Patrick's contract reaches $1 million

UC Riverside coach David Patrick calls a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
UC Riverside coach David Patrick calls a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

FAYETTEVILLE -- New University of Arkansas assistant basketball coach David Patrick is guaranteed $1 million in total financial compensation if he stays on the job for two seasons.

Patrick, who was head coach at California-Riverside the previous two seasons, has a two-year contract at Arkansas with an annual financial package of $400,000. His contract also includes a $200,000 retention bonus if he remains employed by Arkansas through the end of the 2021-22 season, including all tournament games. The bonus will be paid by April 30, 2022.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday obtained a copy of Patrick's contract from the UA in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Patrick had an annual salary of $261,000 at UC-Riverside, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported, when he was hired in March of 2018 with a five-year agreement.

According to his Arkansas contract, Patrick has the title of associate head coach and a base salary of $360,000, with an additional $40,000. The total $400,00 will be paid by the athletic department.

Patrick is replacing Chris Crutchfield, who had an annual compensation agreement of $360,000.

The basketball program reallocated other funding to stay within its existing budget for the additional $40,000 being paid to Patrick, an Arkansas spokesman confirmed.

Crutchfield resigned at Arkansas on June 1 to become head coach at East Central University, an NCAA Division II school in Ada, Okla.

Patrick's contract includes a no-compete clause, meaning he is not allowed to take an assistant coaching job at another SEC school. He is allowed to take an SEC head coaching job.

Crutchfield, who left Oklahoma to come to Arkansas, also had a no-compete clause. But the Razorbacks' other assistant coaches, Clay Moser and Corey Williams, do not have such a clause in their contracts.

Patrick, 44, was announced as Arkansas' new assistant coach last Wednesday by Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman.

Musselman and Patrick first met in 2008 when Musselman was between coaching jobs and working as a college basketball radio analyst for Fox Sports and Patrick was an assistant coach at Saint Mary's College.

The two became friends and worked together as LSU assistant coaches during the 2014-15 season before Musselman left to take the Nevada head coaching job.

Musselman said last week that Patrick was the top choice to replace Crutchfield, but that the vacancy drew more interest than he expected.

"There were a lot of people that had reached out, a lot more than maybe what I anticipated," Musselman said. "The phone over the last 30 days or whatever has been really busy.

"As always, I try to get back to everybody who reaches out and have legitimate conversations. There were a lot of really qualified people. A lot of people I have worked with in the past who I think are great coaches."

But no one else, Musselman said, stacked up to Patrick.

"Musselman said last week that Patrick was the top choice to replace Crutchfield, but that the vacancy drew a lot of interest.

"There were a lot of people that had reached out, a lot more than maybe what I anticipated," Musselman said. "The phone over the last 30 days or whatever has been really busy.

"As always, I try to get back to everybody who reaches out and have legitimate conversations.

"There were a lot of really qualified people. A lot of people I have worked with in the past who I think are great coaches."

But no one else, Musselman said, stacked up to Patrick.

"When I really considered and thought about everything and talked it over with [Athletic Director] Hunter [Yurachek], I think this really made the most sense for this program," Musselman said.

Patrick led UC-Riverside to a 27-38 record in two seasons. The Highlanders improved to 17-15 last season and tied the school-record for most victories on the NCAA Division I level after going 10-23 in Patrick's first season.

UC-Riverside was 7-21 and 9-22 the two seasons before Patrick was hired.

Last season was the second time in 19 years since UC-Riverside moved up from NCAA Division II to Division I status for the 2001-02 season that the Highlanders finished with a winning record. They were 17-13 during the 2008-09 season under Coach Jim Woolridge.

Patrick came to UC-Riverside from TCU, where he was an assistant coach the previous two seasons.

"He's so well-respected in the coaching fraternity because he's so easy to get along with," Musselman said. "Throughout this process, people in our program and in our athletic department that talked to him [realized] he's a likable guy, has an incredible personality and he's got great experience and he has really, really incredible recruiting connections.

"I think from an Xs and Os standpoint, I knew working with him what his game preps were like. He's innovative and he's always trying to learn.

"He's an underrated coach, and I think what happened was when he went to Riverside, people saw how good he was from an Xs and Os standpoint and a game plan standpoint. I just think he's a really, really well-rounded coach in all aspects of the game."

Patrick's contract includes bonuses ranging from a month of his $360,000 base salary ($30,000) for Arkansas playing in the NCAA Tournament to four month's worth ($120,000) for winning SEC and national championships.

There are also are bonuses for making the Sweet 16 (one-and-half month's salary) and the Final Four (two months).

Those bonuses, if earned, would be deferred until April 30, 2022.

Patrick also will receive four tickets to home basketball games and four tickets to home events in other sports; $6,000 for an annual car allowance; membership in either the Fayetteville Athletic Club or Paradise Valley Country Club; and $2,000 annual allowance for Nike gear.

Upcoming Events