Alabama A&M Jones' deal almost done

Photo: Betty Austin, AAMU Athletic Director

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times Sports Staff

Raise would make A&M coach one of SWAC's highest paid.

Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones is close to signing a deal that would make him the fourth-highest paid coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The school's board of trustees approved a $32,500 raise for Jones last June that will pay him $142,500 annually. He is also slated to receive $12,500 for his radio and television show. The $12,500 would be paid from funds raised by Jones, who has been asked to raise $50,000 to be deposited into the school's football budget to help offset the deficit.

Jones will also receive bonuses for winning classic games, homecoming and the SWAC championship. Amounts were not available Tuesday, but Jones received $10,000 for winning the SWAC championship, $2,500 for the Magic City Classic and the John Merritt Classic, $2,000 for being SWAC Coach of the Year and Washington Pigskin Coach of the Year and $1,000 for homecoming.

The new deal will go into effect next month when the school's new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

A&M athletic director Betty Austin presented Jones with the contract earlier this month, but he says he hasn't had a lot of time to look it over.

"It's kind of a rough deal for me because a contract is a big thing," Jones said. "It takes a lot of looking into to make sure the language is correct and agreeable."

Jones, whose contract runs through 2009, said he hopes to be able to review the contract and get it back to Austin in the near future, but admitted the contract was the last thing on his mind.
"My concern right now is making sure my football team is ready to play," he said. "Am I concerned about my contract? Of course I am, but this week is a very urgent week."

A&M, 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SWAC, is coming off of a 31-6 drubbing at the hands of Grambling. The Bulldogs host winless Texas Southern on Saturday afternoon for homecoming. Kickoff is at 3.

While Jones expressed thanks to A&M president Robert Jennings, Austin and the board of trustees, he said it would have been better had he been able to get the contract in July and likely could have had it done before the Bulldogs reported for preseason practice on Aug. 1.

"That would have been ideal because football season is tough," he said. "Every week you've got a deadline. I try to teach our players that. Every week our product is put on full display and people don't want to hear why you were distracted. They expect the product to be working at optimal level."

Jones has compiled a 44-19 record during his five-plus seasons and has led the Bulldogs to three appearances in the SWAC championship game. A&M won its first SWAC title last December with a 22-13 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. His 44 wins rank him third on the school's all-time wins list.

"We've had some success, but this program isn't where we want it to be," Jones said.

Jones was the seventh-highest paid coach in the league last season with a base salary of $110,000. Only Texas Southern's Steve Wilson, Mississippi Valley State's Willie Totten and Alcorn State's Johnny Thomas made less money.

However, the salary increase makes Jones the fourth-highest paid coach in the SWAC, trailing Southern's Pete Richardson, Grambling's Rod Broadway and Jackson State's Rick Comegy.