Phillip Fulmer of Tennessee became the highest paid football coach in the SEC Tuesday, signing a one-year contract extension worth a guaranteed $2.05 million annually.

Fulmer's deal, which runs through 2011, ranks third among NCAA Division IA football coaches. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops makes an estimated $2.7 million per year, and Texas coach Mack Brown makes $2.3 million.

Last year, LSU paid Nick Saban $2.5 million. Saban left LSU in January to become coach for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Fulmer, the winningest active Division I-A coach in the nation with a minimum of 10 years of experience, also had a significant increase in his buyout clause.

The buyout is the number of years remaining on Fulmer's contract times his base salary ($325,000) plus one year of radio and TV endorsements ($800,000) and an additional $1 million payable over a 48-month period.

Fulmer's penalty, should he choose to leave the Vols, would be $1 million payable over the contract's remaining years.

Fulmer's new deal represents a 9.6-percent raise, according to UT athletic director Mike Hamilton.

"It's based on what he has done over the past 13 years, and what we project he'll do into the future,'' Hamilton said. "You're paying for the stability. You have to protect the integrity of the institution and be fair and equitable to the coach who's performing at the level Phillip is performing.''

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, whose Tigers went 13-0 and won the SEC championship, is expected to make $2 million this season, $2.2 million in 2006 and $2.3 million in 2007. New Florida coach Urban Meyer has a seven-year contract that averages out to $2 million per year.

Fulmer's deal, however, will continue to be renegotiated on an annual basis, according to his agent, Jimmy Sexton.

Two other changes to Fulmer's contract this year involved the inclusion of what had been a $210,000 annuity, negotiated in 2001 and due to mature at the end of the 2006 season, and a new bonus structure.

Fulmer can make as much as $2.3 million next season if the Vols win the national championship.

The new bonus plan calls for Fulmer to make $37,500 if UT plays in a non-BCS bowl, $50,000 for an SEC Eastern Division first place tie, $75,000 for an SEC Championship game appearance, $100,000 for winning the SEC championship or appearing in a BCS game, $150,000 for appearing in the BCS National Championship game and $250,000 winning the national championship game. Only the highest bonus applies to Fulmer's contract.

In Fulmer's previous contract, incentives were a percentage of his prior $275,000 base salary (8 percent for non-BCS bowl, 16-percent for SEC East Division title, 24-percent for SEC championship or BCS bowl game, 28 percent for national title game appearance and 32 percent for winning a national title.

According to a UT release, since Fulmer has been head coach, donations have risen from approximately $4 million in 1992 to $25 million in fiscal year 2004.

"Much of the funding for our 20 sports is generated through the football program," Hamilton said. "Coach Fulmer's success on the field has allowed these programs the opportunity to be competitive."