Turns out Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie isn’t the only big-name coach — not even the only coach in the SEC — who is working without a signed, formal contract.
The Gainesville Sun reports that Florida coach Billy Donovan has yet to sign the contract extension he received from the school last June after Billy D. did made a surprise return to Gainesville after initially taking the Orlando Magic NBA job.
Instead, Donovan is coaching under a "verbal agreement" reached when the extension was being negotiated.
Of course, after Donovan turned down UK last spring, the Cats hired Gillispie away from Texas A &M. Billy G. signed a memorandum of agreement outlining the basics of his contract with Kentucky, but the two sides were never able to negotiate a formal contract. So both sides are operating on the terms of the initial agreement.
"We know that Billy and his attorneys are reviewing this," Florida assistant athletic director Fred Demarest told the Gainesville newspaper. "There are no hangups and we are confident that it will be signed in the near future."
Donovan has changed attorneys since the extension was negotiated, which has played a part in the delay.
