Raises, extensions for Georgia Bulldogs coaches send clear ‘Back Off’ message
Several coaches for the Georgia Bulldogs have recently received pay raises, contract extensions and promotions, which sends a clear message to the rest of the nation.
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“Back off our coaches”
After having to replace several key coordinators and assistants over the past few years, the University of Georgia decided to open up the snapper purse, and hand some extra coinage to the coaches currently on staff.
Other than rewarding some of these coaches for a job well done, it was also a clear message being sent out to schools who continue to sniff around at the Bulldogs’ staff that they will have to come up with some big bucks if they want to lure our guys away.
Combined with the raises for two current assistants, UGA assistant coaches are set to earn $4.45 million in 2015, up from $3.22 million last season.
Second-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt received a one year extension on his contract, as well as a pay raise from $850,000 to $1.3 million per year. New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will be paid an annual salary of $950,000 on his three-year contract, quite a jump from the $575,000 Mike Bobo was being paid.
New offensive line coach Rob Sale will earn $400,000 annually, up significantly from his predecessor Will Friend, who earned $300,000 (and a huge jump from the $65k he was being paid at McNeese State).
Other assistants including defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, recruiting coordinator and now assistant coach Bryan McLendon also received hefty pay raises.
And today, per the AJC, it was announced the head coach Mark Richt has agreed to a 2-year extension and an $800,000 per year raise, bringing his annual earnings up to the $4 million mark. Richt’s previous contract, which paid him $3.2 million per year, was set to expire at the end of the 2017 season, but he’s now signed through 2019 with his increase in pay.
Besides giving coaches their market value and becoming competitive with other schools, its clear that both Richt and athletic director Greg McGarity were tired of being poached on a yearly basis, with the money Georgia’s coaches were making being easily surpassed.
With the coaching staff now solidified, and everyone titled and flush, they can now get down to the business of winning some championships and further demonstrating their worth.