Assistant coaches’ salaries spiking in football

Trickle down economics are alive and well in college football. With many contracts being negotiated or finalized, nearly a dozen schools in the NCAA’s 120-school Football Bowl Subdivision have made deals under which they will be spending at least 38% more on their offensive or defensive coordinator in 2010 than they did in 2009. These increases come a year after four assistants — Tennessee’s Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron, Texas’ Will Muschamp and Washington’s Nick Holt — joined Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher in having deals worth at least $600,000 a year. (Kiffin and Orgeron have moved to Southern California, and Fisher has become Florida State’s head coach.) They also come amid continuing financial distress within higher education. – USA Today

New Michigan AD: Football success is critical

(Dave) Brandon had a lot on his calendar Monday, his first day as Michigan’s athletic director, but acknowledged nothing on his list of things to do was more important than his plan for Rich Rodriguez and college football’s winningest program. “It’s critical,” Brandon said. “If you look at the annual revenues that drive this department, football is three-quarters of who we are. It’s essential for that program be successful if our entire athletic department is going to be successful. “I will continue to spend a lot of time with Rich and all of the people associated with the football program to understand it really well and to hopefully make an impact in terms of how we precede going further.” Michigan’s once-proud team has been embarrassed on and off the field lately. The NCAA notified Rodriguez and school officials two weeks ago that the football program is facing five potentially major rules violations in part because its report said Rodriguez “failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program” in regards to time spent on practice and football-related activities. Brandon backed his coach then and on Monday reiterated his support for Rodriguez. “He’s our coach for this season,” Brandon said. “There’s nothing within the framework of the NCAA allegations that led me to believe that it should change his status as our coach.” – Record- Eagle

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Rich Rodriguez won’t be judged on just wins, losses at Michigan

Incoming Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said he’s seen improvements in the football program under Rich Rodriguez and won’t mandate a number of wins Rodriguez needs to keep his job. So how will Brandon evaluate Rodriguez’s performance after the season? “Much like your boss, there’s a lot of different things you look at,” he told AnnArbor.com last month. “Certainly you need to see progress and some of that’s measured by wins and losses, but it’s also measured a lot of other ways. And when I’m in a position where I can evaluate as closely as I need to and I want to, all those metrics and all those measures will be clear between the coach and me.” Michigan is 8-16 in two seasons under Rodriguez and coming off a year in which it tied for last place in the Big Ten. – AnnArbor.com

USC adds special teams coach from Fresno State

USC announced Thursday that Fresno State assistant coach John Baxter was hired as the Trojans’ special teams and associate head coach. Baxter, 46, spent the past 13 seasons at Fresno State and was one of Bulldogs coach Pat Hill’s original assistants. Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling made 15 of 16 field goals last season, including a school- record 15 in a row. “Hiring John Baxter is something that I thought could probably never happen,” USC coach Lane Kiffin said. “Having him here will be huge for our team on and off the field. “He put together a 13-year run of special teams at Fresno State that were better than any in the country.” Fresno State blocked 83 kicks during Baxter’s tenure and leads the nation with 48 blocked kicks since 2002. – LA Daily News

Nevada’s Chris Ault not worried about hot seat

Chris Ault is approaching spring practice the same way he has his previous 25 spring practices — with a goal to build depth and evaluate newcomers. As for any added pressure coming on the heels of a 2009 season that ended in abject failure, the Nevada football coach said he doesn’t feel it. “Most coaches who won eight games would be pretty pleased. I’m not one of them — not the way it ended,” he said, referring to the Wolf Pack’s 8-4 regular-season record, which preceded a 45-10 loss to SMU in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve. “As far as feeling any pressure, it’s no more than any other spring since I’ve been here. I just want to get better.” – Reno Gazette-Journal

Alabama DC Kirby Smart could be future Georgia head coach?

Recently, Kirby Smart received a $390,000 raise to stay at Alabama as defensive coordinator, rejecting a bid from Georgia, his alma mater. His new deal will pay him $750,000 annually. Is he worth it? Have coaching salaries, particularly for assistants, gotten completely out of whack? Or if you are as good as Smart (did you catch Alabama’s defense this past year?) does it really matter? … My sense is Saban was probably not crazy about having to pay the $750,000 ransom money to keep Smart at Alabama. Not that it comes out of his pocket, but Saban knows that a large differential in pay among assistants is unhealthy and can create problems, even with a loyal and tireless worker like Smart. However, I think in the wake of the national championship (the Georgia offer was probably tendered before Smart even made it back to Tuscaloosa from Pasadena), and with recruiting at full speed, Saban probably signed off on the salary increase, took two aspirin and went to bed. As for the pesky coach in waiting question, I don’t think it ever came up with Smart. Nor do I think Saban is anywhere near the finish line of his career. And who’s to say that when the issue of Smart may arise again — perhaps in a year or two if the Mark Richt tenure comes crashing down in Athens. Certainly Smart had to think about that when the Georgia offer was made. However, I think his worth to Georgia will likely be higher, with perhaps another national championship at Alabama instead of being part of a sinking ship in Athens. – Mobile Press-Register

LSU hires Steve Ensminger

Steve Ensminger, a former starting quarterback for LSU, has been named the school’s tight ends coach, head coach Les Miles announced on Thursday. Ensminger, a 1982 graduate of LSU, played quarterback for the Tigers under head coach Charlie McClendon from 1976-79. Ensminger played in three bowl games at LSU and has followed that by coaching in 10 bowl games as an assistant. “We’re excited about having Steve join our staff,” Miles said. “He comes to LSU with a great deal of coaching experience in the SEC and he knows Louisiana very well. He’s demonstrated expertise in coaching on the offensive side of the ball and he gives us a coach who will be very valuable in recruiting. “He’s also an LSU guy, which just reinforces that this is the right hire for us.” Ensminger comes to LSU after serving as an assistant coach at Auburn from 2003-08. Ensminger spent the 2009 season as the passing game coordinator at Smiths Station High School in Auburn, Ala. – Bayou Bengal Insider

Lane Kiffin confused by Vols’ AD’s comments

Former Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin is confused by Vols athletic director Mike Hamilton’s parting comments about him not being a “cultural fit” during his 14-month stay on campus. “I don’t think at the end of day that has anything to do with whether you score points or whether you win games. Where you’re from? I don’t know. That’s just my opinion. Is Nick Saban from Alabama? Is Urban Meyer from Florida? Those are two of the best coaches in the country. So I don’t think that really means anything.” – Knoxville News-Sentinel

After NCAA ruling, pressure is on Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez to win now

This was not a good day for Michigan and Rich Rodriguez, that’s for sure. There were dour expressions and serious tones, although tinged with the slightest wisp of relief that nothing crushing or unexpected was delivered. Michigan broke rules, according to the NCAA, and however it’s spun in either direction, that’s a stain. The NCAA didn’t accuse Rodriguez’s program of breaking the biggest rules, and Michigan officials said they don’t believe it was done maliciously. And no, Rodriguez won’t lose his job over this, not now. But for Michigan football, previously untainted by the NCAA, any allegation is embarrassing. For Rodriguez, it doesn’t help his cause, but it doesn’t really change much either. The truth is, Rodriguez is under the same amount of heat today as he was before the report. He’s 8-16 in two seasons and there’s a new, aggressive, impressive athletic director, David Brandon, taking over. Rodriguez had to show progress this season whether the NCAA found nothing, or all sorts of nasty stuff. – Detroit News

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