Matt L. Stephens

matthewstephens@coloradoan.com

The Big 12 succumbed to pressure last week and announced it will expand. It's news every Group of Five school around the country has been celebrating, with fan bases of those programs shouting what they feel is their team's case to join the big boys anywhere they think someone will listen.

While mid-major programs like Boise State and Central Florida are praying the Big 12 doesn't pass them by, a school like CSU — an hour's drive north of Denver — has a real chance to become a full-fledged member. And this opportunity is something Colorado State University has had in mind since at least 2014.

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In the renegotiated contracted signed by former football coach Jim McElwain on June 6, 2014, in addition to increasing his base salary from $1.35 million to $1.5 million, there was a provision stating that should CSU join a Power 5 conference (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC) and the school received more than $15 million in media rights revenue per year, his salary would become $3 million.

That forward thinking brought about by president Tony Frank has been a staple of CSU athletic contracts ever since.

Current football coach Mike Bobo, who has a base salary of $1.45 million in 2016, agreed in his contract signed Aug. 18, 2015, to work in good faith with CSU to "discuss an adjustment to Bobo's Base Salary and Incentive Compensation in the event the University joins a Power 5 athletic conference ... during the Term, taking into account the new conference's market conditions."

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The lowest-paid football coach in the Big 12 is David Beaty of Kansas, who earns a salary of $801,169. Ahead of him is first-year Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, who is guaranteed $2 million in 2016.

Additionally, athletic director Joe Parker, who signed on May 27, 2015, agreed to the same language. His base salary is $325,000.

CSU's other contracted coaches — Ryun Williams (women's basketball), Tom Hilbert (volleyball) and Larry Eustachy (men's basketball) — don't have these provisions.

For insight and analysis on athletics around Northern Colorado and the Mountain West, follow sports editor and columnist Matt L. Stephens at twitter.com/mattstephens and facebook.com/stephensreporting.

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