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UT assistants' pay pool greener
$215,000 in raises for football coaches
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Tennessee's football staff will receive $215,000 in raises for the upcoming season, the university announced Wednesday.
UT's total pool for assistant coaches is now $1.935 million, up from $1.72 million for the 2007 season.
UT athletic director Mike Hamilton estimates that figure would put the Vols in the top four or five in the SEC.
"I think that our pool for assistant coach salaries in football will stack up against those around us in the league," he said.
Defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell, whose name surfaced in Arkansas' search for a defensive coordinator, received a $50,000 raise to $200,000. Offensive line coach Greg Adkins received a $49,364 raise to $200,000 as well.
Tennessee's highest paid position coach last year was Trooper Taylor, who earned $175,000 before leaving to become offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.
UT hired four new coaches to replace Taylor and David Cutcliffe, who hired former UT assistants Matt Luke and Kurt Roper when he left to become head coach at Duke.
Former Richmond head coach Dave Clawson will earn $340,000 in his first season as UT's offensive coordinator, the same amount Cutcliffe earned last season.
Wide receivers coach Latrell Scott, who came to UT from Clawson's staff at Richmond, will earn $150,000 this season.
Tight ends coach Jason Michael will make $160,000 after leaving the New York Jets.
Former Florida running backs coach Stan Drayton will earn $170,000 .
"When Phillip went through the process of hiring his new offensive staff, he came in and we talked about it," Hamilton said. "I said, 'Go hire the best people you can hire. Don't be too overly concerned about what it's going to cost. But also manage it, and be respectful of what we're trying to accomplish.' I think he did that very well, by the way. In the process, he was able to hire some young guys, but he was also able to get some of the guys who have been here a longer period of time some additional compensation which they probably deserved."
Defensive coordinator John Chavis will earn $340,000, a $15,000 raise over last year.
Defensive line coach Dan Brooks will earn $190,000 and defensive backs coach Larry Slade will make $175,000.
All of UT's assistants have two-year contracts, while coordinators have three-year deals.
"Mike was very helpful and very supportive of that," Fulmer said. "We're certainly not the highest in the conference, but we're very competitive in the conference. We compete in the best division in the best conference in the country. We just won the Eastern Division in a year in which the conference was probably at its best.
"I'm really happy for them and very appreciative of Mike and (UT president) Dr. (John) Petersen and everyone allowing us to be competitive from a financial standpoint that we don't have coaches coming and going."
On Wednesday, UT also announced a $350,000 raise for head coach Phillip Fulmer and a $300,000 raise for men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl.
According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Pearl's staff will be the third highest-paid staff in the SEC when their contracts are announced.
Drew Edwards may be reached at 865-342-6274.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 12:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chavis got the smallest raise!!!!!! Congrats, you or the new OC will be the scapegoat for the coming year. Keep your eye on Fulmer though, he'll backstab you at the first opportunity.
Posted by givehim6 on July 3, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Chavis should get his raises based on recruiting proformance.
Posted by pabashia on July 3, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL Chavis only got a $15k bump because it keeps him even with Clawson. Can't have the new OC making more than the hack DC y'know. I hope this is Chavis' last season.
Posted by HotlantaVol on July 3, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about Jim Bob Cooter? What's he making this year? Is he still a grad assistant or did someone pick him up as a position coach somewhere?
Posted by pdhuff on July 3, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chavis got a raise for finishing 11th in SEC D!!!!
The inmates are truly running the asylum. Hamilton must have $100's stuffed in every nook and cranny.
What happened to a performance clause that was awarded after truly winning something?
Mikey just announced to the SEC world that he did not expect to EVER be the SEC champion again.
Period....
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fulmer is clearly a great boss to work for, and provides loyalty and stability in the workplace. This is why Coach Caldwell would turn down Defensive Coordinator at Arkansas to remain DE coach at UT.
John Chavis was recognized as the American Football Coaches Association’s 2006 Division I-A Assistant Coach of the Year. Chavis said, “Anytime you’re recognized by your peers, it’s truly special. The people in this profession know what’s happening on a daily basis and they see things other people don’t see. They’re in the same battles we are in, and to be recognized by your peers is the greatest compliment that can be paid."
Now maybe these other coaches don't know as much as us Internet Posters. An absurdly young group of DB's coupled with below average pass rushers hurt us badly in 2007, but still not sure why a Vol would think we should run him out of town...
Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bigger_Al, you truly are an idiot if you think Caldwell "turned down" the DC job at Arkansas to remain a position coach at UT.
Posted by Brama on July 3, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dan Brooks needs to be making 200,000 + a yr. What About Larry Slade?
Posted by rkastens on July 3, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow - The new OC gets the same as your SEC battle-tested DC? I agree that Chavis has struggled the last couple of years in terms of defensive performance and landing the D-line recruits, but Clawson has not taken the field in an SEC game. Perhaps this is why some people who post here do not have a problem with him making the same as Chavis. Chavis has a body of work to criticize. If Clawson's offense struggles, his raise next year will be criticized as well.
Many forget it was our defense, led by Chavis, that won us the national championship in 1998. Many internet posters seem to operate with a "what have you done for me lately" attitude. All Clawson has done so far is bring "hope." In the next six months that hope will turn to reality. I want Clawson to have tremendous success at UT, but if the reality is not good, then watch out.
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JerkinItLikeHeck - You are truly an idiot in any case. And a sad, bitter idiot at that. The good news is that with the new contracts, you can continue to be a sad, bitter idiot thru 2014!
http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2007/d...
Text: [Caldwell had spoken several times with newly hired Arkansas coach and longtime friend Bobby Petrino about becoming the Razorbacks' defensive coordinator, but on Sunday night Caldwell told Petrino that he would remain at Tennessee.
"(Petrino) and I have talked three or four times about the job, and before I ever went to meet with him, I wanted to make sure whether it was something that I wanted to do," Caldwell said Sunday. "After spending some time with my family, I've decided that I'm not going to do that. This is where my family is. Tennessee is really my family now."
Caldwell and Petrino, who resigned as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach earlier this month to take over at Arkansas, coached together at Nevada in 1994. At Nevada, Caldwell was the co-defensive coordinator and Petrino the offensive coordinator.]
I guess your sour opinion is based me taking this article at face value, rather than being callous and cynical like yourself. Where did you get your inside scoop?
Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bigger_Idiot, so Caldwell insinuates that he talked to Petrino about the DC position at Arkansas. Was it for the DC or Co-DC? He never even met with Petrino in person but yet had a job offer apparently. So here is a guy in Caldwell who didn't want to be a coordinator in the SEC. That would have been a huge stepup. I guess the defensive staff is just full of people that have settled in being position coaches and don't want to move up in their careers. What ambition.
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jerkin (you ignorant $lut) - As most simple-minded people do, you view with skepticism any facts that don't mesh with your own distorted views of reality. Since you are so heavily invested in the ideal that nobody on UT's coaching staff is a) talented, b) competent, c) coveted, or d) loyal, you must dismiss news to the contrary with cynicism as being unrealistic. You are incapable of dealing with duality of truth.
Maybe, just maybe, there are people out there that are happy where they are, working with people they like, and in a community they love. And maybe Bobby Petrino is not one of those people, thus making following him a risky career choice.
Posted by spvol on July 3, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not sure ANY position on the Arkansas staff (with the possible exception of WARDEN) would be a step UP from Tennessee.
Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 2:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah, a coordinator position in the SEC (not at UK, Vandy, Miss State) wouldn't be a step up from being a position coach. LOL!!!!!!
Interesting that Caldwell and Adkins got 33% raises of 50,000 (from 150,000).
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Back to LOL!!!!!!-ing at your own statements. Nice...
Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
that would be "LOL!!!!!!-ing" at absurd statements such as being a DC at Arkansas wouldn't be a step up from a position coach at Tennessee. This doesn't really suprise me that you don't know that considering you are the Bigger_Idiot. Congrats on not being the biggest...yet.
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JerkinItLikeHeck - Thank you for that. So you simply cannot believe someone on Fulmer's staff would stay as a position coach instead of chasing Petrino. Anyone who takes the article at face value must be an idiot.
You may not be a scholar nor a gentleman, but you are a cynical and miserable human being. And at least you haven't (yet) resorted to one of your other screen names to LOL!! along with you. For that, I congratulate you.
Posted by THE_VOL on July 3, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SCREW THE FOOTBALL ASSISTANTS! MAKE THEM ACTUALLY WIN SOMETHING THAT MATTERS BEFORE THROWING MORE MONEY AT EM!
THE HOOPS ASSISTANTS ARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE GETTING THE CASH!!
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Right on cue...
Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 3, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bigger_Idiot, who is taking the article at face value? It seems as though you are using it to cite your claim that Caldwell was going to get the Arky DC job. I congratulate you for basically calling yourself an idiot. LOL!!!!!
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JerkinLikeHeck - Your stupidity is not surprising, but your lack of comprehension of the English language and Drew Edwards' article is. This isn't my claim - it is the KNS's report. You stated that anyone who takes this article at face value is an idiot. You believe that someone must cynically view Drew's article as a pack of lies, because that is what is required for this to fit your sour, distorted view of reality.
Keep jerkin' and LOL-ing with yourself.
Posted by AlpharettaVol on July 3, 2008 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Workin' and your cohorts: It nothing else, you are completely predictable. If I disliked the KNS and the Vol football coaching staff as much as you apparently do, I'd find something better to do with my time, like going downtown and watching a few haircuts.
Posted by rail on July 3, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bigger_Al....see what happens when you get into a pissin contest with a skunk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
rail - Yep!
Posted by TommyJack on July 3, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bigger_Al 2:06: "duality of truth". Don't know what you mean, but it was beautiful man.
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 3, 2008 at 7:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TJ - Thanks Dude. You should try some of this stuff, man...
Posted by posivol on July 3, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JerkinLikeHeck
now thats just funny!
Posted by philfan on July 3, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It always invigorates me to read a poster who does his research with Tennessee football and bases his statements based on fact rather than short-term memory of the last football game he or she saw, which may have been 5 or 6 years ago. I am referring to the post by Bigger_Al on July 3 at 10:01 a.m. Not too long ago, the KNS was describing the job offers the NFL has made to Chavis. Chavis turned them all down to coach the Vols.
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