Some good bonus money!
Kiffin will end up with $306,000 if the Crimson Tide takes the title — and that’s with him hitting a cap Alabama places on the bonus that assistants and head strength coach Scott Cochran can receive for the team’s bowl outcome.
Kiffin’s current annualized base salary is $1.4 million, which makes him the third-highest-paid football assistant at a public school, according to USA TODAY Sports’ new compensation survey.
Alabama’s appearance in the Southeastern Conference championship game qualified him and his fellow assistants for bonuses equal to 4% of base salary — in his case, $56,000.
He and the others also will get at least an amount equal to 14% of his base salary because Alabama is playing in one of the six games affiliated with the CFP — or, $196,000 for Kifffin.
If Alabama wins its semifinal, the assistants would get an additional 2% of his base salary. If it wins the championship, they would normally qualify for another 2% of base salary — but that would increase Kiffin’s bowl bonus to $252,000, and Alabama’s basic contract terms for football assistant coaches state that a bowl bonus cannot exceed $250,000.
Ohio State’s assistants and head strength coach Mickey Marotti have a similar percentage-based setup, with higher percentages — although with one less achievement this season than the Crimson Tide have had.
Ohio State assistant coach Luke Fickell will get a total of $255,000 in bonuses if the Buckeyes win the national championship.
They each are getting an amount equal to 8.5% of the salaries because the Buckeyes tied for the Big Ten East Division championship. For Fickell — whose salary is $750,000 — that’s $63,750.
But because the Buckeyes did not go to the Big Ten title game, they missed a chance to add another 4.25% of salary by winning the conference title.
However, the team’s appearance in the CFP semifinals means they will get another bonus of at least an amount equal to 21.25% of salary — $159,375 for Fickell
If Ohio State plays in the championship game, he and the others get an additional amount equal to 4.25% of salary — $31,875 in Fickell’s case.
Base salaries are not a factor for Washington’s and Clemson’s assistants. They all get the same bonus amounts, depending on the team’s success.
Washington’s assistants can get bonuses based on the team’s NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR), ranging from $2,000 if it’s at least 950 to $5,000 if it’s at least 970. They get $6,000 apiece if the team plays in the Pac-12 title game and another $10,000 if the Huskies win. Their appearance in the CFP semifinals is giving them an additional $45,000. A national title would give them $30,000 more. Altogether, that’s a maximum of $96,000.
Clemson’s assistants each get $10,000 for the team’s appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. They are getting another $50,000 because the Tigers are in a CFP semifinal. The payout will increase by $10,000 per coach if they advance to the final and by $25,000 more if they win the championship.
