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College Football coaching salaries 2017: Worth it, not worth it

By Nathaniel Reeves

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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ORLANDO, FL – NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Scott Frost of the UCF Knights is seen during a NCAA football game between the University of Connecticut Huskies and the UCF Knights on November 11, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Scott Frost of the UCF Knights is seen during a NCAA football game between the University of Connecticut Huskies and the UCF Knights on November 11, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

Worth it: Scott Frost 

Frost has remarkably transformed UCF from a winless team to one of the best in college football in two short years, and could be in line for a pay raise at a bigger program shortly down the line.

A national champion quarterback at Nebraska, Frost broke into the coaching ranks on the defensive side of the ball with Northern Iowa before moving over to offense with Oregon in 2009. The Ducks had one of the best offenses in college football with Frost as coordinator from 2013-2015, as he was named a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2014 while guiding Marcus Mariota to a Heisman Trophy.

With the program in disarray following a winless season, UCF gave Frost his first head coaching job, and he led a quick turnaround with a 6-6 debut campaign. This season has defied all expectations with UCF sitting at a perfect 11-0, and the Knights are headed to the New Year’s Six if they manage to win the AAC title game.

UCF is not just undefeated, but has been crushing teams with only two games decided by a touchdown or less this year, and will be a worthy opponent for any Power Five team. The Knights have college football’s best offense at 48.3 points per game, as Frost has done a terrific job developing quarterback McKenzie Milton into one of the most efficient signal callers in college football.

Frost is only making $2 million this season to rank 56th in the nation, making him one of the biggest bargains in college football. While UCF may need to fork over more money to keep Frost away from alma mater Nebraska, it can enjoy one of the fastest rising head coaches in the nation.

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