Pruett on MU payroll to Sept.
Former coach to hold promotional role at MU until end of September

By SCOTT WARTMAN - The Herald-Dispatch

Bob Pruett prepares to announce his retirement as head coach of Marshall University's football team during a press conference Wednesday. Pruett, who has coached the Thundering Herd for the past nine years, leaves Marshall with a 94-23 record.

HUNTINGTON -- While Bobby Pruett resigned as Marshall University’s head coach on Wednesday, he will stay on the university payroll until the end of September in a promotional role.

In his resignation letter signed on March 9, Pruett voluntarily declined over$1 million in incentives his contract guaranteed him through 2011 for a non-coaching position should he voluntarily resign as head coach.

Pruett relinquishing such large sums of payment shows his generosity and fondness toward Marshall University, said Michael Farrell, Marshall’s interim president.

"He voluntarily gave up over $1 million in compensation as a gift to the university," Farrell said. "I am exceedingly grateful for his generosity. It shows Bob Pruett is a class act and always put the university first."

For the next six months, Farrell said Pruett will promote the university. Specific duties of the job remain to be determined. In return, he will receive life insurance, membership to Guyan Country Club and his base salary until Sept. 30. Pruett’s base salary is $140,000 annually. After Sept. 30, Pruett relinquishes all these benefits, Farrell said.

"Coach Pruett will undertake assignments at my direction to spread the goodwill of the university," Farrell said. "He will help us in fundraising and recruitment of students."

Pruett said he will meet with university administration in early April to determine how he will work in this capacity.

Pruett said he wanted to retire under fair circumstances and wasn’t out to get as much money as he could.

"I am not in anything to hold anybody up," Pruett said. "I love the school, city and state. I am doing what I want to do."

This isn’t the first time Pruett turned down large sums of money. In 1999, Pruett declined an $8.9 million offer to coach at the University of Houston.

If he had stayed on as head coach at Marshall this year, his contract would have guaranteed a variety of bonuses from the university above his $140,000 annually salary, including $91,000 in 2005-2006 for appearing on radio and television football programs. That total for media promotions would increase to $106,000 in 2009.

But Pruett gave that up, saying it was time to retire.

Pruett said he is focused on spending time with his family and moving on.

"I am 62," Pruett said. "I want to get all my stuff settled and go forward."