Why? ‘Cause he pays on performance, by Gawd.
So as it stands now, the total salary for the nine assistant coaches has increased from $3.22 million in 2014 to $4.445 million.
Last year Georgia’s assistant coaches ranked 13th nationally in salary pool, according to the USA Today database. The new salaries would push Georgia to fourth nationally, although that’s not yet accounting for changes at other schools.
I didn’t expect Schottenheimer to make as much as some people were projecting, because schools generally don’t pay as much for their offensive coordinators as they do their defensive ones, but he’s not exactly being treated shabbily at $950K/year.
Only three offensive coordinators in 2014 were paid more nationally. LSU’s Cam Cameron made $1.32 million, Clemson’s Chad Morris (now SMU head coach) $1.3 million and Arizona State’s Mike Norvell $902,000, according to USA Today. Schottenheimer, who will work under a three-year contract, came to Georgia after three years as offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams.
Emerson notes that Pruitt’s new salary would place him tied for third nationally on last year’s list. So there’s that.
McClendon and Rocker both got their expected salary increases, but the real surprise is that Georgia is paying its new offensive line coach Rob Sale $400,000 a year. That’s a helluva jump for a guy coming from McNeese State (and $100K more than Friend was paid). Mark Richt must have really, really wanted Rob Sale on his staff.
Well, either that or McNeese State kicked some righteous ass last season.
Now go earn your money, guys.
Get The Picture 
But…but…but wait! Couldn’t we have gotten Callaway for that amount? 🙂
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We should have been able to buy the entire State of McNeese for that amount
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Nothin’ but net, DIF.
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Classic.
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I think at the time, Richt had spent most of his budget, and needed a good guy as OLine, and so he went for a smaller div and grabbed an oline that finished in the top 20 nationally in rushing. Richt’s always said the oline doesn’t need great players, just hit the right guy, and hold the block, so I guess he spent his money on his coordinators and best recruiters mainly. I like the decision there.
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Gentry said on the podcast Monday that Sale interviewed with LSU last year and was generally thought of as an up and comer. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had some leverage to make UGA pay him well or wait for the right P5 school to come along.
Regardless…I thought it was a good hire and I’m not sure that’s a crazy number based on the market.
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I think it was his Saban connection that attracted Richt. Sale played for Saban at LSU, and he worked for Bama on staff for 4 years while they won a couple of Natl titles. Didn’t hurt that his team posted a top 20 rush offense, and 3 of his 5 olinemen won post-season awards, but the Saban connection was the main attraction.
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If I remember my elementary school math, $ 950,000 is greater than $ 902,000. It will be interesting to see the final numbers after all of the changes are accounted for. Did someone find red panties in McGarity’s car?
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It is fascinating that as both pro and college football become dominated by offense, it is the defensive coordinators getting the most Head Coaching jobs and the most pay.
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Not really, just basic supply and demand. Fewer great DCs out there right now.
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Is that it? Why do you think that is?
The same thing is happening in college and NFL. It is all the DCs getting the head coaching jobs in the pros right now too.
Hell, the 49ers gave their defensive LINE coach the head coaching job there.
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It’s because the rules have been skewed toward letting the offenses score and finding someone who can figure out how to stop them is hard.
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^ This. Which is why the rules committees should be making adjustments, but TV says no because nothing sells Doritos and beer like high scores.
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We seem to have many genius DCs and OCs on this site every day who seem to have all the answers all the time. Perhaps they are in the wrong fields.
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Perhaps indeed.
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I just thought there were more people smokein’em that’s got’em. The New-Age pot fields are no longer considered “the wrong fields”.
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Hey, I met with the Falcons for almost five hours, but I still haven’t had a call about a second interview…
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It is easier to sing music than write it. It is easier to develop an offense to score points than a defense to counter ALL of them.
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Or as they say, “action is faster than reaction.”
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McG was correct he paid based on how they performed on the job market.
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Prob more supply and demand regarding trying to steal away your staff. Seems to be the AD’s redline, don’t think he wanted to lose Pruitt, Rocker, or BMac. Think getting Bobo stole away and paid $1 million more than the Georgia AD paid Bobo, on top of the opening at LSU and T A/M, was his wake up call. Who cares, the AD coughed up the big bucks, we have a better staff overall, I couldn’t be more excited. Really looked bleak right after the Bowl, hearing rumors Pruitt could get stolen. But I feel good about how it all shook out. I believe we got upgrades at every position, some might argue Bobo > Schott, don’t see it being a close contest, NFL coordinators are the top of their field.
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At the risk of sounding somewhat dubious as to McCheap’s change of heart about assistant’s salaries, the fact that the Pitt AD got canned for losing football coaches may have had something to do with it. Self preservation is very good motivation.
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What i’m surprised that you didn’t address is if we are paying these coaches on results and production, then how are we keeping BMac at $350k, sure he’s just a RB coach. But he seems to have elite 5* RBs growing in his backyard, and it was +60% of this years offense despite major injuries and suspensions at the position. Or is it just me?
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McClendon has also become one of our best, if not THE best, recruiters on the staff. He’s also been handed more responsibilities. Like I said the other day, he’ll have some good OC offers within a couple years. I also expect the same for Rocker, too. This obviously assumes they’ll both keep up the good work. Richt recognized their work and potential value to other programs and you just know that this was a major point when he had the powow with McGarity.
I’m kinda surprised some other coaches like Lilly and especially Ball didn’t get raises…or maybe they did. Ball has been around for a minute and has done some good coaching AND recruiting. Maybe no one has come calling on him, though.
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NO KIDDING! How the heck is he doing this?
Does he have someone growing them on some Island of Dr. Moreau somewhere?
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I really don’t get the perceptions of limited supply of DC’s, there are just as many top tanked defenses as offenses.
Ohio state had a top 5 defense, but only a top 25 defense. Offense won them their games more than defense.
Oregon had a top 5 offense, and a top 35 defense. Offense got them to the final game more than defense.
I think 2014 blew away a lot of myths, like 2nd or 3rd string inexperienced Qb can’t go all the way, defense wins Championships, and turnovers, Ohio State was 33rd in turnover margin, FSU was 104th in turnover margin. Ohio State had 4 turnovers in the final game, -3 to in the game, and won by 22 points.
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Ohio St had top 5 offense, oops.
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3rd string, inexperienced qb’s don’t usually look like Cardale Jones.
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recruit great guys at QB, get depth at Qb, and coach em up. Experience doesn’t matter.
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did you notice all 4 teams in the playoff had Mobile Qb’s? I think it makes up for a world of mistakes and inexperience.
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I’m not sure Cardell Jones qualifies as “mobile.” He runs well enough, though.
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Hard to figure what is going on behind the scenes. Not sure if B-M is happy with the program and putting up the cash lately to protect current staff, fill holes, and take the team to elite status….or giving Richt just enough rope to hang with.
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Actions speak louder than talk. AD spent the big bucks, top 5 budget in the nation, don’t see him doing that if he thinks Richt stinks, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Sure, by the AD not speaking puffery about Richt, if you judge by words, sure, but actions are what it’s all about. I don’t care what the AD says, or if it says nothing, just keep funding an elite staff. The AD would have cleaned house if Richt wasn’t his guy.
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You are probably right. I agree with most of what you wrote… but if we imagine for a minute that McGarity does not have faith in Richt, he cannot just get rid of him. How do you get rid of a coach like Richt? The only way is to throw money at him and if he does not produce championships, scream from the mountain top that he had the resources needed and that we should not be satisfied.
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That is so dumb… So McGarity is criticized if he is too cheap and criticized if he spends too much money.
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Its the Georgia Way?
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Rob Sale is an unproven and inexperienced O-line coach from a small program with no SEC recruiting connections. He may be a homerun hire, but who knows….it appears as if there’s no rhyme or reason to staff salaries
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McClendon needs to earn at least 400k. It is unfair how Sale (who is new to the staff) is making more than McClendon who recruits and provides us with elite talent and heisman worthy RB.
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