What are the performance bonuses in Barry Odom’s UNLV contract?
UNLV’s most successful season on the football field also has been a bonanza year for coach Barry Odom.
The Rebels made program history by reaching the Top 25 rankings for the first time and qualifying for a bowl game for the second consecutive season.
They will play in the Mountain West championship game for the second straight season when they meet Boise State on Friday. The winner will get a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
And Odom, who undoubtedly will attract interest from Power Four schools after the season, will continue to cash in, with $445,000 in athletic performance bonuses written into his contract. His base salary this season is $1.75 million
The second-year UNLV coach already has earned a $25,000 bonus for leading the Rebels into the rankings — they are No. 19 in The Associated Press and coaches poll this week. He will make another $25,000 for coaching in Friday’s conference championship game.
If UNLV (10-2, 6-1 MW) defeats 10th-ranked Boise State (11-1, 7-0), Odom will receive a $50,000 bonus for winning the title.
Odom, who earned $75,000 in bonuses last year, will have opportunities to hit other bonuses after Friday’s game.
UNLV’s bowl appearance means another $50,000 bonus. If the Rebels make the CFP field, Odom will make $100,000 for each game the team plays and if it receives a first-round bye.
And if UNLV shocks the college football world and wins the national championship, Odom would make another $100,000.
Odom also has bonuses available for coaching awards. He would get $25,000 if he is named the Mountain West coach of the year and another $100,000 if he is named national coach of the year.
UNLV signed Odom to a one-year contract extension in April that goes through the 2028 season. His contract includes retention bonuses when he remains at the school, with $200,000 pledged to be paid March 1 and in 2028.
There is an additional $20,000 in bonuses available each season if the team meets two academic standards.
Odom’s base salary is 74th among college coaches, according to a list compiled by USA Today.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
