Florida AD Scott Stricklin has signed a contract extension that will keep him under contract for the next five years. The extension was agreed upon back on June 1 but its contents were just publicized today thanks to documents obtained by multiple outlets.
The contract expires on Oct. 31, 2030, at which point the deal will automatically roll over to a 5-year deal making Stricklin a special assistant to the AD, a provision which runs from Nov. 1, 2030 to Nov. 1, 2035. By signing the deal, Stricklin, 55, set a quasi-official retirement date of Halloween 2030.
"In recognition of Stricklin's exemplary service as Athletic Director of the Association, if Stricklin is employed in good standing by the Association as the Athletic Director upon the expiration os this Agreement on October 31, 3020, then beginning on November 1, 2030, the Association shall employ Stricklin as the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director for a term of five *5) years, through November 1, 2035," the contract via Swamp 247, "unless such employment is earlier terminated by Stricklin's death, disability or retirement or by the Association at its discretion."
Included in the deal is a $200,000 annual raise, which takes his base salary to $1.25 million and his total compensation to $2.075 million, which places him in the middle of the pack among SEC athletics directors.
Florida doubled Stricklin's salary to hire him away from his alma mater, Mississippi State, where he was NACDA's Athletics Director of the Year in 2015-16.
In nearly a decade atop the athletics department, Stricklin fired Jim McElwain after two and a half seasons following an investigation where UF felt its head coach was dishonest about death threats he claimed to receive, hired Dan Mullen away from Mississippi State, and then hired Billy Napier in 2022 after four seasons under Mullen. Napier is 20-19 thus far at Florida, but owns a 5-game winning streak and a No. 13 AP ranking with star sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway at the helm.
Elsewhere, Florida has won its first and only College World Series championship and its third men's basketball national championship under Stricklin's watch. Stricklin did not hire longtime hardball coach Kevin O'Sullivan, but did hire and retain hardwood head coach Todd Golden after workplace misconduct allegations surfaced last November. Florida has also won championships in men's golf, indoor/outdoor track and field (men and women), and men's and women's tennis under Stricklin's watch.