Washington Huskies: Did Chris Petersen Deserve his Contract Extension?
By Paul Taylor
Head coach Chris Petersen has signed a two-year contract extension, but was it the right move by the Washington Huskies?
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Chris Petersen received a timely vote of confidence ahead of the Washington Huskies Apple Cup clash with the Cougars. As reported by the Associated Press, via 710 ESPN Seattle, the head coach has signed a two-year contract extension.
Petersen originally signed a five-year deal in December 2013. He will be paid $4 million per season in 2019 and 2020, the same as he is due to make in 2018.
The 51-year old left Boise State to take over from Steve Sarkisian, and achieved instant success in his first campaign at the helm. He led the Huskies to a 8-6 record, and a spot in the Cactus Bowl.
This season has been more of a struggle, with the young team struggling for consistency, as evidenced by a 5-6 record. They need a win over Washington State, just to hit .500 and guarantee a bowl berth.
Some would argue that this year’s performances prove Petersen is not worthy of his contract extension. However, the Huskies entered the 2015 season, with many experts predicting them to win no more than four games.
Sep 12, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Sacramento State Hornets at Husky Stadium. Washington won 49-0. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Certainly, Scott Woodward believes the head coach deserve his extension. The Washington Athletic Director released a statement to confirm the news.
Woodward said: “Coach Petersen has demonstrated tremendous integrity and is building a program that Husky fans can be proud of, both on and off the field. This extension is well-deserved and we hope Coach Petersen is a Husky for a long time to come.”
In essence, the Huskies are taking a calculated gamble on Petersen providing the program with long-term stability. In that respect, the move makes sense, especially for the only coach to win the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award twice.
Petersen is 105-24 in his career as a head coach. However, all Huskies fans care about right now, is seeing him lead the team to victory over their hated rivals in Friday’s Apple Cup.