close
close

Solondais

Where news breaks first, every time

    • sinolod

    Lane Kiffin and other college football coaches expected to get raises in 2025

    Mars Posted on

    Florida State had no choice but to break the bank to keep Mike Norvell.

    He had just won an ACC championship and narrowly missed the College Football Playoff. Additionally, Norvell had emerged as a leading contender to replace Nick Saban at Alabama after his abrupt retirement in January.

    Norvell’s new contract pays him $10 million in total compensation in 2024 and includes one of the largest buyouts among active coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision, at $70.1 million. But the reward for this massive deal has been AWOL: Six games in, Norvell and the Seminoles are 1-5 and the nation’s biggest disappointment.

    Several coaches are expected to see similarly significant salary increases this offseason. Will these increases bear fruit or will the programs experience buyer’s remorse? Here are five who should see their salaries increase after this season:

    Lane Kiffin, Mississippi

    With total compensation of $9 million in 2024, Kiffin is already one of the highest paid head coaches in the Bowl Subdivision. But he was mentioned in connection with the likely opener at Florida, who is expected to move on from third-year coach Billy Napier and aim to have some of the biggest names in the business reverse a recent decline. That raises the possibility that Kiffin sees a pay raise this offseason, and not just from the Gators. Kiffin could also be contacted by another top program in the market for a new coach or have his contract reworked by the Rebels amid interest inside and outside the SEC.

    GJ Kinne, Texas State

    The 35-year-old former Tulsa quarterback quickly made a name for himself by leading Incarnate Word to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals as a coach for the first time in 2022 and then in guiding Texas State to a bowl game in his debut. The Bobcats are 4-2 this season and a perfect 2-0 in the Sun Belt with a competitive loss to Arizona State in non-conference play. His fast-paced offensive scheme and immediate success will make him an attractive candidate for higher-level Group of Five positions this offseason. Kinne’s salary of just over $1 million this year ranks him 88th among coaches in our survey.

    Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

    The youngest coach in the Power Four, Dillingham took over an Arizona State program in major decline and won only three games last season. After beating then-No. 17 Utah last Friday, the Sun Devils are 5-1 and one of the top teams outside of America’s LBM Coaches Poll. Being an ASU graduate who got his start on the local high school scene before entering the college ranks makes Dillingham a contender to lead his rebuild and attempt to lead the Sun Devils to the top of the Big 12. But his winning ways will force the administration to bring his salary more in line with that of the league’s top coaches. Dillingham’s $3.95 million 2024 compensation ranks third from bottom among the Big 12 public college coaches.

    Deion Sanders, Colorado

    Is Sanders in line for a raise after showing results on the field to join his huge off-field impact on the program? He’s making $5.7 million in compensation this season, a bargain considering the attention, hype and focus on the Buffaloes since he was hired away from Jackson State. And while last year’s team was much more style than substance, CU is 4-2 and in deep contention for a bowl game. Sanders may not be a major target for other Power Four openings – Norvell faces no real risk of losing his job, taking FSU off the table – but he could see his deal reworked and extended after a nice breakout in 2024.

    Barry Odom, UNLV

    Already counted among our most underpaid coaches in the FBS at $1.75 million per year, Odom’s $4 million buyout is also a very manageable total for Power Four schools looking for a new coach after this season. While UNLV lost to Syracuse earlier this month and dropped out of the Top 25, the Rebels have been one of the best teams in the Mountain West since Odom took over in 2023. That will put him on the radar of a second level Power Four. openings, although schools should look beyond his four-year stint at Missouri that never saw the Tigers finish higher than third in the SEC East division.

    Follow academic journalist Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg

    Mars
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like