Steve Berkowitz's Avatar

Steve Berkowitz

@byberkowitz

Sports projects reporter for USA TODAY Sports. E-mail is: sberkowitz@usatoday.com

367
Followers
27
Following
313
Posts
13.03.2025
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz

Andrew Luck paving a new road with supreme power over football as Stanford's GM Forget individual needs, Stanford GM Andrew Luck believes in creating team legacies. He gets to do that with supreme power in new role with Cardinal.

Andrew Luck is paving a new road with supreme power over football as Stanford's GM, writes @usatodaysports.usatoday.com's Matt Hayes: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

23.10.2025 13:24 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Inside college football's GM race and how new position of power is changing the sport College football's race to hire a general manager and build a front office is well underway in the NIL era. Here are some potential trend-setters.

College football is still sorting out how to manage new world of transfers, NIL, pay to players. So far, there's no consensus about how to build a front office to handle it. A look at some of the most interesting setups, with @mgiannotto.bsky.social and John Heasly: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

23.10.2025 13:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The first @usatodaysports.usatoday.com survey of Power Four conference football GMs/front-office leaders is up and running. There are at least 13 such employees making $500,000 or more: sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salarie...

23.10.2025 13:19 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
College Sports Commission 'sowing new chaos in college athletics', U.S. Rep demands answers A member of the U.S. House of Representatives is raising questions about β€” and demanding answers from β€” the recently created College Sports Commission

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., is raising questions about β€” and demanding answers and documents from β€” College Sports Commission concerning its procedures for approving athletes’ NIL deals with entities other than their schools: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

11.10.2025 14:52 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Cal makes Ron Rivera one of college football's highest-paid GMs California Golden Bears football revealed more salary information about the significant investment it made in former NFL coach and new GM Ron Rivera.

University of California football GM, and former NFL coach, Ron Rivera is making $800,000 annually and can earn $800,000 in additional performance-based bonuses, according to information released today to @usatodaysports.usatoday.com: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

10.10.2025 17:25 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Collegiate Commissioners Association has sent letter to members of U.S. House of Representatives saying commissioners of 31 Division I conferences back passage of SCORE Act, bill from Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) that has passed two committees and can be brought to floor

10.10.2025 16:28 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Commerce Committee, announces she has sent letter to Big Ten school CEO's concerning possible private-capital deal.

10.10.2025 15:25 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Ohio University football coach Brian Smith working without a contract For a second consecutive football season, there is a major-college coach who is essentially working without a contract, at least for now.

Halfway through his team's regular season, a major-college football head coach is still working without a contract. A look at Ohio University's arrangement with Brian Smith: usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@usatodaysports.usatoday.com

09.10.2025 22:28 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Inside Bill Belichick's 'first of its kind' escape hatch in North Carolina contract Bill Belichick's buyout structure if North Carolina fired him is exceptionally unusual for a college football coaching contract.

Inside Bill Belichick's 'first of its kind' escape hatch in North Carolina contract, from Blake Toppmeyer on Day 2 of content connected to @usatodaysports.usatoday.com annual college football head coaches' pay survey: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

09.10.2025 22:22 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Highest Paid College Football Coaches & Salaries - USA TODAY Ever wondered who the highest paid coach in college football is? Find out today with USA TODAY's complete salary data.

During 2019 football season -- last one before the pandemic -- there were two college head coaches making over $8 million, none making over $9.5M.

This season, nine coaches are making more than $10 million, with another now at an annualized total of $10M.
sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salarie...

08.10.2025 12:05 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Colorado is paying big bucks for Deion Sanders and his players, but how? Answer is β€˜TBD’ Colorado has committed to paying tens of millions for coach Deion Sanders and his players. The question is how. Right now, it's a mystery

Colorado is paying big bucks for Deion Sanders and his players, but how? Answer is β€˜TBD’ -- a special report from @schrotenboer.bsky.social, with me and John Heasly: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

08.10.2025 11:25 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The 2025 @usatodaysports.usatoday.com college football head coaches' pay survey is up and running:

08.10.2025 11:13 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Firings so far this season by Arkansas, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Virginia Tech have those schools committed to buyouts totaling $37.1 million, subject to mitigation and offset, but not including amounts that also will be owed to assistant coaches

28.09.2025 17:27 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Why was Sam Pittman fired at Arkansas? Record, buyout info for Razorbacks coach Arkansas has fired Sam Pittman following a demoralizing loss to Notre Dame that dropped the Razorbacks' record to 2-3 on the season. What to know:

Arkansas fires football head coach Sam Pittman. Per contract, he will be due a buyout of about $9.3 million, subject to a duty to mitigate, with the school entitled to offset from future income:
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

28.09.2025 17:27 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

From earlier: Virginia Tech fires football coach Brent Pry. Per his contract -- which had been set to run thru 12/1/27 -- he is owed buyout of just over $6.8 million. He has no specified duty to mitigate, but school would get offset from his future income.

14.09.2025 19:26 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
UCLA fires football coach Deshaun Foster after 0-3 start to 2025 season Deshaun Foster ends his tumultuous tenure as UCLA coach at 5-10, including three consecutive losses to start the season.

From earlier: UCLA fires football coach Deshaun Foster after 0-3 start to season. Per his contract -- which had been set to run thru 1/31/2029 -- he is owed buyout of nearly $6.1 million, subject to his duty to mitigate, with offset usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@usatoday

14.09.2025 19:25 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

This bonus will increase to $25,000 if Utes are listed in top 25 of College Football Playoff rankings any time prior to final rankings, or to $150,000 if Utes are in final CFP or AP top 25.

02.09.2025 18:14 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham picks up $15,000 bonus, as Utes are No. 25 in this week's AP media rankings.

He gets this amount if team is in AP or US LBM Coaches Poll (in yrs when Whittingham isn't a voter, which is case this year) any time prior to end of regular season.

02.09.2025 18:13 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables takes $1 million pay cut for 2025 season Ahead of a pivotal season after a bumpy SEC debut, Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables has a new contract that lowers his salary by $1 million.

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables taking $1 million pay cut for 2025 season, newly obtained contract shows usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@usatoday

29.08.2025 22:25 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Rutgers -- paying $1.1 million guarantee to Ohio -- converts 4th down and 7 from Ohio 28 with just under 2 minutes to play while leading 34-31, then runs out clock to hang on for win by that margin.

Scarlet Knights were 5 for 5 on 4th down tonight.

29.08.2025 01:11 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The week's top payouts:
-Michigan: $1.8 million to New Mexico
-Georgia: $1.7 million to Marshall
-Wisconsin: $1.6 million to Miami (Ohio)
-Penn State: $1.6 million to Nevada

28.08.2025 21:32 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

This does not include multi-million-dollar payouts coming to Va Tech and South Carolina for game in Atlanta, or Cincinnati's multi-million-dollar payout for playing "home" game against Nebraska in Kansas City, Mo.

28.08.2025 21:31 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We're set for kickoff of Week 1 of college football season. The long weekend includes at least 16 games in which the home school will be paying its opponent an appearance guarantee of at least $1 million.

28.08.2025 21:31 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

Per Hawaii's notes for tonight's game: UH’s last wins over a Power Conference team were against the then-Pac-12’s Arizona and Oregon State in back-to-back weeks to open the 2019 season.

24.08.2025 03:12 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

College football head coach bonus payouts already are underway! Hawaii coach Timmy Chang gets $7,500 bonus as Rainbow Warriors defeat Stanford on FG as time expires.

Chang gets this amount for a win at home over Power Five/Four team.

24.08.2025 03:09 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
Post image

The SCORE Act, the college-sports bill that has been backed by several GOP leaders and advanced to the U.S. House floor, has picked up a third Democratic co-sponsor: Henry Cuellar of Texas.

20.08.2025 20:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Senate Commerce Committee, sends letter asking that leaders of House subcommittee that is set to take up college-sports bill tomorrow delay consideration and change bill in 6 ways.

14.07.2025 22:58 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Commerce Committee has been focal point on Senate side for long-running negotiations among senators concerning a college-sports bill.

14.07.2025 22:06 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Senate Commerce Committee, blasts college-sports bill that is set for markup in House subcommittee tomorrow.

β€œIf you thought the dissolution of the Pac-12 was a heist, the SCORE Act is the National Championship of all heists. ... "

14.07.2025 22:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Plaintiff lawyers in NCAA House settlement set to receive more than $750 million in legal fees Plaintiff laywers in the settlement involving the NCAA and the Power Five conferences are set to receive more $750 million in legal fees and costs.

Plaintiff lawyers in NCAA House settlement set to receive more than $750 million in legal fees usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@USATODAY

11.07.2025 17:49 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0