The highest-paid coaches in college football

2019 salary: $3.85 million

Another Nick Saban disciple, Jeremy Pruitt was brought on to bring Tennessee back to glory. Butch Jones was unceremoniously let go in 2017, and Pruitt managed to get five wins in his first year as head coach. Volunteers fans are patient to a point, but if Pruitt wants to justify being one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, he has to show improvement with a roster he built as Jones did in his second year. Anything less and his job may be on the line.

2019 salary: $4.1 million

Ever since Urban Meyer handed Whittingham the keys to Utah, he has done nothing but win games. He has won 66.3 percent of his matchups and came out on top in 11 of 13 bowl games, including a win against a Nick Saban-coached Alabama in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. He is still looking for that elusive Pac-12 championship, but when you’re the winningest head coach in the school’s history, you’re worth the big check.

2019 salary: $4 million

Fuente started hot at Virginia Tech, winning 10 games in his first year as head coach in 2016. However, he has been on a downward slope since, putting up nine wins in 2017 and falling to six wins last season. He received his last extension in January of 2018, and he may be on the hot seat if he doesn’t get off to a quick start.

2019 salary: $4.25 million

Kentucky isn’t exactly a football powerhouse, but Mark Stoops is making it respectable. After a 2-10 season in 2013, the Wildcats have improved gradually, culminating in a 10-3 record in 2018 and a Citrus Bowl win against Penn State. Stoops has given the Wildcats credibility, and he is getting paid pretty handsomely for it.

2019 salary: $4.4 million

In three years, Muschamp hasn’t done much at the University of South Carolina. He’s won 56.4 percent of his games and gone 1-2 in bowl games. He may have gotten an extension on his contract, but he’ll have to improve on his 7-6 record in 2018 if he wants to stay off the hot seat.

2019 salary: $4.31 million 

David Shaw might not be the highest-paid coach in the Pac-12, but he might the most successful. He has won 75.9 percent of his games at Stanford, winning three Pac-12 championships and grabbing two Rose Bowl wins. Even in a down year, Shaw still helped the Cardinal win nine games and the Sun Bowl. That kind of consistency is worth every penny.

2019 salary: $4.39 million

Despite being at the same school as national championship-winning coach Tom Izzo, Mark Dantonio is still the highest-paid coach at Michigan State. It’s not totally undeserved. The former Cincinnati coach has racked up six double-digit-win seasons since 2010. This includes wins in the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl. Unfortunately for Dantonio, those wins came in 2013 and 2014, and the program is coming off one of the worst offensive seasons ever. He will need a good 2019 to build up more goodwill with Spartan fans.

2019 salary: $4.65 million

The Pac-12 may arguably be the weakest of the Power Five conferences, but that doesn’t mean the coaches aren’t getting some serious coin. Chris Petersen became the highest-paid Pac-12 coach in 2017 after a string of achievements that included the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl berths. Unfortunately, those berths didn’t come with bowl wins. Petersen got the Huskies to the College Football Playoff, but the team is 1-4 in bowl games since he took over. Two Pac-12 championships are nice though.

2019 salary: $4.7 million

Despite endearing himself to Iowa fans, many of them look at his salary and see one of the most overpaid coaches in the league. After notching three straight double-digit win seasons from 2002-2004, Ferentz has only gone on to win 10 or more games twice since. Since 2004, Ferentz also only finished in the AP Poll Top 25 four times. He may be beloved, but the results leave a lot to be desired.

2019 salary: $4.84 million 

It’s hard to imagine Texas Christian University without Gary Patterson. The coach has been with the Horned Frogs since 2009, going 11-6 in bowl games. He didn’t have the best season in 2018, finishing with seven wins, but he has racked up multiple Coach of the Year Awards throughout his tenure. He has plenty of clout to justify his pay.

2019 salary: $5 million

Taggart spent only one year at Oregon before the Seminoles poached him away with a six-year, $30-million contract. His first year in Tallahassee came and went with mixed reviews, going 5-7 and finishing outside of the AP Top 25. Despite people calling for his job already, Taggart has plenty of opportunities to turn things around.

2019 salary: $5 million

The former Chicago Bears coach might have a hefty price tag, but he sure doesn’t have a hefty win total. In three years as the Fighting Illini head coach, Smith has won only nine games, never winning more than four in the span of a season. Despite the lack of success, he got a contract extension through 2023 in what appeared to be a move to alleviate the massive buyout on his contract. Smith is going to need more wins to justify his price tag.

2019 salary: $5 million

When you have a mullet like Mike Gundy, you need a big contract to keep those lovely locks flowing. In the 14 years Gundy has coached at Oklahoma State, he has taken the team to 13 bowl games and nine bowl wins. His offense has consistently finished as one of the best in college football year after year. He may not win any national championships, but he makes the team entertaining and brings in top offensive talent.

2019 salary: $5 million

One undefeated season at UCF helped net Frost a seven-year, $35 million contract at his alma mater, but his first year coaching at Nebraska wasn’t pretty. He won only four games — a huge departure from the “national championship” success he had in Orlando. Still, he has some time to get it right with his recruits.

2019 salary: $5.35 million

Even lack of success can result in a big bag of money in college football. Brohm hasn’t been to a playoff game with Purdue. Heck, he hasn’t won more than seven games in either of the two seasons he’s been head coach. Yet he got a new contract featuring a $1.7 million signing bonus and retention bonuses. Boilermaker fans are hoping more money means more wins too.

2019 salary: $5.65 million

After clinching a Rose Bowl berth in 2016, Penn State gave James Franklin a fat extension, paying him $34.6 million over six years. His pay jumped from $4.8 million in 2018 to $5.65 million in 2019 despite finishing with two fewer wins last season than he did in 2017. This is a critical year for Franklin, who lost talented quarterback Trace McSorley.

2019 salary: $6 million

It was a less than ideal start for many Longhorns fans after Herman’s first year, but things are starting to look up. Texas just wrapped up its first 10-win season since 2009 and also announced its arrival back to the national stage with a Sugar Bowl win. Herman's efforts have already netted him an extension through 2023. It seems Texas chose the right guy in 2017.

2019 salary: $6 million

Everything’s a little easier when you have two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, including asking for a raise. After making $4.8 million in 2018, Riley got a nice pay bump after leading the team to a College Football Playoff berth twice. He also secured Jalen Hurts from Alabama to potentially continue his run working with great dual-threat quarterbacks. In two seasons with him at the helm, the Sooners have won 24 games. If he guides them to a third playoff-bound season, he might continue to get money thrown at him.

2019 salary: $6.1 million

Mullen was brought to Gainesville to return the Gators back to glory, and after one year they seem to be on the path. The former Mississippi State coach led Florida to 10 wins, a Peach Bowl win and its highest finish in the AP Poll since Urban Meyer was the head coach. Things are looking good for the Gators in the immediate future.

2019 salary: $6.7 million

One benefit of being part of the Nick Saban coaching tree is that it will definitely give you opportunities and lots of money. Smart, who was Saban’s longtime defensive coordinator, got a chance to lead his alma mater at Georgia and has made the most of it. In three years, Smart has won 32 games and guided the Bulldogs to two AP Poll top-10 finishes and a national championship game. A Sugar Bowl loss last season stopped his upward momentum, but many expect Georgia to be real contenders in the coming years.

2019 salary: $6.8 million 

People give Michigan flack for Jim Harbaugh’s contract, but Auburn might also have given a lot of money for few results. Yes, Malzahn did take the Tigers to a national championship game in 2013, but he has gotten to double-digit wins only once in the five years after that and has gone 2-4 in bowl games. Maybe that 2017 extension wasn’t the most prudent move.

2019 salary: $7.5 million

The Aggies gave Jimbo Fisher a gigantic contract to lure him from Florida State, and it’s already paying dividends. In his first year, with essentially another coach’s players, Fisher won nine games and a bowl game. Texas A&M also finished the season No. 16 in the AP Poll, the highest the school has finished since 2012. Although $75 million over 10 years seemed steep at the time, it seems to already be worth the investment.

2019 salary: $7.51 million

Money might buy a good coach, but it won’t guarantee a national championship. In Harbaugh’s case, money won’t even guarantee a win against your biggest rival. He is now the third highest-paid coach in the country, but he is still winless against Ohio State since he took over the program. For many Michigan fans, that game is more important than any national championship.  Harbaugh hasn’t won a national title or a conference champion, but this may be his year to shine with his nemesis, Urban Meyer, no longer coaching the Buckeyes.

2019 salary: $8.25 million

No one thought anyone could outsmart Nick Saban consistently, but Dabo Swinney has been kryptonite to the Crimson Tide. The former Alabama wide receiver has won nearly 80 percent of his games as Clemson head coach and won two national championships at the expense of his alma mater. To the victor go the spoils, and Swinney’s new paycheck is proof of that.

2019 salary: $8.7 million

If anyone has earned the honor of being the highest-paid coach in college football, it is Saban. In 12 years as Alabama head coach, the native West Virginian won six SEC titles and six national champions. He has produced more NFL draft picks than any other coach in the last 10 years and is generally considered one of the greatest coaches ever. Many would consider that worth every cent.