BOZEMAN — Montana State head football coach Brent Vigen will earn a base salary of $295,000 and at least $110,000 in easily attainable incentives as part of a new four-year contract with the university.
MTN Sports obtained a copy of the new contract on Monday.
The new contract, which was signed by director of athletics Leon Costello and MSU president Waded Cruzado on Dec. 17 and Vigen on Dec. 29, goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 and runs through March 31, 2029. According to the contract, Vigen will receive a $50,000 retention incentive on July 1 of each year he is employed at Montana State.
The contract also states Vigen can make an additional $80,000 per year by participating in radio and television coaches shows, as well as another $30,000 for participating in fundraising activities, social activities, booster functions, public speaking engagements and tickets sales campaigns. If the Bobcat Quarterback Club raises $500,000-$999,999, Vigen will receive $25,000. He'll receive $50,000 if the Bobcat Quarterback Club raises $1 million or more.
According to the contract, Vigen will also receive a bonus of $55,000 if the Bobcats play a regular-season game against a Power 4 conference opponent and a bonus of $25,000 if the Bobcats play a regular-season game against a Group of 6 opponent. Vigen may also pay assistant coaches each $2,500 and $1,000 for the Power 4 or Group of 6 game.
If the Bobcats play seven-plus regular-season home games, Vigen receives another $25,000 bonus.
The contract also includes a number of annual performance incentives, including grade-point average, graduation success rate and season tickets sold. It also includes compensation for playing an NCAA Bowl Championship team ($15,000) and beating an NCAA Bowl Championship team ($10,000).
If Vigen is recognized as the Big Sky Conference coach or co-coach of the year, he earns $10,000. He earns another $10,000 if he is recognized as a regional or national coach or co-coach of the year. In 2024, Vigen was the Big Sky Conference coach of the year and the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson coach of the year.
Vigen earns an additional $12,500 if the Bobcats finish the regular season as conference or co-conference champions.
Other game incentives included in the contract are:
- $5,000 for defeating an FCS team during non-conference play that had qualified for the FCS playoffs the previous year.
- $7,500 for achieving eight wins (including regular and postseason).
- $7,500 for achieving nine wins (including regular and postseason).
- $7,500 for achieving 10 or more wins (including regular and postseason).
- $7,500 for qualifying for the FCS playoffs.
- $7,500 for advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
- $10,000 for advancing to the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs (plus $2,500 for a quarterfinal game played at MSU).
- $5,000 for advancing to the semifinal round of the FCS playoffs (plus $10,000 for a semifinal game played at MSU).
- $15,000 for advancing to the national championship of the FCS playoffs.
- $50,000 for winning the FCS national championship.
If Montana State relieves Vigen of his coaching duties prior to Dec. 1, 2025, Vigen is due $450,000. That number drops to $350,000 between Dec. 2, 2025 and Dec. 1, 2026; $300,000 between Dec. 2, 2026 and Dec. 1, 2027; and the lesser of $300,000 or an amount equal to the portion of the base salary and benefits remaining after Dec. 2, 2027.
The buyouts are the same should Vigen terminate the contract early.
