No position has a greater variance -- in duties and in salary -- than tight ends.
Some head coaches assign their offensive coordinator to tight end duties, reasoning that the relatively lighter positional duties will pair well with the over-arching responsibility of calling the offense. Other head coaches use it as something of an entry-level position -- a good spot for a first-time position coach, or a place to put a new hire that could fill any number of eventual openings elsewhere on offense.
And then there's a fourth group: head coaches who hire outstanding tight ends coaches and want to keep them in that spot as long as possible.
1. Mike Denbrock*, LSU -- $1.4 million
2. Vince Marrow, Kentucky -- $1.2 million
3. Jeff Banks, Texas^ -- $1.1 million
4. James Coley, Texas A&M -- $950,000
5. Robert Anae, NC State* -- $850,000
5. Todd Hartley, Georgia -- $850,000
5. Des Kitchings, Virginia* -- $850,000
8. Buster Faulkner, Georgia Tech* -- $750,000
9. Ted Gilmore, Michigan State -- $550,000
10. Joe Jon Finley, Oklahoma -- $520,000
11. John David Baker, Ole Miss -- $510,000
12. Stu Holt, Virginia Tech -- $500,000
12. Kyle Richardson, Clemson -- $500,000
12. Chris Thomsen, Florida State -- $500,000
15. Mike Schmidt, Mississippi State -- $475,000
16. Erik Link, Missouri -- $450,000
16. Nick Sheridan, Washington -- $450,000
16. Kevin Sumlin, Maryland -- $450,000
19. Joe Cox, Alabama -- $425,000
19. Jason McEndoo, Oklahoma State -- $425,000
19. Freddie Whittingham, Utah -- $425,000
22. Keenan Bailey, Ohio State -- $400,000
22. Tim Brewster, Colorado -- $400,000
22. Jody Wright, South Carolina -- $400,000
25. Jordan Paopao, Arizona^ -- $375,000
25. Robby Discher, Illinois^ -- $350,000
27. Drew Mehringer, Oregon -- $335,000
28. Nate Letton, Wisconsin -- $325,000
28. Morgan Turner, Arkansas -- $325,000
30. Andrew Aurich, Rutgers -- $315,000
30. Bob Wager, Nebraska -- $315,000
32. Jeff Faris, UCLA -- $310,000
33. Russ Callaway, Florida -- $300,000
34. Nick Whitworth, Washington State -- $285,000
35. Brian Lepak, Kansas State -- $283,000
36. Abdul Hodge, Iowa -- $275,000
36. Grant Newsome, Michigan -- $275,000
38. Kevin Wright, Indiana -- $270,000
39. Seth Doege, Purdue -- $250,000
39. Brian Wozniak, Oregon State -- $250,000
* - Offensive coordinator
^ - Special teams coordinator
PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS: Offensive Coordinator | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Offensive Line | Defensive Coordinator | Defensive Line | Linebackers | Defensive Backs
Missing: Ben Aigamaua, Auburn; Freddie Kitchens, North Carolina; Jason Mohns, Arizona State; Tim Plough, Cal; Ryan Wallace, Louisville