Here's a look at the top 25 highest-paid coaches in college football, per USA Today. Based on this and some more extensive research, we can still figure out who is making the most to wear the headset on Saturdays. Last season there were at least 11 coaches making more than $1 million, and that number has only continued to grow. The Big Ten ranks second in average assistant coach pay, at $495,400, but trails the SEC by a six-figure margin. No. James Franklin salary: $7 million (Penn State), 14. In December 2021, Mississippi made Lane Kiffin one of the most well-paid coaches in both the SEC and all of college football, with a reported annual salary of $7.25 million. Drinkwitz just finishedthird season with the Tigers and originally signed an agreement through the 2025 season when he arrived in Columbia, Missouri, in 2019. When Auburn came in search of a new coach, Mississippi rewarded Kiffin with another extension, which keeps him in the top tier of SEC coaching salaries. Here are the 25 highest-paid college football coaches, their base salaries in 2022 and their record at their respective schools as of Nov. 30, 2022. As coaches come and go between the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and even NFL, this list constantly changes. The contract starts with paying him $7.1 million in 2022, which ranks near the top of the SEC and among all new coaching hires. "The results over Josh's first two seasons speak for themselves,"Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a news release. Drinkwitz is now the highest-paid coach in Missouri football history following his new agreement in November. RELATED: The "Iowa Wave" is College Football's Most Inspiring Tradition, Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, RELATED: Mario Cristobal's Miami Renaissance Would Make College Football Infinitely Better, Record: 96-54 (resigned at end of 2022 season), Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Base salary: $10-plus million (estimated), Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, RELATED: Kirby Smart's New 10-Year, $112.5 Million Contract Extension Puts Him in Rare Company. That came in 2020, as Iowa played just eight games and went 6-2 in that short season. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) includes 130 teams. Sabanagreed to a contract extension that would keep him in charge of the Crimson Tidethrough at least the 2028 season lastfall, and he's going to get anotherbump given changes to thecoaching landscape over the past few months and change. Ranking the SEC football coach salaries. third season with the Tigers and originally signed an agreement through the 2025 season when he arrived in Columbia, Missouri, in 2019. makes him one of the nation's highest-paid coaches, agreed to a contract extension that would keep him in charge of the Crimson Tide, signing the reigning national champion to college football's most lucrative extension, unless a "fairy godmother" dropped a "$250 million" contract, Kelly away from South Bend, Indiana, with an expensive deal, His extension in September 2021 increased Fisher's 2022, a hefty bump in pay with a new contract December, received a seven-year contract from Florida, Beamer's deal comes out to an average of $6.5 million, highest-paid coach in Missouri football history, agreed to the standard state of Mississippi maximum contract of four years. If you enjoy Blakes coverage, consider adigital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Beamer signed the SEC's largest contract extension this offseason earlier this month as the Gamecocks opened the checkbook following an eight-win season in Year 2 under their new coach that included consecutive wins over top-10 teams for the first time in school history. 2023 www.tennessean.com. The Ducks replaced him with former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who didn't make the list but made $4.6 million this year. This content is only available to USA TODAY subscribers. Dan Mullen is the most recent addition to the list. "Yep, so far," said Heupel . After leading Georgia to its coveted first national championship since 1980, Kirby Smart received the biggest contract in college football (well, until Nick Saban passed him by a couple weeks later, anyway). The leader of the Volunteers' new contract this week makes him one of the nation's highest-paid coaches, and cements his status as the guy Tennessee expects to lead the program to its first College Football Playoff appearance in the not-so-distant future. Fisher is starting to look like hes worth the money. The 2020 season is a tough way to judge Utah under Whittingham because of how short and strange the season was. Zach Barnett. A former national champion at Florida State University, Fisher cashed in by signing a 10-year, $75 million deal with Texas A&M starting in the 2018-19 season. Prior to his successful stint at Liberty,Freeze went 39-25 at Ole Miss from 2012-16, including a Sugar Bowl win in 2015 and a pair of wins over Alabama. Maximum Bonus: $76,923. Hes taken Stanford to eight bowl games in his time as well, winning five of them. Georgia's Kirby Smart signed a new 10-year, $112.5 million contract, making him the highest-paid coach in college football. SEC programs are paying the high for the retention of coaches, as South Carolina and Ole Miss handled this cycle, among others. The Wildcats have played in a bowl gameevery year since 2016, going 5-3 in the postseason under Stoops. The eNewspaper, a digital replica of the print edition. Ranking the SEC's football coaching jobs. Georgia has represented the East in the SEC titlegame five times in the Smart era. And while most of the compensation is generally known, there are always a few surprises when you dig into escalators, bonuses . Billy Napier's new term sheet withFlorida, for example, stipulates that he will have a salary pool of $7.5 million to pay 10 full-time assistants. Saban. During the second round of last season's SEC Tournament, the Crimson Tide went on to lose to Vanderbilt. The salary discrepancies between the two leagues can mainly be seen when you take a look at the average compensations. Annually, USA Today publishes a database listing the salaries of all 131 FBS head football coaches. That's right. Although this is Leachs first head coaching job in the SEC, hes a veteran who made the move to college football's most powerful conference after eight seasons at Washington State. If Smart continues his level of success, incentives will sweeten the deal further. Here is the list of SEC coaches and their total scheduled compensation: (1) Nick Saban, University of Alabama, 9,500,500 (2) Ed Orgeron, Louisiana State University, 9,012,917 8 months. The number of trophies in the schools trophy cases gets even bigger. Well, most of the time, the compensation properly reflects the hard work and dedication these coaches put on the field with their squads on the daily. He led Appalachian State to a 12-1 record last season. Riley has posted a record of 45-8 in his four years with the Sooners and has taken the team to the College Football Playoff three times under Rileys leadership. . Fisher is now the second highest paid coach in the country behind Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban. *Amount for 2019 calendar year, fromschools most recently available Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law report, which provides all income, including value of benefits, perks and bonuses paid. as of 12/1/2021: 1: Nick Saban: Alabama: $9,753,221* SEC: $9,500,000: $0* $9,500,000: $0* $38,400,000: 2: Ed Orgeron: Louisiana State: $9,012,917* . We rank the SEC football salaries for 2021. Who got the most bang for their coaching bucks this season? LSU luredKelly away from South Bend, Indiana, with an expensive dealsoaring past $100 million. , Yahoo, Yahoo. All rights reserved. Kiffin's salary includes a $100,000 raise every year through the 2025 season. (21) Lane Kiffin, University of Mississippi. But theres no doubt he is worth the money TCU is giving him. Assuming he will still make what he agreed to as tight ends coach, Arkansas is set to pay its assistant coaches $5.025 million in 2021. Kelly definitively said no, In 32 years as a head coach, Kelly has amassed a record of 294-101-2, which ranks him first among all active FBS coaches in career victories, ahead of Saban. On Tuesday, Florida head coach Dan Mullen received a three-year contract extension, raising his salary to a massive $7.6 million per year. Mike Leach ($5 million) and Eliah Drinkwitz ($3.925 million), who are in their first seasons at Washington State and Missouri, respectively, outrank Pruitt, the third-year Tennessee coach who led the Vols to an 8-5 record last season. The ACC ranks third in average assistant coach pay, followed by the Big 12 and Pac . As of 2009, the head coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff had a base annual salary of $105,000 per year. As powerhouse college football programs continue to build their dynasties and legendary histories, multiple things within the program grow. In only one of his 16 seasons has Gundy failed to make it to a bowl game and that was in Gundys first year. While Stanford might not be rolling as of late, it makes sense why Shaw is so high on this list. The SEC has nine of the top-21 highest paid coaches and all of the 13 that are reported are inside the top-60. Here are the 16 highest paid college football head coaches for the 2022 season: While the investment might not yet have paid off in terms of winning a championship, it looks like the Aggies are ready to become a true threat in college football. Pruitt is earning $3.846 million in total pay for 2020. SEC coach rankings 2021: Nick Saban remains king, Jimbo Fisher rises with big expectations ahead Alabama is set on Bryce Young as their guy. And yes, this list includes some coaches who have left their post, but if they coached a . Tom Herman (Texas) and Will Muschamp (South Carolina) were removed from the list after being fired. Mason was credited with $3.534 million in total compensation in 2018, according to university tax returns that year obtained by The Tennessean. Nick Saban is first, with a total pay of $9,753,221. LSU poached Brian Kelly from Notre Dame and paid him a pretty penny. Its clear that the identity of Cowboy football is centered around Gundy. In July, Heupel received a $1 million raise to his salary to reflect the programs upward trajectory, boosting his salary to $5 million. The first five years of Harbaughs tenure have not quite met the expectations that Michigan fans have. Editor's note: Clark Lea is not included in this exercises. With two retention bonuses included, Pittman's five-year deal averages $6.2 million per season and is the richest in Arkansas football history. The Georgia Bulldogs outlasted the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship Game, and six SEC teams landed among the final top 25 of the AFCA Coaches Poll. Other coaches among the top 10 highest paid last year that have since changed jobs include defensive coordinator Don Brown (Michigan to Arizona), Jim Chaney (who spent the last several seasons at Tennessee), and Mike Yurchich (who landed at Penn State after spending 2020 . Pruitt is earning $3.846 million in total pay . Subscribe to 247Sports YouTube for the latest college football, basketball and recruiting news including live college commitments. How each SEC football coach stacks up against each other in the annual CBS Sports coach rankings. A Vanderbilt alum, Lea served as the Notre Dame defensive coordinator over the past three seasons. . through at least the 2028 season lastfall, and he's going to get anotherbump given changes to thecoaching landscape over the past few months and change. But Tiger fans would say that whatever Orgeron is making, he is worth it. Ranking the Big Ten football head coaches by salary. The details of his contract were not released given Vanderbilts status as a private institution, but Lea looks to lead his alma mater to their first bowl victory since 2013. Kelly was asked at Notre Dameprior to leaving for LSU if he could ever seehimself bolting from the Fighting Irish for another gig.