The Alabama offensive coordinator ties Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele as the highest-paid assistant coach in the country.
While several college football programs are asking head coaches to take pay cuts and other colleges are cutting sports as a result of the pandemic, Alabama is handing out massive raises to their coaching staff.
During a special session on Wednesday, the Alabama board of trustees approved an $850,000 raise for offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. As a result of the raise, he will now earn $2.5 million this season.
The optics of the raise and the timing of the raises, which also saw other members of Nick Saban’s staff receive raises is not ideal considering the state of the country. However, the raises were approved back in February, before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled March Madness and put a halt to the spring sports and all the dominoes that have fallen since.
Alabama makes Steve Sarkisian one of the highest-paid assistants in college football
The UA Board of Trustees has approved raised for @UAFootball staff. OC Steve Sarkisian will earn $2.5 million, a raise of $850,000.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 5, 2020
Alabama AD @Greg_Byrne said the raises for staff were agreed to in February but approved at this time.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 5, 2020
Sarkisian is now tied with Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele as the highest-paid assistant in college football.
Last season marked Sarkisian’s return to Alabama after leaving to become the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons after serving as an offensive analyst and interim offensive coordinator following the departure of Lane Kiffin.
Last season the Crimson Tide averaged 47.2 points per game and 510 yards per game behind quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, receivers Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs and running back Najee Harris leading the way. The aforementioned three were all first-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft while Harris returned to school and is one of the leading Heisman candidates in the country.
Sarkisian, while maligned in the past, will be trusted with developing freshman phenom quarterback Bryce Young and leading the next wave of Alabama offensive talent, including likely first-round receivers Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith in 2020.
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