Texas bumps interim coach Rodney Terry salary over $800,000

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas officials haveraised interim coach Rodney Terry’s salary to more than $800,000this season as he leads the Longhorns after the midseason firing offormer coach Chris Beard.

Terry took over the team as acting head coach when Beard wasinitially suspended following his arrest on a felony domesticviolence charge on allegations he choked, hit and bit hisfiancée.

Terry was given the interim head coach title when Beard wasfired on Jan. 5.

Terry’s previous salary was $500,000 plus incentives. Accordingto financial documents released by the university, he got a$50,000-per-month increase through April.

“He’s doing the duties of a head coach and we chose to adjusthis salary as he leads our program the rest of the year,” Texasathletic director Chris Del Conte said.

Terry has recently increased his off-court duties, stepping intopreviously-contracted slots for the head coach on weekly televisionand radio programs.

Del Conte declined comment on the search to fill the jobpermanently, but has praised Terry’s results with the ninth-rankedLonghorns (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) after Beard’s suspension andfiring.

Beard, who school officials said was “unfit” to continue leadingthe program, has put his Austin house up for sale for nearly $5million. The Travis County district attorney dismissed the chargeagainst Beard on Feb. 15.