Volatility is a hazard of the coaching business. It's also, at the highest levels, quite profitable. LSU paid Mickey Joseph $407,000 to coach its wide receivers in 2021.
When Ed Orgeron was fired and the staff was changed over, LSU paid a premium to pluck Cortez Hankton, still buzzed from the championship champagne, away from Georgia. Hankton netted a $300,000 raise to become the highest-paid wide receivers coach in the industry.
To replace Hankton, Georgia recalled Bryan McClendon, a former Bulldog wide receiver and a former Bulldog running backs coach, to coach his old position at his alma mater. That netted him a $185,000 raise from what he earned at Oregon. (McClendon was set to follow Mario Cristobal to Miami before returning to Athens.)
Meanwhile, Joseph -- part of the fired staff at LSU -- got a 2-year deal at Nebraska, making him the second-highest paid member of Scott Frost's staff at $600,000 per year.
Here's how the full list breaks down:
1. Cortez Hankton, LSU -- $850,000+
2. Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State -- $800,000*
3. Bryan McClendon, Georgia -- $700,000+
4. Dameyune Craig, Texas A&M -- $675,000
5. JaMarcus Shepard, Washington -- $650,000+
6. Cale Gundy, Oklahoma -- $610,000+
7. Brian Hartline, Ohio State -- $600,000+
7. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska -- $600,000+
9. Junior Adams, Oregon -- $575,000+
9. Holmon Wiggins, Alabama -- $575,000+
11. George McDonald, Illinois -- $550,000+
11. Derrick Nix, Ole Miss -- $500,000+
11. Nate Scheelhassee, Iowa State -- $500,000+
14. Justin Stepp, South Carolina -- $475,000
15. Ron Dugans, Florida State -- $450,000
15. Tyler Grisham, Clemson -- $450,000+
15. Emmett Jones, Texas Tech -- $450,000+
18. Lonnie Galloway, North Carolina -- $440,000+
19. Courtney Hawkins, Michigan State -- $425,000
20. Joker Phillips, NC State -- $415,000+
21. Alvis Whitted, Wisconsin -- $400,000
22. Matt Simon, Minnesota -- $395,000
23. Steve Spurrier, Jr., Mississippi State -- $390,000+
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Additional notes:
-- Notable names missing: Ike Hilliard (Auburn), Keary Colbert (Florida), Jacob Peeler (Missouri), Fontel Mines (Virginia Tech), Brennan Marion (Texas), Taylor Stubblefield (Penn State), Adam Henry (Indiana), Garrick McGee (Purdue), Joel Filani (Washington State)
-- Another notable name missing is Miami's Josh Gattis. It's unlikely we'll ever learn what he's making at The U, a private school, but we do know he was set to become college football's first $1 million wide receivers coach had he remained in Ann Arbor. (Obviously, Gattis is also an offensive coordinator.) He likely got more than that to leave for Miami. "In life I would never advise anyone to be where they are not wanted," he sent in a text to his players on his way to Coral Gables.
Michigan replaced Gattis by moving Ron Bellamy from safeties to wide receivers. He'll earn $250,000 in 2022, per the 2-year deal he signed upon joining the Wolverine staff from Michigan's West Bloomfield High School.
-- Ron Dugans signed a new deal in January; the $450,000 salary was his 2021 figure.
-- Nate Scheelhasse coaches Iowa State's running backs and wide receivers.
-- Junior Adams was Washington's original wide receivers coach on Kalen DeBoer's new staff, at $500,000 per year. His move to rival Oregon was profitable for him and for his replacement, JaMarcus Shepard.
-- If I missed anyone, my DMs are open.
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