In the Spotlight is a Fresno Bee series that digs into the high-profile local issues that readers care most about. Story idea? Email tips@fresnobee.com .
Fresno State made what could be considered an unusual hire to lead its men’s basketball program. Vance Walberg, the 67-year-old coach at Clovis West High hasn’t worked at a NCAA Division I school since he was an assistant at Massachusetts in 2011, and he was last a head coach at that level at Pepperdine in 2008.
Like the nontraditional hire, Walberg’s contract also will likely stray from what is normal across college athletics and represent a departure in several key ways from Fresno State’s recent history with coaching contracts.
The university included an unusual protection for Walberg in the contract, but also included an out related to his future health. The bonus structure is also not as robust as for some other head coaches on campus and in the Mountain West conference.
The contract also is just for three years, not the somewhat-standard five years. It includes an option for two additional seasons at the sole discretion of the university president, in consultation with the athletics director, according to the offer letter obtained by The Bee on Tuesday through a public records request.
Walberg, engineer of a revolutionary dribble drive motion offense now used widely across all levels of basketball, will be paid $595,000 from his April 8 hire date through April 30, 2025, and then $608,000 from May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2027. He will be paid $622,000 a year if the deal is extended through April 30, 2029. Portions of the annual salary will be paid by the university, and by its Athletics Corporation.
Fresno State paid former coach Justin Hutson $550,000 last season. Walberg will be the lowest paid basketball coach among the public schools in the Mountain West Conference, as was Hutson.
Things get more interesting from there, however.
In the event Walberg is unable to perform his duties due to health-related concerns, he shall be deemed to have resigned and all compensation and other obligations owed by the university and Athletic Corporation shall cease.
The definitions of “unable to perform” or a “health-related concern” are not specified by the university in the offer letter. That situation could arise, however. Hutson missed games against San Jose State and Utah State last season due to an illness. Football coach Jeff Tedford also did not work the Bulldogs’ victory over New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl due to a health issue , though he remained in communication with assistant coaches and the team while in game prep and on a brief leave.
The university and Fresno State Athletic Corporation in the offer letter also agree not to exercise or impose any non-retention efforts during the first two years of the contract, though Walberg can be terminated for cause at any time.
Walberg, if not retained during the third year of his deal, would be owed only 50% of his salary. If the contract is extended and he is not retained in the fourth or fifth years he would be owed only 30% of his salary.
In contrast, Tedford, if not retained, would receive 85% of his remaining salary under terms of his contract, Most head coaches on campus as well as the football offensive and defensive coordinators who are on multi-year contracts would receive 80% of their salaries.
The academic and performance bonuses in the Walberg contract are written differently and have much lower value than previous coaching contracts at Fresno State.
Walberg, in one example, has bonuses at three levels linked to the program’s NCAA Academic Progress Rate score ranging from $25,000 for a 935 score to $35,000 for a 950 score. Tedford in his contract has bonuses at five levels ranging from $50,000 for a 950 score to $90,000 for a 990 score.
The Bulldogs’ new basketball coach also has bonuses tied to attendance at the Save Mart Center, based on a 16-game home schedule. Walberg would receive a $25,000 bonus if 100,000 tickets are sold, $35,000 if 125,000 are sold, $45,000 if 150,000 tickets are sold and $55,000 if 175,000 are sold.
Fresno State would have to average 6,250 tickets sold over 16 games to trigger the lowest of those bonuses and average nearly 11,000 tickets sold to hit the highest bonus level.
The Bulldogs last season averaged just 3,471 for 16 home games and have not averaged more than 6,250 in attendance at the Save Mart Center since the 2016-17 season. They have not topped 10,000 since 2006-07.
Most Popular
Comments / 0