Florida hoping to sign Golden to extension, stave off blue bloods - ESPN

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With potential job openings looming at college basketball blue bloods Kansas and North Carolina, Florida is looking to sign coach Todd Golden to a third contract extension in as many years.

Athletic director Scott Stricklin said Tuesday that «we're going to do everything in our power to make sure he always knows that he's really valuable.»

Golden already received raises in back-to-back years, first signing a two-year extension in March 2024 that bumped his average salary to $4.1 million annually and then adding another year to the deal last May — after winning the national title — that rocketed his average salary to $6.75 million.

Among the seven current coaches who have won national championships, Golden, 40, ranks fifth in compensation behind Bill Self at Kansas, John Calipari at Arkansas, Dan Hurley at UConn and Tom Izzo at Michigan State. That could change with another raise.

The No. 1-seeded Gators (27-8) lost to ninth-seeded Iowa in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday, ending their shot at winning back-to-back titles for the second time in program history. Golden's future has been speculated about since.

Golden has five years remaining on his current contract, which includes a $16 million buyout to leave for another college. That number drops to $11 million beginning April 16. Adding another year to the deal might allow Florida to keep his buyout high enough to potentially stave off suitors.

«When we have talented, successful coaches, we're going to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are appreciated at the University of Florida,» Stricklin said. «We've given Todd new contracts each of the last two years. He's a priority for the University of Florida, and we're