A breakthrough season and interest from Virginia Tech combined to create a new contract for Mike Houston at East Carolina.
His new 5-year deal, via Hoist the Colours, began Thursday and runs through Dec. 1, 2026 at $2.3 million per year. Of that, $1.4 million will be base pay and $900,000 in supplemental pay for marketing and publicity duties.
If fired without cause, Houston would be owed the remainder of his base salary, the $1.4 million per year figure. Firing him after the 2022 season would cost East Carolina $5.6 million.
On the other side, Houston would have to pay East Carolina $2 million upon leaving anytime between now and Dec. 1, 2022, decreasing by a quarter million dollars per year.
Houston's bonus structure ranges from $20,000 for defeating a Power 5 opponent to $500,000 for winning the national championship. He'll also earn $30,000 for hitting the 8-win mark, rising by $5,000 per win thereafter. Houston is eligible for a $125,000 retention bonus on the 1-year anniversary of signing the contract, plus a $275,000 bonus on Feb. 1, 2026.
After going 4-8 and 3-6 in his first two seasons at ECU, Houston has the Pirates at 7-5 heading into the Military Bowl later this month, the program's first postseason appearance since 2014. Houston went 80-25 in eight seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne, The Citadel and James Madison.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.