Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke, who formerly was the chairman of the NCAA Division I baseball committee, used his baseball connections and instincts to keep Jay Johnson safely in his office at Hi Corbett Field this summer. As Oklahoma, Alabama and South Carolina changed head coaches, Heeke was pro-active, ahead of the storm, reworking Johnson’s contract and giving him a more market-appropriate salary. Johnson was paid $335,000 in base salary last year. The market at the top of the college game is much higher than that; South Carolina hired South Florida’s Mark Kingston for $600,000 per year through 2023. Details of Johnson’s contract are not yet final.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at 520-573-4362 or ghansen@tucson.com. On Twitter: @ghansen711