Contract details released for UCF coordinators Ted Roof, Tim Harris Jr.
New UCF defensive coordinator Ted Roof and offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. are set to make a combined $925,000 this upcoming season, according to contracts obtained by the Sentinel.
Roof will earn $400,000 this season in annual compensation, while Harris is set to make $525,000. Both will see their salaries increase in 2025-26, with Roof set to make $750,000 and Harris $600,000.
Both are returning to UCF, where they previously coached. Roof was the defensive coordinator in 2011 while Harris coached the Knights’ running backs in 2022-23 under coach Gus Malzahn.
Roof previously worked with Malzahn at Auburn (2009-11).
“Ted and I won a national championship together [2010], with me as an offensive coordinator and him as defensive coordinator, so I already knew a lot about him,” Malzahn recently told the Sentinel. “He’s a very aggressive guy. I’m talking about pressure and movement in just about every play. It’s just old school-based defense.
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“'[Tim’s] been with me for two years and we know each other really well. He understands what I like to do, what we like to do [offensively].”
While this season’s figures are well below the $1.15 million Roof made at Oklahoma last season, his contract is incentive-laden in the first year, paying the 60-year-old coach:
- $20,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top two in Big 12 in opponent points per possession
- $15,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top four in Big 12 in opponent points per possession
- $20,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top two in Big 12 in takeaways per game
- $15,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top four in Big 12 in takeaways per game
- $20,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top two in Big 12 in third-down defense
- $15,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top four in Big 12 in third-down defense
- $20,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top two in Big 12 in opponent yards per rush
- $15,000 if UCF’s defense ranks among the top four in Big 12 in opponent yards per rush
UCF ranked ninth in the conference in opponent points per possession, 10th in takeaways per game, eighth in third-down defense and 11th in opponent yards per rush last season.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma finished in the top four in all these categories.
Roof and Harris also receive an additional half month’s salary if UCF plays in a bowl game without winning a conference championship game. They would receive an entire month’s pay if the Knights play in a bowl game after winning the conference championship.
Roof’s deal also pays him two months’ salary if the team makes the 12-team College Football Playoff and three months if UCF wins the CFP National Championship this season.
Despite the pay cut, Roof’s salary remains highly competitive. It’s not far off from the average salary of a Big 12 assistant coach, which was $474,775 in 2021 and increased to an average of $512,947 in 2023.
If UCF chooses to part ways with Roof, the school would be on the hook to play the guaranteed base salary for the remainder of the contract term and any incentives accrued but not yet paid. If he chooses to leave before the term of his contract, Roof owes the remaining amount of his guaranteed annual compensation unless he accepts a head coaching job or if Malzahn is no longer the head coach.
Harris’ buyout is similar. The school owes him the remainder of his guaranteed salary based on the terms of his contract, which is reduced by subsequent employment after the fact. If he chooses to leave before the final regular-season game or conference championship game of the 2024 season, Harris must pay the school the remaining amount of his guaranteed contract.
If he chooses to leave after the 2024 season but before the 2025 season, Harris is responsible for a buyout equal to 50% of the remaining balance on his contract. Although, he owes the school nothing if he accepts a head coaching job.
UCF’s highest-paid assistant coaches last season were Addison Williams ($700,000), who had been promoted to defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, and Darin Hinshaw ($600,000) who was hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
During the offseason, UCF’s coaching staff underwent significant changes. Williams, who had been promoted to defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, assumed a co-defensive coordinator role. Hinshaw, who was hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, became co-offensive coordinator.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com