According to USA Today, Coach Elko is grossly underpaid at 7 mil. Are they trying to pave they way for Penn State to fire Franklin and offer Elko 10 mil a year?

After his 3rd season, we will know if theyre right

$7 million is underpaid for going 8 and 5 in year one

and beating one currently ranked team, two teams currently at the bottom of the SEC standings and yet to have conference win, and two creampuffs?

Ok.

So how was the data in making this bold determination "compiled and analyzed"? Let's take a look

Quote:

---

Elko's $7 million in total compensation is tied for 31st overall among coaches in our survey but comes in behind 11 other SEC coaches. Relative to his conference peers, Elko has been a steal. After winning 16 games in two years at Duke and keeping Texas A&M in the mix for the SEC crown all the way down the wire of the regular season in 2024, Elko has the No. 5 Aggies at 5-0 and in the thick of the race for the playoff as one of four teams receiving a first-place vote in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll.

---

So going 9 and 4 and 7 and 5 at Duke and currently being 5 and 0 against the aforementioned teams and practically winning a conference championship, which we haven't done in over a quarter of a century, and in the race for a playoff position, despite having 7 more games to go, that's why he's underpaid? - Wow Paul, that's quite the analysis!

Incentives though

While I don't think he's underpaid, especially if he meets his incentive marks, I do think it is a little unfair to say he's only beat one ranked team and two unranked SEC teams when we are a big reason those teams are unranked at the moment with 7 games to go.

None of those guys are underpaid.

Good Lord. They coach football.

13B said:

---

While I don't think he's underpaid, especially if he meets his incentive marks, I do think it is a little unfair to say he's only beat one ranked team and two unranked SEC teams when we are a big reason those teams are unranked at the moment with 7 games to go.

---

It's not unfair.

It's . . . typical.

The last time we beat LSU in Death Valley - 1994. Let's do that.

Let's win something of significance (a conference championship) before talking about value unless we want to repeat the same mistakes going back to Fran.

Elko has a $1 million incentive built into his contract for a playoff appearance. $100k for an SEC Championship appearance. Along with some pretty heavy earning potential for advancing in the playoffs.

All that being said, if the team performs at its current trajectory, he'll get paid. But will still only be at year 2 of a 6 year contract. I feel like year 3 is the year to renegotiate if all is going well.

4 said:

---

None of those guys are underpaid.

Good Lord. They coach football.

---

BeastmodeAg said:

---

Incentives though

---

Beat me to it.

Simply, contracting for college football coaches is changing. As contracts turn over, eventually, all coaches will have lower base and more incentives. The old model of high flat bases simply was not sustainable. USA Today are morons.

Credible Source said:

---

4 said:

---

None of those guys are underpaid.

Good Lord. They coach football.

---

---

There's just coaching football, and then there's coaching football to the level of trying to win a NC and maintain that level.

I can honestly say, not sure I would do it. The mega long hours, sleeping in the office, STRESS STRESS STRESS, the crap from all the big money donors, NIL, recruiting, STRESS STRESS STRESS, and the list goes on.

Too many you see with health issues, broken marriages etc. It obviously takes a certain person. Just saying, not me

If he puts us in the playoffs he probably deserves a raise. And he probably will get one. We should get used to that idea. Elko is here because of an incredible opportunity. He doesn't have any ties to A&M and would probably leave at a shot at another top tear university if they gave him a better offer. Why wouldn't you? An offer at like say Penn St or Florida. A&M is a great job but not the only one.

He will get a raise and extension if another school tries to poach him. It's that simple and yet some people still don't get it.

Here is the $10 million coach club according to CBS:

College football head coach salary rankings

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia -- $13,003,000
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State -- $12,500,000
3. Lincoln Riley, USC -- $11,537,560
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson -- $11,258,575
5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas -- $10,800,000
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon -- $10,400,000
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama -- $10,250,000
8. Brian Kelly, LSU -- $10,175,000
9. Bill Belichick, North Carolina -- $10,100,000

Other SEC Coaches that they list:
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, -- $9,000,000
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma -- $7,552,750
24. Billy Napier, Florida -- $7,220,000
32. Mike Elko, Texas A&M -- $7,000,000

So, Elko is in the OU/Florida (not yet proven range)

Hopefully, he delivers and earns the incentives that bump him up higher.

I'm on the Elko bus, and have been there since before he was hired.

Renegotiate no sooner than after year 4 on a 6 year contract.

On any coach. Give him a fricken bonus if we win the super bowl if you want, but don't renegotiate until after year 4.

Seems like it's asking a lot for the school that was the laughingstock of college football two years ago for an absurd extension to dip into its pockets and extend another guy in year two, but I guess that's how you get clicks…

UNT coach lives in my neighborhood. He makes what most of us make so don't think he's underpaid. Btw I'm effin drunk rn now this is your chance Amarica

4 said:

---

None of those guys are underpaid.

Good Lord. They coach football.

---

Agree, dumb take.

hey, whoever wrote this article,how much do you bank?

What I learned today is even the unt coach pulls over a mil a year. Wow

Txhuntr said:

---

What I learned today is even the unt coach pulls over a mil a year. Wow

---

They get knocked by bigger schools but firsthand they have good people . Seth was a good guy and so is Eric. AD Jared is a solid dude and hires good peeps.

Eddie Vedder said:

---

UNT coach lives in my neighborhood. He makes what most of us make so don't think he's underpaid. Btw I'm effin drunk rn now this is your chance Amarica

---

Nice flex

DD88 said:

---

Here is the $10 million coach club according to CBS:

College football head coach salary rankings

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia -- $13,003,000
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State -- $12,500,000
3. Lincoln Riley, USC -- $11,537,560
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson -- $11,258,575
5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas -- $10,800,000
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon -- $10,400,000
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama -- $10,250,000
8. Brian Kelly, LSU -- $10,175,000
9. Bill Belichick, North Carolina -- $10,100,000

Other SEC Coaches that they list:
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, -- $9,000,000
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma -- $7,552,750
24. Billy Napier, Florida -- $7,220,000
32. Mike Elko, Texas A&M -- $7,000,000

So, Elko is in the OU/Florida (not yet proven range)

Hopefully, he delivers and earns the incentives that bump him up higher.

---

UNC is already in the process of starting the buy out of
Belichick.

I could get happy with $7MM. And I'd be totally fine being "underpaid".

I'm a man of modest means and don't expect much from this life. I just want underpaid football coach money.

Elko making 3 times what a neurosurgeon does ......whata country!

Nice try, Mike.

DD88 said:

---

Here is the $10 million coach club according to CBS:

College football head coach salary rankings

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia -- $13,003,000
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State -- $12,500,000
3. Lincoln Riley, USC -- $11,537,560
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson -- $11,258,575
5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas -- $10,800,000
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon -- $10,400,000
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama -- $10,250,000
8. Brian Kelly, LSU -- $10,175,000
9. Bill Belichick, North Carolina -- $10,100,000

Other SEC Coaches that they list:
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, -- $9,000,000
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma -- $7,552,750
24. Billy Napier, Florida -- $7,220,000
32. Mike Elko, Texas A&M -- $7,000,000

So, Elko is in the OU/Florida (not yet proven range)

Hopefully, he delivers and earns the incentives that bump him up higher.

---

11 million bones a year seems like money well spent by USC for Lincoln Riley.

He should get a raise if he makes the playoff, on top of the incentives. Just don't increase the buyout.

You think Elko is fat with a $7MM salary, wait until they give his a raise!

DD88 said:

---

Here is the $10 million coach club according to CBS:

College football head coach salary rankings

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia -- $13,003,000
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State -- $12,500,000
3. Lincoln Riley, USC -- $11,537,560
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson -- $11,258,575
5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas -- $10,800,000
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon -- $10,400,000
7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama -- $10,250,000
8. Brian Kelly, LSU -- $10,175,000
9. Bill Belichick, North Carolina -- $10,100,000

Other SEC Coaches that they list:
10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, -- $9,000,000
23. Brent Venables, Oklahoma -- $7,552,750
24. Billy Napier, Florida -- $7,220,000
32. Mike Elko, Texas A&M -- $7,000,000

So, Elko is in the OU/Florida (not yet proven range)

Hopefully, he delivers and earns the incentives that bump him up higher.

---

No matter the a mount of stress or work load this is still crazy money these coaches make. So they should all be happy. They are set for life as long as they don't try and live beyond their means. Which I'm thinking would be hard to do. What USA Today should have written about is the coaches that are way overpaid like Belichick and Riley just to name a few.

Maybe see how this year plays out before you call him underpaid.

We should probably also avoid extensions based on our history.

4 said:

---

None of those guys are underpaid.

Good Lord. They coach football.

---

EXACTLY
Thank you for that breath of fresh air....

Apparently Sports Agents are ghost writers for USA Today Sports. Who knew?