Coach Lutz was close to 400k four years ago, should be over 500k today.
Charlotte Observer, The (NC)
April 22, 2001
Section: SPORTS
Edition: ONE-THREE
Page: 2H
COMMENTARY
STAN OLSON, Staff Writer
Charlotte athletics director Judy Rose is doing her darndest to keep Bobby Lutz as basketball coach.
It isn’t easy these days; if you’re good, other schools notice quickly and start throwing money at you. Louisville hired Rick Pitino for an annual salary in the $1.5 million range. Fellow Conference USA members Cincinnati (Bob Huggins) and Memphis (John Calipari) already pay their coaches about $1 million a year.
Rose is in the process of sweetening Lutz’ compensation package.
In three years as coach of the 49ers, Lutz’s financial package has steadily increased, reaching almost $400,000 last season.
Lutz, who is 62-38 at Charlotte, finished the past season with four years left on his contract. Then fans heard his name mentioned with vacancies at South Carolina and Wake Forest, although neither school apparently had him on its “A” list.
If Lutz keeps winning, he’ll start showing up on “A” lists soon enough, and Rose hopes to prevent that. She’s currently in talks with her coach to extend that contract to seven years and increase its worth possibly above $500,000 annually, although money would have to be raised to make that happen.
Nothing, of course, guarantees Lutz won’t leave if N.C. State or Clemson call, but Rose wants to make his decision a difficult one. And, at the same time, prevent her university from becoming known as the Tulsa of the East, a program that breeds good basketball coaches and then sends them on to bigger things.
Copyright © 2001 The Charlotte Observer
