The March contract amendment specified the university would owe Barnhart the $2.95 million in base salary it would have owed him if he remained as athletics director and two $650,000 retention bonuses he would have triggered in June 2027 and June 2028 if it terminated the contract without cause before July 1, but Barnhart\u2019s decision to step away from the job was classified as his decision.<\/p>\n
In 2023, UK added a section to Barnhart\u2019s contract that would allow him to transition to a university administration role as special assistant to the president beginning on July 1, 2026. That role was replaced by the executive in residence position in March.<\/p>\n
The original 2023 contract amendment specified Barnhart would be paid $800,000 if he became special assistant to the president.<\/p>\n
Both the 2023 and March amendments would have provided Barnhart and his family lifetime tickets to UK football, men\u2019s basketball and baseball games, but the new retirement settlement eliminated any promise of future complementary tickets.<\/p>\n
In April, Blanton told the Herald-Leader that UK still planned to fill the executive in residence position Barnhart stepped away from. Earlier Thursday, Capilouto sent a letter to the university community noting the workforce initiative will launch this fall<\/a> with the goal of better preparing students for careers and partnering students with industry contacts.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 3:43 PM.<\/p>\n Jon Hale<\/a><\/p>\n Lexington Herald-Leader<\/p>\n Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year.
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