What Nate Oats said about his new Alabama deal after Florida loss
NASHVILLE – Before Alabama’s SEC Tournament game with Florida tipped off, Crimson Tide director of athletics Greg Byrne announced head coach Nate Oats has signed a new deal.
“Nate Oats has signed a new contract that will go before the Board of Trustees for approval next week,” Byrne said in a statement. “We are excited about the success of our men’s basketball program and Nate’s continued commitment to the University. We look forward to him leading our men’s basketball program for many years to come.”
According to Jeff Borzello of ESPN, Oats’ new deal is a long-term contract extension that will make him one of the five highest-paid coaches in the nation. Oats had a new contract approved on Feb. 3, 2023, that paid him $4.5 million this year and was set to increase by $200,000 each year through 2028-29. Just 13 months later, he received another extension.
Oats has led Alabama to a 113-53 record and what will be four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in his five years as the head coach. Following a disappointing loss to the Gators in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, Oats was asked about his new contract.
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“I’ve had a really good five years here working with Greg and Dr. (Stuart) Bell and the board and just everybody around the school,” Oats said. “I love it here. We’ve turned the program around. We’re a little disappointed tonight, obviously. We’d like to be playing tomorrow, playing for an SEC Tournament championship. But we’re in the NCAA tournament. The 13 years before we got here, they’d only played in two. This will be four straight for us.
“We’ve got the program headed in the right direction. We’ve got the commitment from the administration that they’re going to continue to support us in a way that I feel like we can compete to be a top 10, top 25 team year in, year out. I appreciate their support in keeping me here, taking my name out of some of the other job openings that are there.
“But it’s probably not great timing with this loss tonight with the release, to be honest with you.”
Oats is one of 19 athletic contracts that the UA System BOT compensation committee is set to consider on Monday, March 18. That meeting will take place virtually at 3:30 p.m. CT.
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