From the Auburn site. Not a whole heap of substance, but I try to bring over info when I can.
“We've been making calls/texts today in search of reliable information regarding Auburn's desire to keep Bruce Pearl here for the rest of his coaching career.
You won't be surprised to learn that Auburn very much wants BP to stay.
To that end:
• The department next week will seek formal approval to move forward with plans to expand/augment the basketball facility so that men's and women's basketball each will have their own space. As it stands right now, the two teams share a practice court. They also split arena time with volleyball and gymnastics. The tentative plan is to expand the greater Auburn Arena complex to include a second practice center with attached offices. My guess, based on the existing facility's layout, is that they'd build the new practice area where the loading dock exists right now and then somehow attach a new loading dock in a manner that makes logistical sense.
• Auburn's financial situation is much stronger than it was 18 months ago. We're told fundraising for the football facility, which is approximately half-way finished, really picked up and will not be a limiting factor from a financial standpoint. This is great news from an athletics perspective. In that vein, several donors have approached Allen Greene and the department at large to pledge money for this new/augmented basketball practice space. This also is great news from an athletics perspective.
• Bruce Pearl currently earns approximately $4 million per year, which USA TODAY ranks 7th among all coaches and 3rd among SEC coaches behind UK's John Calipari ($8.1 million) and UT's Rick Barnes ($4.7 million). We're told that Auburn is prepared to offer Pearl both a raise and extension at season's end, which we expect to be worth somewhere between $5 million and $6 million per season.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Pearl will be 62 years old at season's end. Also consider that facility upgrades are hurtling toward approval, a salary bump for both him and his assistants is on deck and Auburn steadfastly defended him (and believed in him) throughout the FBI and NCAA scrutiny related to Chuck Person's arrest. If Pearl chose to leave for another job, that decision would have nothing to do with Auburn dragging its feet or not showing proper respect for what he's accomplished here.
For once, the athletic department is united on something: Auburn must do what's necessary to keep Pearl on campus and building Auburn into a consistent national power.”
