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Florida State had no choice but to break the bank to keep Mike Norvell.
He had just won an ACC championship and narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoff. In addition, Norvell had become one of the top contenders to replace Nick Saban at Alabama following his abrupt retirement in January.
Norvell’s new contract pays him $10 million in total compensation in 2024 and includes one of the largest buyouts among active Football Bowl Subdivision coaches at $70.1 million. But the payoff for this massive deal has been AWOL: Six games in, Norvell and the Seminoles are 1-5 and the biggest disappointment in the country.
Several coaches are set to see similarly significant increases in salary this offseason. Will these raises bear fruit or will programs have buyer’s remorse? Here are five set to see a rise in pay after this season:
Lane Kiffin, Mississippi
At $9 million in total compensation in 2024, Kiffin is already one of the highest-paid head coaches in the Bowl Subdivision. But he’s been mentioned in connection to the likely opening at Florida, which is set to move from third-year coach Billy Napier and aim for some of the biggest names in the industry to reverse a recent slide. That increases the possibility that Kiffin will see a pay raise this offseason, and not only from the Gators. Kiffin could also be contacted by another high-profile program in the market for a new coach or have his contract reworked by the Rebels amid interest inside and out of the SEC.
GJ Kinne, Texas State
The 35-year-old former Tulsa quarterback has quickly made a name for himself by leading Incarnate Word to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals as a first-time coach in 2022 and then guiding Texas State to a bowl game in his debut. The Bobcats are 4-2 this season and a perfect 2-0 in the Sun Belt with a competitive loss to Arizona State in non-conference play. His up-tempo offensive scheme and immediate success will make him an attractive candidate for upper-tier Group of Five job openings this offseason. Kinne’s salary of just over $1 million in compensation this year ranks 88th among coaches in our survey.
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
The youngest coach in the Power Four, Dillingham took over an Arizona State program in major decline and won just three games last season. After beating then-No. 17 Utah last Friday, the Sun Devils are 5-1 and one of the first teams outside the US LBM Coaches Poll. That he’s an ASU graduate who got his start on the local high school scene before entering the college ranks makes Dillingham a contender to see his rebuild through and try to steer the Sun Devils to the top of the Big 12. But his winning ways will force the administration to pony up to move his salary more in line with the league’s top coaches. Dillingham’s $3.95 million in compensation in 2024 ranks third from the bottom among Big 12 coaches at public universities.
Deion Sanders, Colorado
Is Sanders in line for a raise after showing on-field results to join his enormous off-field impact on the program? He’s making $5.7 million in compensation this season, a relative bargain given the eyeballs, hype and attention dedicated to the Buffaloes since he was hired away from Jackson State. And while last year’s team was much more style than substance, CU is 4-2 and in deep competition for a bowl game. Sanders might not be a major target for other Power Four openings – Norvell isn’t in any real danger of losing his job, taking FSU off the table – but he could have his deal reworked and extended after a nice breakthrough in 2024.
Barry Odom, UNLV
Already counted among our most underpaid coaches in the FBS at $1.75 million a year, Odom’s $4 million buyout is also a very manageable total for Power Four schools shopping for a new coach after this season. While UNLV lost to Syracuse earlier this month and dropped out of the Top 25, the Rebels have been one of the top teams in the Mountain West since Odom took over in 2023. That will put him on the radar for some second-tier Power Four openings, though schools would have to look past his four-year stint at Missouri that never saw the Tigers finish higher than third in the SEC East division.
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg
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