UA to Jags: Thanks a million ... maybe

Shula reportedly going to coach in Jacksonville, saving school money
The $4 million golden parachute Alabama gave former coach Mike Shula has been slashed.
But even after Shula was hired Thursday as quarterbacks coach by the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, the school that fired him as its head football coach exactly two months ago today still owes him a hefty amount of his severance package.
It's possible, though, that Shula's new job could save Alabama close to or possibly more than $1 million.
The Jaguars did not make an official announcement on Shula on Thursday. But the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville posted on its Web site Thursday that Shula had been hired, citing a team spokesman,
According to clause 5.01(i) in Shula's contract, his buyout would be reduced by the gross amount of his new salary.
Shula's salary with the Jaguars was not available Thursday. But quarterback coaches in the NFL usually have a range of $150,000 to $200,000.
The buyout in the Alabama contract calls for Shula to be paid monthly, which would be about $66,667 per month on a $4 million package spread over the remaining five years of the contract.
If Shula receives a $200,000 salary from the Jaguars, he would make about $16,667 per month. And that would reduce Alabama's monthly payments to about $50,000 - trimming about $1 million from the balance of the buyout.
Shula, of course, received a new six-year contract last May that called for him to make about $1.8 million per year. The contract also had a $3 million buyout, plus $200,000 for each year remaining on the contract - which added $1 million when Shula was fired Nov. 26 after the Tide had a 6-6 regular season.
According to the contract, Shula has 14 days from taking a new job to inform Alabama of his new employment and provide "complete details" of his new compensation package.
Shula's job with the Jaguars came after he interviewed for at least two other jobs.
He interviewed twice with the Miami Dolphins about replacing Nick Saban as head coach and also with Jaguars about becoming offensive coordinator.
The Dolphins hired Cam Cameron and the Jaguars chose fired Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter, respectively, for those positions.
Pursuing employment was also a stipulation of Shula's buyout.
This will be Shula's fourth NFL team. He's also had stints with the Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears. Shula was the Dolphins quarterbacks coach when he was hired at Alabama in May 2003.
Three of his assistant coaches at Alabama have taken new jobs: Buddy Wyatt is the defensive line coach at Nebraska, Charlie Harbison is the defensive backs coach at Mississippi State and Chris Ball is the defensive backs coach at Pittsburgh.

As Reported by: The Huntsville Times
By PAUL GATTIS
Times Sports Staff