Gators Make Foley a Million Dollar Man

Jeremy Foley is the latest addition to a growing line of multi-millionaires in the Florida Athletic Department.

A steady rise in the 31 years since [he was hired] has resulted in Foley becoming the highest-paid athletic director in the country among public universities. Foley, 54, has agreed in principle to an 11-year contract extension worth an average annual salary of $1 million.

"Simply put, Jeremy's contract is what you would expect for the best athletic director in the nation," Florida President Bernie Machen said.

Foley is considered one of the best athletic directors in the country. His hire of Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan -- both young and relatively unproven coaches at the time of their hire -- looks brilliant in retrospect. Foley's employees have been responsible for 3 national championships in the NCAA's two biggest sports in the last two years. In Foley's 11-year tenure, the Gators have won a total of 12 national championships across its spectrum of sports teams.

It almost seems comical now, but there was a time -- not too long ago -- in which Florida fans were calling for Foley's head. The low point for Foley's star was when Ron Zook's Gators lost to Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State Bulldogs, easily the worst team in the SEC in 2004. Foley took a lot of heat for Zook's haplessness, but to his credit, made a quick decision to axe Zook. His timing made the hire of Urban Meyer possible, and many schools have since emulated his quick-hook act to better position themselves for the post-season coaching search.