Tuberville set to reap rewards

AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville soon will be rewarded for leading the Tigers to one of their best seasons.

Auburn interim President Ed Richardson met with Tuberville on Monday and said they have agreed to the principles of a five- to seven-year deal reportedly worth at least $2 million annually.

"It's down to small things," Richardson said. "We're going to make our contract available certainly this week. He'll have it. When he agrees to it, we'll be ready to go."

He said the contract will make Tuberville, who has a 50-24 record in six seasons as Auburn, one of the highest-paid coaches in the Southeastern Conference, calling the imminent raise "substantial."

Tuberville led the third-ranked Tigers to their first 12-0 record and the SEC championship, breaking a 15-year title drought. They play Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3.

Tuberville's current contract is five years at $1.5 million annually, and he is also in line for at least $300,000 in performance bonuses this year.

Richardson said Friday he wanted to wait until after the Sugar Bowl to rework Tuberville's contract, but said he now wants to get it done earlier.

Richardson will study the seven-year deal Florida reached with new coach Urban Meyer and the guaranteed contract of LSU coach Nick Saban.

Florida guaranteed much of Meyer's seven-year, $14 million package. Saban also has a seven-year contract, currently worth $2.3 million and rising to a base of $3 million in 2010, the final year.

Tuberville is in a strong bargaining position a year after surviving an attempt to fire him made by former Auburn President William Walker.

Richardson said Tuberville won't become the highest-paid coach in the SEC, "but he'll be in the top tier, as he should be."

Tommy Tubervilleled Auburn to a 12-0 record.