Auburn paying assistant coaches more
Published 11:57 am Friday, January 30, 2009
AUBURN — Auburn will pay its assistant football coaches considerably more this year while head coach Gene Chizik will earn less than Tommy Tuberville made in 2008.
Defensive coordinator Ted Roof’s $370,000 salary tops the list on Chizik’s new staff and is a $65,000 boost from what predecessor Paul Rhoads was pulling in during his lone season in Auburn.
Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is making $350,000, 20 percent more than Tuberville hired Tony Franklin for a year ago.
No contracts have been signed, but all the assistants agreed to multiyear deals in taking the jobs.
Two other assistants are also making at least $300,000, Trooper Taylor and Tracy Rocker. Taylor, the Tigers’ receivers coach and associate head coach, will earn $320,000. Rocker is being paid $300,000 to coach the defensive line.
Chizik’s $2 million salary is $800,000 less than Tuberville made last year.
The salaries for Auburn’s other assistants include: offensive line coach Jeff Grimes ($290,000), running backs coach Curtis Luper ($260,000) and tight ends and special teams coach Jay Boulware ($180,000). Tuberville’s other assistants, besides the coordinators, made between $180,000 and $200,000 last season.
Chizik still needs to hire two defensive coaches and plans to wait until after next Wednesday, which is national signing day.
The current payroll is just over $4 million. Tennessee is paying its new coaching staff $5.3 million this year, though defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is drawing a $1.2 million salary.
Like Chizik, Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin is set to make a $2 million salary.