What is Freeze’s salary in the SEC?
His annual salary of $6.5 million places him ninth among SEC public school coaches, ahead of South Carolina’s Shane Beamer ($6.2 million), Arkansas’ Sam Pittman ($6 million), and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz ($6 million). Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss and Josh Heupel of Tennessee both received raises to $9 million this season — Kiffin was a former favorite to take over at Auburn. Alabama’s Nick Saban ($11.7 million) and Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($11.2 million) are at the top of the list. – Vannini
What else about Freeze’s contract stands out?
Think again if you thought Auburn had learned from its previous two coaching hires. After they were fired, both Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin were owed at least 70% of their remaining contracts, with no offset from another job, totaling around $37 million. If fired without cause, Freeze’s buyout would pay him 75% of the remaining contract, with no offset. The only difference is that Freeze’s buyout would be paid in equal monthly installments, whereas Malzahn and Harsin were owed half of their buyout within 30 days of their firing.
Freeze’s contract also includes lengthy and standard clauses about personal conduct, which are worded similarly to Harsin’s previous contract. – Vannini
Leave a Reply