College Football Coaching Salaries For 2010 Released
By Ty Duffy
Richest: Alabama pays Nick Saban enough money to stop him leaving. He earns $5,166,666 from the University (hoping he pulled a Clemens and demanded his contract end in 666) as well as $830,683 in Non-university compensation for a total of $5,997,349. Because that wasn’t enough, he’s also eligible for $700,000 in bonuses.
The rest of the top five shouldn’t surprise you. Mack Brown makes $5,161,500 with $850,000 in bonuses at Texas. Oklahoma pays Bob Stoops $4,375,000 with $819,500 in bonuses. Florida paid retiring Urban Meyer $4,010,000 with $575,000 in bonuses and LSU pays Les Miles $3,905,000 with a potential $400,000 in bonuses.
Poorest: Kent State’s Doug Martin makes a flat $190,000, though hitting his bonuses could push him ahead of Arkansas State’s Steve Roberts who makes $223,078 with no bonuses.
National Title Game: Gene Chizik earns $2,103,500, but Cam Newton probably will earn him every cent of his $1.5 million in bonuses. Chip Kelly earns $2.4 million, with the potential to make $885,000 in bonuses.
Really?: Kirk Ferentz is a solid coach, among the best in the Big Ten, but Iowa REALLY wants to keep him. Ferentz makes $3,781,000 with the potential to earn another $1,750,000 in bonuses.
Most Overpaid: Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe makes $2,939,475. Credit to them for trying to keep him after their 11-win season, but Wake Forest isn’t a program that can sustain success. The Demon Deacons were 3-9, 1-7 in the ACC. Grobe has finished with a losing conference record in 8/10 seasons. There’s no way Wake Forest should have a $3 million coach.
Most Underpaid: Chris Ault built Nevada football. He brought them from Division II to FCS to FBS. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, before beginning his most recent stint as Nevada head coach. 12-1 record. Going to sixth straight bowl game. Ranked No. 19. Ault makes $443,093 with a $30,000 bonus.
Financial Motivation: Here are two coaches who don’t get paid enough to keep them where they are. Al Golden makes $513,867 at Temple. Brady Hoke makes $675,000 at San Diego State.
Conclusion: Most college football programs don’t turn a profit, but the people paid to run them certainly do.