College Coach Salaries

A while back, a friend of mine Marilyn asked about the very high college coach salaries and are they worth it.
A head football coach is more impactful on the success of that team than virtually any other coaching position in sports. Some of their duties include:
recruiting his players, calculating what their future growth and maturity rates are, assemble a huge staff of talented assistants, deal with young people going through many emotional challenges, put together winning offensive and defensive schemes, and deal with the administration alumni and press. The monetary effect of producing packed stadium, alumni contributions, and huge television contracts are all a function of winning.
Regarding whether they are worth it, we must consider college sports as a business, which it is. For instance, USA Today reported Texas A&M’s athletic revenues totaled $192 million, the most of any school in the nation. Its coach is receiving 7.5 million dollars a year. From a business standpoint, it appears to be appropriate. When looked upon in the larger landscape of the success of an athletics program, coaches can be seen as the centerpiece
Ticket sales, advertising deals, merchandise sales, licensing agreements all increase by millions of dollars each year when the football program is winning and playing at a top level. Lucrative deals and extensions with Nike, Adidas, or Under Armour heavily depend upon the success of football.

This, of course does not answer the question of whether colleges should be in the business of sports vs. providing education.
A few examples of contracts below:

Alabama head coach Nick Saban signed a three-year contract extension in May that will pay the five-time national champion $11.125 million in 2017, according to USA Today. The deal, which is worth $65 million over eight years, made Saban the highest paid college coach across all sports. Record at Alabama: 119-19 in 11 seasons - National championships: 5 total (2003 at LSU; 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 at Alabama)

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh made $7 million in 2017. Record at Michigan: 20-6 in three seasons

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer made $6 million in 2017. Record at Ohio State: 61-6 in six seasons - National championships: 1 at Ohio State (3 total)

Penn State coach James Franklin signed a contract extension that guarantees him $34.7 million through 2022, bringing his annual base salary to $5.78 million (up from $4.6 million) with up to $1 million in incentives. Record at Penn State: 25-15 in four seasons

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher made $5.3 million in 2017 and will make $75 million over 10 years at Texas A&M. His record at Florida State: 78-17 in eight seasons. National championships: 1

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney inked a new deal that runs through 2021 and brings his average annual salary up to $5.125 million. Record at Clemson: 89-28 - National championships: 1

New Texas Longhorns coach Tom Herman signed a five-year deal worth $5 million per year, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin made $5 million in 2017. Record at Texas A&M: 44-21 in six seasons

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn signed a four-year extension in 2016 that will pay him $4.725 million per year. Record at Auburn: 35-18 in five seasons


Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz signed a contract extension in 2016 that brought his base salary up to $4.5 million annually.