COLUMBIA, S.C. — It’ll cost South Carolina nearly $2 million for Steve Spurrier’s rebuilt football staff.
The school released salaries of Spurrier’s nine assistants and new strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald on Thursday after a request by The Associated Press and other media outlets.
Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward will earn the most of Spurrier’s six new hires at $275,000 a year. Right behind is Eric Wolford, the running game coordinator and offensive line coach who’ll earn $250,000.
First-year quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus will earn $140,000, tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Johnson “Jeep” Hunter $140,000 and running backs coach Jay Graham $110,000.
Fitzgerald will earn $128,000.
Tops of the staff remains assistant head coach Ellis Johnson, who heads up the Gamecock defense. Last fall, university trustees approved an improved financial package that brings him $350,000 a season. Johnson has said he will keep control of the defense, but surrendered the title so the Gamecocks could attract Ward from Arkansas after last season.
Among South Carolina’s returning staff, defensive line coach Brad Lawing will earn $200,000, same as receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr.
The head coach’s son is the only assistant who’s remained on his father’s staff through Spurrier’s first four seasons with the Gamecocks. Spurrier Jr. was given added play-calling duties last season.
Shane Beamer, the son of Virginia Tech coach Frank, will earn $165,000 as cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator.
Two years ago, Spurrier’s nine assistants earned a combined $1.326 million, according to contracts.
South Carolina won’t pay as much as Tennessee under new coach Lane Kiffin, whose staff will make a combined $3.3 million. That’s believed to be the highest amount in the Southeastern Conference.
Wolford came to South Carolina after two years at Arizona. Mangus was a walk-on quarterback for Spurrier at Florida and was most recently offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee.
Hunter last coached in 2007, the second of two seasons with Georgia Tech. He’s also coached at Memphis, Eastern Kentucky and Chattanooga.
Graham was one of Tennessee’s best runners during his college days. He coached at Miami of Ohio last season.
Fitzgerald headed Harvard’s strength programs since April 2005. Before that, he was at Maryland as an assistant strength coach for five years.
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Comments » 9
hoosier_vol_fan writes:
Why should we care?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
If it was based on ego, Superior would be making 8 mil to his staff's 2.
If it was based on results,......
huntined#565710 writes:
He seems to turn his coaching staff every 2 years but still able to beat our VOLS.
TommyJack writes:
Ska roo him, his staff, and the horses they rode in on.
VOLorado writes:
$2 million may be their salary, but it has not been determined yet whether or not they "earned" it
GoVol writes:
I hate to see Jay Grahmn there but the man has to earn a living. Jay, please just don't wear a visor!
SignalMtnVol writes:
100% agreed. I despise spuurier more than any one person who has ever been in the game of football. I personally hope for the bastard to go 0-12, no matter what school he coaches.
Volchaz writes:
Interesting that didn't lump Spurrier's Salary in with that total,or at least mention it.
texasvol73 writes:
Maybe Jay Graham can show them how to fumble in the Swamp...ha... sorry, couldn't resist it...
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