New Louisville football assistants get salary bump
Louisville football's new coaching staff will make more salary per year than the previous staff.
The assistant coaches on new head coach Bobby Petrino's staff will make a combined $3.2 million in salary, according to copies of their contracts obtained through a public records request by The Courier-Journal.
The previous staff under former coach Charlie Strong, who's now at Texas, made $2.7 million in salary at Louisville.
Strong earned approx. $700,000 more at Louisville in salary than Petrino, who in turn has nearly double Strong's bonus potential.
Petrino's salary would've ranked him 18th in the nation last season, just ahead of Nebraska's Bo Pelini. The new combined salaries of Cards' assistants would rank 11th nationally, according to USA Today's college football salaries database.
Both coordinators, Garrick McGee (offense) and Todd Grantham (defense), make more in annual salary than Strong's top lieutenants. Former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford each made a little more than $500,000 a year under Strong.
The new coordinators make a combined $1.625 million. Grantham's salary of $975,000 would rank fourth in the nation last season. His salary at Georgia was fifth-highest in the country.
McGee's hiring required a $550,000 payment to UAB. Grantham's hire required a $3,750 payment to Georgia.
Only one of the assistant coaches, Grantham, has a spelled-out bonus structure in his contract. Grantham, who was hired away from Georgia, makes the highest salary ($975,000) among Louisville assistants, and is in line for a bowl-berth bonus worth about $487,000.
The other assistants have clauses for bonuses, but the wording implies that those bonuses would be decided at a later date.
Most of the assistants signed contracts that last until June 30, 2016. Grantham's deal is through 2018; McGee's lasts through 2017.
Some have buyouts worth $50,000. Grantham is the only assistant with a different buyout, the details of which are spelled out below.
The terminology in the contracts is surely just formality, but some are listed as "assistant coach," while others have their roles clearly defined. Recruiting coordinator and safeties coach Greg Brown is listed as "associate head coach" in his contract.
Here's the full list of Louisville assistants and the details of their deals with U of L:
Garrick McGee
Offensive coordinator/assistant head coach
Contract length: 2014-17
Salary: $650k
Bonus potential: TBD
Buyout from previous job: $550k
U of L buyout: $50k
Todd Grantham
Defensive coordinator
Contract length: 2014-18
Salary: $975k
Bonus potential: $487k
Buyout from previous job: $3.7k
U of L buyout: Leave in 2014 - $350k; leave in 2015 - $250k; leave in 2016 - $200k.
LD Scott
Defensive line coach
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $150k
Kolby Smith
Running backs coach
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $150k
Tony Grantham
Inside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $300k
U of L buyout: $50k
Terrell Buckey
Cornerbacks coach
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $200k
Greg Brown
Safeties coach/recruiting coordinator
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $300k
U of L buyout: $50k
Lamar Thomas
Receivers coach
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $200k
Chris Klenakis
Offensive line coach
Contract length: 2014-16
Salary: $300k
U of L buyout: $50k