Toledo Receives 2-Year Extension

UCLA has rewarded football Coach Bob Toledo for the 10-game winning streak to finish last season and his highly regarded recruiting class with a two-year contract extension and a slight pay raise. The deal was signed in June but not announced until Monday.

Toledo, who this season has guided the Bruins to a 2-0 start and the No. 3 ranking in the country, was scheduled to make $403,000 annually through the 2001 season. In recognition of his work, which has put the team among the elite, UCLA changed the package, making the salary $453,000 a year through the 2003 season. That gives Toledo job security and the school additional protection against interested NFL teams.

“One of the things I said [in June] was that he was becoming an increasingly popular candidate for other jobs and I knew he wanted to stay,” Athletic Director Peter Dalis said.

“Bob’s been a delight to work with. I wanted to keep him at UCLA and he wanted to stay.”

Said Toledo: “I was really happy. One thing about coaching, you would like to have security and be appreciated for your efforts. . . . I would like to stay here the rest of my life and retire.”