UT's coaching staff to earn $5.325 million

Tennessee will pay its football coaching staff a combined $5.325 million for the 2009 season, UT announced Thursday.

"Coach (Lane) Kiffin has done a tremendous job assembling one of the best staffs in the SEC and the country," UT athletic director Mike Hamilton said. "Our funding model requires football to be successful in order to fund other sports and not detract from the university's mission. This team of experienced coaches understands that vision."

UT's most experienced coaches - and their best recruiters - are slated to earn the most this season.

Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is UT's highest-paid assistant coach at $1.2 million. Kiffin will also receive a retention bonus of $300,000 on December 31, bringing his total income from UT to $1.5 million for 2009.

Defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron will earn $650,000, followed by offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Chaney at $380,000.

Those three coaches will have three-year contracts, the same term UT's coordinators had previously.

Linebackers coach Lance Thompson will earn $350,000.

Running backs coach Eddie Gran will make $185,000, while tackles and tight ends coach James Cregg, quarterbacks coach David Reaves and wide receivers coach Frank Wilson will all earn $150,000.

Defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza will earn $110,000.

Assistant coaches have two-year contracts.

Included in assistant coaches' contracts are liquidated damages clauses that would require a coach to repay rougly six months' pay if he left for a similar position.

A position coach who left to become a coordinator or a coordinator who left for a head coaching job would not have to repay the university any salary under the clause.

Head coach Lane Kiffin will be paid $2 million this season in the first year of a six-year deal that runs through 2014.

UT paid its nine assistants $1.93 million last year. This year's assistant coaches will receive $3.325 million.

All told, the Vols will pay their entire coaching staff $5.325 million. According to UT, its previous coaching staff was scheduled to earn $4.7 million for the 2009 season.

That overall jump in salaries for UT's 10 football coaches is $625,000, using Tennessee's figures.

“While our coaches’ salary model is unique, we feel it is a great model for Tennessee," Hamilton said. "Coach Kiffin understands the power of putting together a great team and he used the budget we provided to assemble what many will consider to be the best staff in America."

More later online and in Friday's News Sentinel.

Coach Title Salary

Lane Kiffin Head Coach $2,000,000

Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator $1,200,000*

Ed Orgeron Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Line $650,000

Jim Chaney Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line $380,000

Lance Thompson Linebackers $350,000

Eddie Gran Running Backs/Special Teams $185,000

James Cregg Tight Ends/Tackles $150,000

David Reaves Quarterbacks $150,000

Frank Wilson Wide Receivers $150,000

Willie Garza Defensive Backs $110,000

* Monte Kiffin will also receive a retention bonus of $300,000 on December 31, 2009.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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