half months. The kids have time to figure this out.”
