UConn Expected to Pay At Least $2M For Next Head Coach

[CL82]

Luke Fickell: $3.4 million base plus $600k of incentives. He made $450k in incentives last year so rounded to $4 million.

Dana Holgersen: $4.0 million base plus $730k in potential bonus. Made $30k in bonus previous year so rounded to $4.0 million.

Gus Malzahn: $2.32 million base with $500k bonus. So, I rounded to $3 million.

Sonny Dykes: private school, so data not public. High estimate is $3 million per year, although USA Today says $1.3 million.

Willie Fritz: private school, so data not public. High estimate is $2.0 million and USA Today says $1.939 million.

Ryan Silverfield: $1.8 million base with $500k max bonus.

Ken Niumatalolo: data not public, but high estimate is $3.0 million and USA Today estimate is $2.316 million.

Jeff Scott: $2.4 million base, $420k max bonus.

Rod Carey: $2.1 million base.

Philip Montgomery: High estimate $2.0 million fir this year, USA Today estimate is $1.8 million for last year.

Mike Houston: $1.6 million base with $770k max bonus.

As you can see, $2 million is near the bottom of current AAC pay.


newbies:

UAB: $1.55 mill. base, $1.06 mill. max bonus.

North Texas: $1.9 million base with $580k max bonus.

Your list doesn’t seem to support that at all. 2 million seems to be comfortably in the middle. Keep in mind that Dave Benedict didn’t say the salary for our next head coach is exactly $2 million, he said 2 million or more. we aren’t stealing Holgerson, but we can afford to pay for a competent FBS coach.

 

[UConnJim]

Your list doesn’t seem to support that at all. 2 million seems to be comfortably in the middle. Keep in mind that Dave Benedict didn’t say the salary for our next head coach is exactly $2 million, he said 2 million or more. we aren’t stealing Holgerson, but we can afford to pay for a competent FBS coach.

Which coach in the AAC makes less than $2 million including bonus?

 

[CL82]

Which coach in the AAC makes less than $2 million including bonus?

Did Dave Benedict indicate that “at least $2 million” included any bonuses? It didn’t seem so to me.

By the way how did “at least $2 million“ become “less than $2 million?” Just curious.

 

[UConnJim]

Did Dave Benedict indicate that “at least $2 million” included any bonuses? It didn’t seem so to me.

By the way how did “at least $2 million“ become “less than $2 million?” Just curious.

I don’t know what UConn is willing to pay, but my point is $2 million is the low end of AAC pay and the numbers bear that out. I just don’t view $2 million as a “major commitment” to football. Heck, Diaco was scheduled to make $2 million in 2019.

 

[CL82]

I don’t know what UConn is willing to pay, but my point is $2 million is the low end of AAC pay and the numbers bear that out.

Are you sure about that? Because it sure looks like five of 11 make less than $2 million and one coach makes less than 100,000 more than $2 million. Take another look.

For what it’s worth, the three top paid coaches are moving onto the big 12, so it is likely that the median salary in the American is going to drop significantly.

 

[UConnJim]

Are you sure about that? Because it sure looks like five of 11 make less than $2 million and one coach makes less than 100,000 more than $2 million. Take another look.

View attachment 70664

For what it’s worth, the three top paid coaches are moving onto the big 12, so it is likely that the median salary in the American is going to drop significantly.

You are using the USA Today database which is good for public school universities and less so for privates. For example, Sonny Dykes is listed making $1.3 million, but some estimate his pay is $3 million. (Look on Coaches Hot Seat.) Remember, for football coaches, not all pay comes directly from the school.

Also, click on their names from this list and it details their total pay and you will see much higher numbers with bonuses included than the listed “total pay”. For example, if you click on Luke Fickell, you’ll see his base pay is $3.4 million, his prior year bonus was $450k with a max bonus of $595k, and he took a COViD reduction of $85k, but it looks like it may have been for the contract life.

And, those numbers you list include the COVID salary reductions for some of the coaches from their expected base pay. For example, Jeff Scott of USF was expected to make $2.4 million, but he had a $180k salary reduction from COVID and he is listed at $2.22 million. (He has max bonus of $420k.) Ryan Silverfield was expected to make $1.8 million in base, but he had a $177k COVID reduction to bring him to $1.623 million before his max bonus of $500k. If you take his base of $1.8 million and add his previous year bonus of $160k you get to $1.96 million.

 

[CL82]

You are using the USA Today database which is good for public school universities and less so for privates. For example, Sonny Dykes is listed making $1.3 million, but some estimate his pay is $3 million. (Look on Coaches Hot Seat.) Remember, for football coaches, not all pay comes directly from the school.

Also, click on their names from this list and it details their total pay and you will see much higher numbers with bonuses included than the listed “total pay”. For example, if you click on Luke Fickell, you’ll see his base pay is $3.4 million, his prior year bonus was $450k with a max bonus of $595k, and he took a COViD reduction of $85k, but it looks like it may have been for the contract life.

And, those numbers you list include the COVID salary reductions for some of the coaches from their expected base pay. For example, Jeff Scott of USF was expected to make $2.4 million, but he had a $180k salary reduction from COVID and he is listed at $2.22 million. (He has max bonus of $420k.) Ryan Silverfield was expected to make $1.8 million in base, but he had a $177k COVID reduction to bring him to $1.623 million before his max bonus of $500k. If you take his base of $1.8 million and add his previous year bonus of $160k you get to $1.96 million.

The numbers I am listing are before the Covid reductions.

The point still stands about half of of coaches on the list you decided to use as a reference point are at or below the $2 million mark.

 

[Goatmeat]

“At least” hopefully means closer to 4M. 2M is not much by today’s standards and if UConn is “all in” as the politicians and DB claim it to be, 2M is not going to cut it for what has unfortunately become a national embarrassment. If you’re going to spend 2M/year, might as well throw in another 1M or 2 and make this thing worthwhile. In the minds of a lot of taxpayers non-football fans, this is our last chance (I personally do not believe that to be true). Let’s go nuts and spend like crazy. If it works, we’ll look like we did the right thing, the rent will be filled and all is well. If not, we can at least say we did our best. Adding another dud like RE 2.0 is criminal at this point in time.

 

[Goatmeat]

You are using the USA Today database which is good for public school universities and less so for privates. For example, Sonny Dykes is listed making $1.3 million, but some estimate his pay is $3 million. (Look on Coaches Hot Seat.) Remember, for football coaches, not all pay comes directly from the school.

Also, click on their names from this list and it details their total pay and you will see much higher numbers with bonuses included than the listed “total pay”. For example, if you click on Luke Fickell, you’ll see his base pay is $3.4 million, his prior year bonus was $450k with a max bonus of $595k, and he took a COViD reduction of $85k, but it looks like it may have been for the contract life.

And, those numbers you list include the COVID salary reductions for some of the coaches from their expected base pay. For example, Jeff Scott of USF was expected to make $2.4 million, but he had a $180k salary reduction from COVID and he is listed at $2.22 million. (He has max bonus of $420k.) Ryan Silverfield was expected to make $1.8 million in base, but he had a $177k COVID reduction to bring him to $1.623 million before his max bonus of $500k. If you take his base of $1.8 million and add his previous year bonus of $160k you get to $1.96 million.

Perception is what matters. Talking about covid reducing a $3.4M salary by $85K is completely irrelevant, inconsequential and a moot point. No reason to make excuses going forward. It’s time to pony up the big bucks and get this done.

 

[Goatmeat]

Are you sure about that? Because it sure looks like five of 11 make less than $2 million and one coach makes less than 100,000 more than $2 million. Take another look.

View attachment 70664

For what it’s worth, the three top paid coaches are moving onto the big 12, so it is likely that the median salary in the American is going to drop significantly.

Must be a coincidence that the three top paid coaches of the AAC are moving on to the P5! (Don’t start with the big 12 won’t be P5 anymore because that’s all nonsense and speculation anyway). The data speaks for itself. These schools have shown a persistent and intentional commitment to their football programs financially and they are reaping the benefits. We should learn from this rather than trash the big 12 and these programs from the AAC that got the golden ticket. It’s time to spend spend spend on football. Money talks.

 

[UConnJim]

The numbers I am listing are before the Covid reductions.

The point still stands about half of of coaches on the list you decided to use as a reference point are at or below the $2 million mark.

I’m not going to argue. Lets wait to see what UConn pays for a coach and who they get for that price.

 

[CL82]

I’m not going to argue. Lets wait to see what UConn pays for a coach and who they get for that price.

 

[Yup!]

I don’t know what UConn is willing to pay, but my point is $2 million is the low end of AAC pay and the numbers bear that out. I just don’t view $2 million as a “major commitment” to football. Heck, Diaco was scheduled to make $2 million in 2019.

Im pretty sure $2 million is a starting point, Dave has said that they’re willing to pay up if they had to. Don’t over think.

 

[ZooCougar]

Well. Maybe this $2M salary isn’t as much as we once thought it was

Not really. He has already been successful so they have to pay to keep him. Different situation.

 

[ZooCougar]

Luke Fickell: $3.4 million base plus $600k of incentives. He made $450k in incentives last year so rounded to $4 million.

Dana Holgersen: $4.0 million base plus $730k in potential bonus. Made $30k in bonus previous year so rounded to $4.0 million.

Gus Malzahn: $2.32 million base with $500k bonus. So, I rounded to $3 million.

Sonny Dykes: private school, so data not public. High estimate is $3 million per year, although USA Today says $1.3 million.

Willie Fritz: private school, so data not public. High estimate is $2.0 million and USA Today says $1.939 million.

Ryan Silverfield: $1.8 million base with $500k max bonus.

Ken Niumatalolo: data not public, but high estimate is $3.0 million and USA Today estimate is $2.316 million.

Jeff Scott: $2.4 million base, $420k max bonus.

Rod Carey: $2.1 million base.

Philip Montgomery: High estimate $2.0 million fir this year, USA Today estimate is $1.8 million for last year.

Mike Houston: $1.6 million base with $770k max bonus.

As you can see, $2 million is near the bottom of current AAC pay.


newbies:

UAB: $1.55 mill. base, $1.06 mill. max bonus.

North Texas: $1.9 million base with $580k max bonus.

Look behind the numbers. The top 3 got hired away from somewhere good. They had to pay a premium.

$2M base plus bonuses isn’t uncompetitive.

The number that matters is what the coach will get for a staff. That will largely determine that he can get the coaches he wants and be successful.

 

[businesslawyer]

“At least” hopefully means closer to 4M. 2M is not much by today’s standards and if UConn is “all in” as the politicians and DB claim it to be, 2M is not going to cut it for what has unfortunately become a national embarrassment. If you’re going to spend 2M/year, might as well throw in another 1M or 2 and make this thing worthwhile. In the minds of a lot of taxpayers non-football fans, this is our last chance (I personally do not believe that to be true). Let’s go nuts and spend like crazy. If it works, we’ll look like we did the right thing, the rent will be filled and all is well. If not, we can at least say we did our best. Adding another dud like RE 2.0 is criminal at this point in time.

LMAO. Edsall failed miserably. But is anyone even hoping that we get a coach who took a team to a Fiesta Bowl level bowl game?

Business decisions sometimes fail because they do. It doesn't mean anything was wrong with the process or that not enough money was spent. Unless, of course, you're so brilliant that you are able to foresee the future every time you make a decision.

 

[Goatmeat]

LMAO. Edsall failed miserably. But is anyone even hoping that we get a coach who took a team to a Fiesta Bowl level bowl game?

Business decisions sometimes fail because they do. It doesn't mean anything was wrong with the process or that not enough money was spent. Unless, of course, you're so brilliant that you are able to foresee the future every time you make a decision.

Indeed they can fail. This is not about me and it’s not about being able to predict the future. It is not about brilliance. My crystal ball is cloudy. We just cannot limit ourselves by financial constraints at this time. That is not the same as what you are trying to infer - there is nothing “wrong” here. If we are indeed all in, let’s roll. No ceiling of 2M if the coach that we believe to be the right fit at the time is “worth” more like 4M based on other market factors. We went cheap last time, everyone knew it, some defended it. Cannot make the same mistake this time.

 

[How Sway?!]

$2MM should be more than enough to attract good candidates. The important thing is that the Head Coach is given a robust Assistant pool.

 

[Nostical]

Saying "at least $2M" is what smart AD's say to avoid lots of flak from taxpayers and media had he said we're prepared to pay "whatever it takes" to get the right guy--which could be $2M, $2.5M $3M or over $3M. The biggest takeaway from the Zoom session with Parker was this statement: "Money will not be an issue or an impediment in the hiring process."

 

[Chin Diesel]

Saying "at least $2M" is what smart AD's say to avoid lots of flak from taxpayers and media had he said we're prepared to pay "whatever it takes" to get the right guy--which could be $2M, $2.5M $3M or over $3M. The biggest takeaway from the Zoom session with Parker was this statement: "Money will not be an issue or an impediment in the hiring process."

OTOH, if I have $20 for a date and I know I am ordering off the McD's dollar menu, I can say money won't be an issue.

Hoping they mean money won't be an issue in that they'll pay for the right profile and not meaning money won't be an issue because they're going to do it on the cheap and get someone who can be got on the cheap.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What a whiny thread. The school would be stupid to pay much more than $2M for anything other than a slam dunk. Since we won't be hiring anybody like that, I think we are fine. Most likely an FCS HC or an assistant in FBS, not an established winner at an FBS school. The reasons should be obvious. Lots of P5 programs stink, and so established winners at the FBS level will get a shot at those schools who can afford it.

 

[BlueDogs]

Your list doesn’t seem to support that at all. 2 million seems to be comfortably in the middle. Keep in mind that Dave Benedict didn’t say the salary for our next head coach is exactly $2 million, he said 2 million or more. we aren’t stealing Holgerson, but we can afford to pay for a competent FBS coach.

yup. Shooting for the middle means you're shooting for the middle. When you pay for average, rarely do you get more than what you pay for, are content if you get what you paid for, and many times often get less. That's the nature of mediocrity. If you want to really compete you have to pay up to get the real thing. That's why they cost more.

 

[CL82]

yup. Shooting for the middle means you're shooting for the middle. When you pay for average, rarely do you get more than what you pay for, are content if you get what you paid for, and many times often get less. That's the nature of mediocrity. If you want to really compete you have to pay up to get the real thing. That's why they cost more.

LOL, what a bunch of word salad. Of course we don’t want to be paying our coach enough to make him the highest paid coach in FBS. Nor do we want to get a bargain basement coach. When does announcing that you are looking to pay the going rate mean that you’re not getting quality?

[chuckles] Really, you need to troll better than that.

 

[Goatmeat]

LOL, what a bunch of word salad. Of course we don’t want to be paying our coach enough to make him the highest paid coach in FBS. Nor do we want to get a bargain basement coach. When does announcing that you are looking to pay the going rate mean that you’re not getting quality?

This post almost exactly mirrors the one that you are [unsuccessfully] attempting to mock with your response. It says nothing of value. Nothing. We want a solid coach, we need to pay a lot of money for that person, and it’s time to pony up that money, even if it is more than 2M. The message board chatter gets silly after a while. Too many here are accustomed to it and complacent with it. It is time to move on. Enough already with the arrogance. If some posters here were as smart as they believe themselves to be, they would get up off the couch and get a job with UConn. But that is clearly not the case. Your opinion is just that. No one is saying that a 2M+ coach will get the job done guaranteed, but I think we can all agree that it is necessary to spend a lot of money to lure a good coach to this program at this time. This is not rocket science. Let’s do this. We only have so many more chances. The time is now.

 

[Goatmeat]

What a whiny thread. The school would be stupid to pay much more than $2M for anything other than a slam dunk. Since we won't be hiring anybody like that, I think we are fine. Most likely an FCS HC or an assistant in FBS, not an established winner at an FBS school. The reasons should be obvious. Lots of P5 programs stink, and so established winners at the FBS level will get a shot at those schools who can afford it.

No. Stop. Quit while you’re “ahead.”

 

[CL82]

This post almost exactly mirrors the one that you are [unsuccessfully] attempting to mock with your response. It says nothing of value. Nothing. We want a solid coach, we need to pay a lot of money for that person, and it’s time to pony up that money, even if it is more than 2M. The message board chatter gets silly after a while. Too many here are accustomed to it and complacent with it. It is time to move on. Enough already with the arrogance. If some posters here were as smart as they believe themselves to be, they would get up off the couch and get a job with UConn. But that is clearly not the case. Your opinion is just that. No one is saying that a 2M+ coach will get the job done guaranteed, but I think we can all agree that it is necessary to spend a lot of money to lure a good coach to this program at this time. This is not rocket science. Let’s do this. We only have so many more chances. The time is now.

TL;DR

 

[Goatmeat]

TL;DR

Expected this 100% and you nailed it. What a silly and immature response. Sometimes there is nothing else to say when you are cornered and you showed that this evening. Your response is nothing more than a sad admission.

 

[NowInStorrs]

I'm reminded of a saying about arguing on the internet but it's not PC for 2021.

 

[UCSouth]

This post almost exactly mirrors the one that you are [unsuccessfully] attempting to mock with your response. It says nothing of value. Nothing. We want a solid coach, we need to pay a lot of money for that person, and it’s time to pony up that money, even if it is more than 2M. The message board chatter gets silly after a while. Too many here are accustomed to it and complacent with it. It is time to move on. Enough already with the arrogance. If some posters here were as smart as they believe themselves to be, they would get up off the couch and get a job with UConn. But that is clearly not the case. Your opinion is just that. No one is saying that a 2M+ coach will get the job done guaranteed, but I think we can all agree that it is necessary to spend a lot of money to lure a good coach to this program at this time. This is not rocket science. Let’s do this. We only have so many more chances. The time is now.

If you don't mind my asking, what is your job title at UConn?

 

[Forte]

The solution to everything that will pretty much guarantee a turn around is to hire Lewis for 1.5 mil and bring Don Brown back home for 1 mil. Both are proven leaders that turn their areas around in short time.