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Chris Lowe, ESPN Senior Writer
Alabama's first-year coach Karen DeBoer will earn an average annual salary of $10,875,000, putting her in the nation's top five highest-paid coaches in college football.
His eight-year contract was approved by the University of Alabama System Board of Governors on Monday, and DeBoer will earn $10 million in the first year of the contract, which runs through Dec. 31, 2031. His compensation will increase by $250,000 per year and increase further to $11.75 million in the final year of his contract.
Mr. DeBoer's contract provides 90% protection against termination without cause, and there are no mitigations. If he leaves Alabama before his contract expires, his buyout will be $5 million in 2024, $4 million in 2025, $3 million in 2026, and zero from 2027 to 2031.
DeBoer's average salary ranks fourth among all head coaches in college football, industry sources told ESPN. Clemson University's Dabo Swinney leads the list with an average annual salary of $11.5 million. Georgia's Kirby Smart and University of Southern California's Lincoln Riley also make more than $11 million annually. DeBoer was fourth ($10.875 million), followed by Texas' Steve Sarkisian ($10.64 million) and Florida State's Mike Norvell ($10.52 million).
Mr. Sarkisian and Mr. Nobel both agreed to new contracts worth more than $10 million in January, around the same time as Mr. DeBoer's hiring. DeBoer earned $4.2 million last season in Washington, where he led the Huskies to the national championship game. Washington athletic director Troy Dunnen offered DeBoer $9.4 million after the Sugar Bowl, but DeBoer rejected the offer to replace Nick Saban as Alabama's coach. said.
Saban, who retired on Jan. 10 after winning six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama, was scheduled to make $11.5 million in 2024.
In other Alabama assistant coach salary news, defensive coordinator Kane Womack will make $1.55 million in 2024, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan will make $1.35 million, and co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach JaMarcus Shepard will make $110. $1 million, and associate head coach and defensive line coach Freddie Roach will make $1 million. , strength coach David Burrow $950,000, assistant head coach/running backs coach Robert Gillespie $850,000, co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist $875,000, offensive line coach Chris Kapilovich $875,000, Outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson $650,000, co-defensive coordinator/defensive coach Backs coach Colin Hitchler $625,000, tight ends coach Brian Ellis $550,000, general manager Courtney Morgan $50,000. $25,000 and special teams coordinator Jay Nunez for $250,000.
