Fansided

List of highest-paid college basketball coaches is out, with an outlier

By Brad Berreman

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 14: Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak reacts to a call during a college basketball game between the Utah Utes and the USC Trojans on January 14, 2018, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 14: Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak reacts to a call during a college basketball game between the Utah Utes and the USC Trojans on January 14, 2018, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The list of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball is out, so how do they stack up?

The list of the highest-paid head coaches for the 2017-18 season in college basketball is out, via USA TODAY. Duke Mike Krzyzewski is atop the list at $8.98 million, nearly a million clear of Kentucky’s John Calipari at No. 2 in total compensation ($7.99 million).

Third on the list is Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann, who came to Columbus from Butler after Thad Matta resigned/was fired last summer, at $7.14 million. After Holtmann there is a pretty significant drop to Kansas’ Bill Self ($4.95 million), Michigan State’s Tom Izzo ($4.35 million), Arizona’s Sean Miller ($4.05 million) and West Virginia’s Bob Huggins ($3.76 million).

But after Huggins, at No. 7 on the list ahead of Michigan’s John Beilein, is Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak at $3.39 million. On a list with college hoops coaching elite, newer coaches who got nice pay days to take a step up from a smaller school (Shaka Smart, Archie Miller) and others who have had pretty good success at bigger-name schools, Krystkowiak stands out as outlier.

Krystkowiak is in his seventh season as head coach at Utah, and the Utes are firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble at 18-10 heading into their regular season finale Saturday against Colorado. Extending a streak of 20-win seasons to five in a row is possible, along with a third trip to the Big Dance in the last four seasons.

Next: 2018 Big Ten Tournament printable bracket

College football is in a bit of different realm financially. But it’s worth noting Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham was No. 24 on the list of the highest-paid coaches in the sport last season at $3.68 million. So the school is willing (and able) to pay coaches on a level comparable to their peers. Maintaining stability is surely as a reason to be competitive financially, when or if a bigger school comes calling on Whittingham or Krystkowiak.