2021 NCAA football assistant coach salaries methodology

Methodology

To determine the total pay packages of Football Bowl Subdivision football assistant coaches for their current contract years, Paste BN Sports requested contracts and related documents for the coaches at all schools that are subject to open-records disclosure or must make some type of disclosure about employees’ pay. About 20 FBS schools or athletics departments are private or are public schools covered under state law exempting them from releasing full compensation data on coaches.

2021 figures for assistant coaches and strength coaches do not take into account pay reductions that some coaches have taken, or are taking, through voluntary or mandatory pay reductions, or through donations made by the coach, due to school financial considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these reductions occurred during both part of the contract year covering the 2020 season and part of the contract year covering the 2021 season. With two schools, the reductions occurred for at least some coaches during the entirety of the contract year covering the 2021 season.

A not available (–) in the chart denotes schools that are private or did not release the information.

Except as noted, listings are based on schools’ assistant coaching rosters at the start of the 2021 regular season.

Compensation categories

TOTAL PAY: Without taking into account pay reductions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, includes base salary on an annualized basis; annualized income from contract provisions other than base salary paid, or guaranteed, by the university or affiliated organizations, such as a foundation. Examples include payments in consideration for: shoe and apparel use; television, radio or other media appearances; personal appearances. Except as noted, these amounts are based on the coach’s annual pay rate for a full, standard-length contract year; they do not reflect amounts earned for a partial year worked immediately after hiring or a partial year worked at an annual pay rate other than the current amount.

It also includes deferred payments earned annually, conditional or otherwise; contractual annual expense accounts (if unaudited) or housing allowances; signing and other one-time bonuses earned in the current contract year.

It does not include amounts paid by the school in conjunction with a buyout a coach owed his previous employer; the value of standard university benefits such as health care or the value of potentially taxable items such as cars; country club memberships; game tickets; the value of spouse/family travel and game tickets. It also does not include athletically related compensation received from non-university sources. (The NCAA requires athletics department employees to annually disclose athletically related income from non-university sources if it totals more than $600 in a year.)

MAXIMUM BONUS: The greatest amount that can be received if the team meets on-field performance goals (including win totals, bowl-game appearances, conference and national championships, coaching awards, etc.), academic or player-conduct goals.

ASSISTANT COACHES PAY TOTAL: Sum of the total pay figures for the assistant coaches at the given school, not including the strength coach.

HEAD COACH TOTAL PAY: Amount of Total Pay for 2021 for the head coach at the assistant coach’s school.

STRENGTH COACH PAY: Amount of Total for 2021 for the head football strength coach at the assistant coach’s school.

Notes

ALABAMA: Pete Golding’s Total Pay includes $125,000 retention payment he will receive if he remains defensive coordinator through Feb. 15, 2022.

ARIZONA STATE:  Antonio Pierce’s Total Pay includes $25,000 retention payment he will receive if he remains defensive coordinator through Feb. 5, 2022. School listed with 13 assistants, rather the 10 generally allowed by NCAA rules, because three assistants were placed on administrative leave with pay during the summer and were replaced on the staff for the season.

CALIFORNIA: Bill Musgraves’ Total Pay includes $200,000 retention payment for remaining with the school through the end of the regular season. Tre Watson’s total includes $25,000 signing bonus, plus $170,000 retention payment for remaining with the school from March 5, 2021 through March 31, 2021. Keith Heyward’s total includes $25,000 signing bonus.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Total Pay for all coaches includes discretionary retention payments ranging from $5,000 to $19,000.  Totals for Alvin Slaughter, Ian Scott and Michael Zordich also each include $15,000 signing bonus.

CLEMSON: Total Pay for coaches other than Brent Venables and C.J. Spiller does not reflect pandemic-related pay reductions of varying percentages they agreed to accept through June 30, 2021, a period that included five months of the contract year covering 2021 season. In addition, a pay increase that Tony Elliott was due to receive Feb. 1 was postponed until July 1. Venables agreed to $240,000 pay reduction during his contract year that covered the 2020 season.

Venables’ Total Pay for his contract year covering the 2021 season includes a $400,0000 life-insurance premium payment in connection with his completion of the season that was to be made by the university no later than 15 days after the College Football Playoff championship game. The university would be entitled to reimbursement of the payment, plus interest, from policy’s death benefits. Venables was named as Oklahoma’s head coach on Dec. 5.

CONNECTICUT: School listed with 11 assistants, rather the 10 generally allowed by NCAA rules, because after head coach Randy Edsall’s departure in early September, Lou Spanos was promoted to interim head coach and replaced on the staff.

FLORIDA: Todd Grantham and John Hevesy fired on Nov. 7.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: Retention payments made in 2021 are included in Total Pay for Drew Davis ($4.000), Bryn Renner ($4,000), Deke Adams ($20,000), Randall McCray ($20,000). Joel Rodriguez received $20,000 in retention pay and would receive an additional $10,000 if he remains on the staff on Dec. 15, 2021.

INDIANA: Darren Hiller’s Total Pay includes $50,000 retention payment he will receive if he remains run game coordinator/offensive line coach through Jan. 1, 2022.

IOWA: Phil Parker’s Total Pay includes $210,000 one-time longevity payment he will receive if he remains employed by the school on June 30, 2022.

LSU: Total Pay for Kevin Faulk, Mickey Joseph, Greg McMahon and Corey Raymond does not reflect 5% pandemic-related pay reductions they agreed to accept for the entire 2021 calendar year, which also is their contract year. Total Pay for Jake Peetz and Daronte Jones includes $150,000 each coach received as a signing bonus. Total Pay for Andre Carter, D.J. Mangas includes $5,000 each coach received for relocation expenses not covered by the school. Total Pay for Brad Davis includes $25,000 as “relocation incentive.” Davis’ total does not include $95,530 that LSU agreed to pay on his behalf to Arkansas in connection with the amount he owed for terminating his contract there.

LIBERTY: Because school is private, Total Pay for Kent Austin and Scott Symons is from school’s most recently available federal tax return. That document provides compensation for 2019 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses.

MICHIGAN: Mike Hart’s Total Pay includes $115,000 signing bonus.

MICHIGAN STATE: Total Pay for all coaches does not reflect pandemic-related reductions of varying percentages of their base salaries they agreed to accept through Aug. 31, 2021, a period that covered five months of the contract year covering 2021 season.

MISSOURI: Steve Wilks’ Total Pay includes $200,000 retention payment he will receive if he remains defensive coordinator through Feb. 15, 2022. Jethro Franklin fired on Oct. 3.

NEBRASKA: Greg Austin, Ryan Held, Matt Lubick and Mario Verduzco fired on Nov. 8.

NEVADA-LAS VEGAS: Retention payments made March 1, 2021, are included in Total Pay for Chad Kauha’aha’a ($75,000) and Glenn Thomas ($35,000).

OREGON STATE: Tim Tibesar fired on Nov. 7.

PENN STATE: Total Pay for Brent Pry is from school’s most recently available Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law report. Document provides compensation for 2019 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses.

PITTSBURGH: Total Pay for Randy Bates and Mark Whipple are from school’s most recently available Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law report. Document provides compensation for year ending June 30, 2020.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Glenn Spencer fired on Nov. 21.

TENNESSEE: Jerry Mack’s Total Pay does not include $62,500 that Tennessee agreed to pay on his behalf to Rice, the amount he owed for terminating his contract there.

TEXAS: Total Pay amounts for A.J. Milwee, Terry Joseph, Jeff Choate and Jeff Banks do not include unspecified payments made to their respective previous employers for terminating their contracts.

TEXAS A&M: One-time signing bonuses are included in the Total Pay for Elijah Robinson ($16,667) and Tommie Robinson ($25,000).

TULSA: Because school is private, Total Pay for Joseph Gillespie is from school’s most recently available federal tax return. That document provides compensation for 2019 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses.

VIRGINIA TECH: Total Pay for all coaches does not reflect 10% pandemic-related pay reductions they agreed to accept for the entire 2021 calendar year, which also is their contract year.

WAKE FOREST: Because school is private, Total Pay for Warren Ruggiero is from school’s most recently available federal tax return. That document provides compensation for 2019 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses.

WASHINGTON: John Donovan fired on Nov. 7.

WASHINGTON STATE: Ricky Logo, John Richardson, Craig Stutzman and Mark Weber fired for cause on Oct. 18.

WEST VIRGINIA: Gerad Parker’s Total Pay includes $50,000 retention payment he will receive if he is working for the school on Feb. 1, 2022. Andrew Jackson’s total includes a $15,000 relocation stipend.

WISCONSIN: Total Pay for Jim Leonhard and Joe Rudolph does not reflect 15% pandemic-related pay reductions they agreed to accept through June 30, 2021, a period that included five months of the contract year covering 2021 season.