EDITOR’S NOTE: Given the recent contract extension signed by Montana head football coach Bobby Hauck, Skyline Sports will have a series of stories on the contracts of the head football coaches and the athletic directors at the University of Montana and Montana State University.
Brent Vigen tied the Montana State single-season record for wins in each of his first two seasons as the head coach of the Bobcats. That helped the 48-year-old signed a contract extension chalked full of incentives on April 1 of 2023.
Per the contract, “each year of this Agreement, the parties will meet to mutually discuss the option to enter into a new Agreement on the terms and conditions agreed upon. Any such extension will be by separate written agreement and contingent on approval of the Commissioner of Higher Education. MSU may offer an extension at any time during each year of the Term and may begin negotiations on or after March 1 of each contract year. Such negotiations and subsequent decision on extension must be concluded no later than May 1 of each year.”
Vigen’s latest contract, which expires on January 31 of 2027, includes a base salary from $214,649.87 annually. Before signing the new four-year deal last April, Vigen was making $210,437 in annual salary.
Vigen will receive a $35,000 retention bonus in Year 1, $40,000 in year 2, 45,000 in year 3 and $50,000 in year 4 if Coach remains in the employment of the University on July 1 of each year of this contract. These retention bonuses will be paid within 30 days of each July 1 if Vigen remains the head football coach at Montana State.
Vigen will also receive a guaranteed bonus for his weekly media appearances on both the Bobcat Radio Network and through MSU’s television agreement with Scripps Sports and MTN. Vigen will be paid $40,000 per year for services related to radio show(s). He will also be paid $40,000 for his appearances on all of television shows arranged by the university. The annual “Coach’s Shows” compensation will be paid to coach in equal biweekly installments each contract year.
Along with his media guarantees, Vigen receives MSU’s “best efforts” to obtain a courtesy automobile from a local dealership. Vigen will also receive a guaranteed bonus for “fundraising” that includes public appearances, attending Bobcat Club events, and giving public speeches. That bonus is $30,000 annually.
With his base salary, his first-year retention bonus and his pending second-year retention bonus plus his guaranteed bonuses for media and public appearances, Vigen’s guaranteed salary is $399,650.
Vigen’s contract is also flush with annual performance incentives, including academic performance incentives. The academic bonuses are also given to Vigen’s assistant coaches, as are many of the performance bonuses.
Montana State team cumulative grade-point average this past semester was 3.35.
Other performance incentives in Vigen’s contract include:
- In each academic year, if the Bobcat football team achieves a GPA between 2.70 or higher, Vigen receives $5,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $500. Should the GPA be 2.85 or higher, Vigen receives $5,000 and his assistants receive $500. If the cumulative GPA is 3.0 or higher, Vigen receives $5,000 and his assistants receive $500 each. Montana State’s team GPA was 3.35 last semester.
- If the program maintains a four-year average academic progress rate score of at least 985 as determined by the yearly NCAA APR report, Vigen receives $10,000. Montana State’s APR when last calculated in the 2021-2022 calendar year was 975.
- If the program maintains a graduation success rate each year as measured by the NCAA “Graduation Success Rate”, Vigen will receive the following bonuses: $7,500 for a graduation rate of 70-79 percent; another $5,000 for 80-89 percent; an additional $5,000 for 90-99 percent and another $5,000 for 100 percent.
- Vigen receives a $15,000 bonus for playing an FBS team and his assistants receive $500 each. He will receive an additional $10,000 and his assistants get $500 each for beating an FBS team. Montana State played Wyoming in 2021 in Vigen’s first game as head coach and played Oregon State in Portland in 2022. MSU plays at New Mexico to open the 2024 season. The Bobcats play at Oregon to open 2025.
- Vigen receives a $5,000 bonus for maintaining or increasing average attendance.
- Vigen will receive a $10,000 bonus for earning Big Sky Conference Coach of Co-Coach of the year and his staff receives $500 each. Vigen was the 2022 Big Sky Co-Coach of the Year.
- Vigen will receive an additional $10,000 if he is named regional or national Coach of the Year.
- If Montana State wins or shares the Big Sky Conference championship, Vigen receives a $12,500 bonus and his assistants each receive $1,000. The Bobcats won their first Big Sky title in 10 years in 2022.
- Vigen receives $5,000 for each win over teams that qualified for the FCS playoffs the previous season. Last season, MSU beat 2022 playoff qualifiers Weber State and Sacramento State. The 2024 schedule includes games against Idaho, Sac State, at UC Davis and against rival Montana.
- If Montana State wins eight games including the regular season and the post season, Vigen receivers $7,500. If MSU wins nine regular and postseason games, Vigen receivers $7,500. If the Bobcats win 10 or more games, Vigen receives $7,500. MSU won 12 games in 2021 and 2022 before winning eight last season.
- Each playoff bid earns Vigen $7,500 and his staff $500. Advancing to the second round earns Vigen $7,500. Advancing to the quarterfinals earns Vigen $10,000 and his staff $500 each. A trip to the semifinals gets Vigen $10,000 and his assistants $500 each. A trip to the FCS national championship game means a $15,000 bonus for Vigen and $500 for each assistant. A national championship game victory will earn Vigen $50,000 and his assistants $2,000 each. Montana State advanced to the FCS title game in 2021 and the semifinals in 2022. MSU’s season ended in the second round last season.
- Vigen receives Country Club dues paid for annually.
- Vigen’s contract also includes spouse travel on charter flights and bus trips at his discretion without charge.
- Vigen receives the following complimentary tickets, which can not be resold: Four season football tickets, six tickets per home game including playoff games, five tickets to all home men’s basketball games and five tickets to all women’s basketball games.
Vigen is 32-8 in his three seasons as the head coach at Montana State. He has helped the Bobcats to a conference title and has made the playoffs three seasons in a row, winning five total playoff games, including three on the way to a national runner-up finish in 2021.
With his base salary, his first-year retention bonus and his pending second-year retention bonus plus his guaranteed bonuses for media and public appearances, Vigen’s guaranteed salary is $399,650 and he earned $85,000 in bonuses last season, earning $484,650.
If he were to duplicate the success of the playoff run in 2021, beat all four playoff teams that made the playoffs last season, and add a Big Sky title and coach of the year like in 2022, Vigen could earn $614,650. An undefeated run to the national championship (including an FBS win) would earn Vigen $665,650.
