Missouri State extends football coach's contract through 2021 season

Missouri State University re-upped with the guy who told us all to Bear Up.

The Missouri State University Board of Governors took official steps to extend the contract of Bears’ head football coach Dave Steckel by two years. The board made its vote on Friday and announced the extension Tuesday afternoon.

Steckel, who initially signed a five-year contract with Missouri State in 2014, now holds a contract that extends to January 2022. His financial and benefits packages do not change. “Coach Stec” makes a base salary of $270,000, but his offer letter shows he could make up to $135,000 more from incentives. If the Bears make the FCS football playoffs, Steckel's base salary would immediately jump $25,000 annually.

The upcoming season will be Steckel’s third with the Bears. Missouri State went 4-7 in 2016 and went 1-10 in Steckel’s first season with the program.

“I’m very humbled with the encouragement and support from (MSU athletic director) Kyle (Moats) and President (Clif) Smart, the administration and Board of Governors,” Steckel said. “We want to continue to build this program the right way with discipline and attention to detail to make Missouri State proud. We will do everything we can to build Missouri State into a competitive brand of football.”

Missouri State football spring game Bears coach Dave Steckel and players Deion Holliman and Kurran Blamey talk about the spring game.

Missouri State returns 42 lettermen and 18 starters from last season. Moats believes in Steckel’s ability to build the program.

“Stec is a positive fixture within our community and has demonstrated the qualities we are looking for to improve our team on and off the field,” MSU Director of Athletics Kyle Moats said. “We have confidence in his ability to continue building up our team, and we feel this move will help him and his staff as they recruit young men who will help us achieve that goal.”

Missouri State will open the 2017 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 at Missouri. The game will mark the first time the Bears and Tigers have played since 1923.