Kirby Smart became the highest-paid head coach in college football after signing a new extension. What other coaches are among those with the biggest paychecks this season?
There has always been plenty of money around college football as prominent boosters look to get every possible edge against their rivals, and few other areas of influence have driven that competition than the ever-increasing salaries of the sport’s more important head coaches.
That market took another big step forward recently when Georgia offered, and head coach Kirby Smart signed, a new contract extension that expands his current by just one year, but also dramatically increased his salary. Who are the highest-paid coaches in college football this year?
Heupel’s average salary: $9 million. Heupel has won 27 games and two bowls in his three seasons with the Volunteers, including the program’s first 8-0 start and No. 1 ranking in the AP top 25 poll since 1998 back during the 2022 campaign. UT’s 11-win outing that year was the school’s first since 2001, and Heupel inked an extension in 2023 that will keep him at Rocky Top until 2029.
Kiffin’s average salary: $9 million. Kiffin has situated himself and the Rebels program very well during his tenure, culminating in him leading the school to its first-ever 11-win season a year ago. Ole Miss has gone 34-15 under Kiffin and 20-13 in SEC competition.
Kelly’s average salary: $9.6 million. Kelly has won 20 games in two seasons with the Tigers after his bombshell move from Notre Dame, going 12-4 in SEC play, and 2-0 in bowl games. LSU brought in Kelly, college football’s winningest active coach with 283 career victories, on a deal worth more than $100 million.
Norvell’s average salary: $10 million. After winning just eight games in his first two seasons, Norvell has won 23 in the last two years, culminating in the Seminoles’ undefeated ACC championship campaign in 2023, an effort that was infamously not enough to make the College Football Playoff.
Riley’s average salary: $10 million. Getting the exact number at Southern Cal is difficult given it’s a private school and doesn’t have to disclose the amount. Despite getting off to a hot start in his debut at the school, Riley’s record has stabilized to 19-8 over two seasons.
Day’s average salary: $10.3 million. Since taking over for Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes’ head coach has amassed an impressive 56-8 total record and a 39-3 mark in the Big Ten, finishing in the top 10 of the national rankings in each of his five seasons.
Sarkisian’s average salary: $10.6 million. Sark has improved in each of his three seasons with the Longhorns, winning 12 games and the Big 12 title a year ago and has gone 25-14 total. Early this year, Texas signed the coach to a four-year extension through 2030.
DeBoer’s average salary: $10.8 million. The man Alabama hopes can replace Nick Saban and keep the Crimson Tide a winner comes in after going 25-3 at Washington in two years, including an appearance in the national championship game. DeBoer is 104-12 in his career since 2005.
Swinney’s average salary: $11.5 million. Swinney’s teams have finished in the AP top 25 rankings in each of the last 13 seasons and he helped build the program into an early CFP dynasty with two national championships, including the 2018 team that became the first to win 15 games since the 19th century.
Smart’s average salary: $13 million. College football’s most accomplished active head coach is now also the sport’s most valuable after Georgia inked him to a new extension and a big raise. Smart is 42-2 over the last three seasons and won back-to-back national championships and is 94-16 overall.
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