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Auburn releases details on contracts for Gus Malzahn, Bruce Pearl

By Patrick Schmidt

Mar 18, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head football coach Gus Malzahn (l) and head basketball coach Bruce Pearl (r) greet each other during Pearl
Mar 18, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head football coach Gus Malzahn (l) and head basketball coach Bruce Pearl (r) greet each other during Pearl /
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The Auburn Tigers engineered one of the biggest turnarounds we have ever seen in college football last season as they went from a three-win team in 2012 to SEC champions and playing in the BCS National Championship Game in 2013. For that effort, Auburn has rewarded head coach Gus Malzahn and his assistants with extensions and raises.

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Malzahn agreed to a new deal in December after winning the SEC Championship Game, was extended two years and receives $3.85 million this season with an annual increase of $250,000 2019, bumping his total to $5.1 million in the final year of the deal. Malzahn originally signed a contract in December 2012 that paid him $2.3 million per year for five years to return to The Plains where he was the offensive coordinator prior to leaving to be the head coach at Arkansas State.

According to USA Today, Malzahn will also receive bonuses for playing in the national championship game, winning the national championship and playing in any of the six bowl games while receiving $140,000 to offset his buyout from Arkansas State.

Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee was the big winner on the staff of Malzahn as he received a $250,000 raise to bring his yearly salary to $600,000 and a two-year extension that runs through 2017.

Other coaches to receive extensions through 2017 include, co-defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner and wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig.

The rest of Malzahn’s staff received one-year extensions meaning the entire coaching staff is locked up through 2016, so the magical run we saw from Auburn could be the beginning of a nice successful run for the Tigers if they are able to keep the entire staff in place.

Lashlee is a rising star in the industry and could have head coaching opportunities in the near future, so his big boost in pay could be the first of another big payday in his future.

Here you can see the current salary and their raises courtesy of AL.com:

  • Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson: $850,000 salary ($50,000 raise)
  • Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee: $600,000 ($250,000 raise)
  • Defensive line coach Rodney Garner: $550,000 ($50,000 raise)
  • Receivers coach Dameyune Craig: $500,000; ($150,000 raise)
  • Safeties coach Charlie Harbison: $475,000 ($50,000 raise)
  • Offensive line coach J.B. Grimes: $370,000 ($100,000 raise)
  • Running backs coach Tim Horton: $325,000 ($75,000 raise)
  • Tight ends/special teams coach Scott Fountain: $325,000 ($75,000 raise)
  • Cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith: $325,000 ($25,000 raise)
  • Strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell: $285,000 ($75,000 raise)

Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl signed a deal worth $2.2 million in 2014 with an annual bump of at least $100,000 per year through 2020. He also received a $500,000 signing bonus that he will have to pay back if he violates his show-cause penalty which ends on Aug. 24.

Just like his football counterpart, Pearl will receive a $100,000 bonus for winning the SEC regular season title, 50,000 for making the NCAA tournament and $200,000 for the national title. He also stands to cash in if his players fare well academically and if the Tigers can sell out the stadium.

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