Money paid per victory shows Jimbo Fisher was a bargain in 2020

Jimbo Fisher is a bargain.

That would be debated by the always fiscally conscious national college sports media, which often seems abnormally concerned about Texas A&M’s expenses.

Remember when the price of oil dived? Remember how national writers Stewart Mandell and Barrett Sallee tweeted their concern about how Texas A&M would be able to pay football coach Jimbo Fisher’s $7.5 million annual salary?

Their concern actually came off as joy. But surely that was just a misunderstanding. Oddly, however, they did not seem as concerned how Oklahoma — also an oil-dependent economy — would pay coach Lincoln Riley’s $6.2 salary.

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Lincoln Riley’s contract stipulates that Oklahoma must pay him $6.2 million per season.

However, nobody in the national media has appeared more concerned about A&M’s expenses than Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. He’s often fretted about Fisher’s contract.

Back in October, he pointed out how much Fisher was paid per win.

Oddly, Dodd never seems to bring up the price per win for other college football programs.

But TexAgs will.

Based on 2020 salaries, primarily reported by USA Today and win-loss records compiled this season, Fisher earned $833,333 for each of A&M’s nine victories this season.

That’s a steep price. Still, compared to the other 65 Power 5 coaches, that price is a bargain.

Fisher ranks just 38th in cost per victory among Power 5 coaches. Indeed, 31 Power 5 coaches earned $1 million or more per victory this season.

Of course, these numbers are based on what coaches contracts required prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some coaches, like Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, elected to give some money back to their respective universities. Others had their pay affected by playing a smaller number of games.

As it stands, three coaches were paid more than $3 million without managing victory.

Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh was paid $8 million total for just two victories.

The biggest bargain was Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, who reportedly earned $1.8 million this season. The Irish posted 10 wins.

However, Notre Dame is a private university, so it’s not required to reveal its total compensation. He likely made more.

Pay per 2020 victory

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Harbaugh’s Wolverines posted a 2-4 record in a truncated Big Ten slate.

1. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan (2-4), $ 8.0m = $4.0m
2. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (0-9), $3.5m = $3.5m
3. Les Miles, Kansas (0-9), $3.3m = $3.3m
T4. Dino Babers, Syracuse (1-10), $3.2m = $3.2m
T4. Justin Wilcox, Cal (1-3), $3.2m = $3.2m
T4. Kevin Sumlin, Arizona (0-5), $3.2m = $3.2m
7. Nick Rolovich, Washington State (1-3), $2.8m = $2.8m
8. Mel Tucker, Michigan State (2-5), $5.0m = $2.5m
9. Jeff Brohm, Purdue (2-4), $4.8m = $2.4m
10. Will Muschamp, South Carolina (2-8), $4.3m =$2.15m

11. Dave Aranda, Baylor (2-7), $4m = $2m*
12. Lovie Smith, Illinois (2-6), $3.8m = $1.9m
13. Herm Edwards, Arizona State (2-2), $3.6m = $1.8m
14. James Franklin, Penn State (4-5), $6.7m = $1.675m
15. Ed Orgeron, LSU (5-5), $8.25m = $1.65m
16. Scott Frost, Nebraska (3-5), $4.8 = $1.6m
17. Kyle Whittingham, Utah (3-2), $4.6m = $1.533m
18. Chip Kelly, UCLA (3-4), $4.3m = $1.433
19. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota (3-4), $4.2m = $1.4m
20. David Cutcliffe, Duke (2-9), $2.7m = $1.35m

21. Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee (3-7), $3.8 = $1.266m
T22. Mike Leach, Mississippi St. (4-7), $5.0m = $1.25m
T22. Greg Schiano, Rutgers (3-7), $3.7m = $1.233m
T24. Mike Locksley, Maryland (2-3), $2.4m = $1.2m
T24. David Shaw, Stanford (4-2), $4.8m = $1.2m
26. Mike Norvell, Florida State (3-6), $3.5m = $1,166m
27. Gus Malzahn, Auburn (6-5), $6.9m = $1.15m
28. Jonathan Smith, Oregon State (2-5), $2.2m = $1.1m
29. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech (3-7), $3.1m = $1.033m
30. Gary Patterson, TCU (6-4), $6.1m = $1.016m

31. Mark Stoops, Kentucky (5-6), $5.0m = $1.0m
32. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin (4-3), $3.9m = $975,000
T33. Jimmy Lake, Washington (3-1), $2.9m = $966,666
T33. Sam Pittman, Arkansas (3-7), $2.9m = $966,666
35. Clay Helton, USC (5-1), $4.5m = $900,000
36. Kirby Smart, Georgia (8-2), $6.8m = 850,000
37. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech (5-6), $4.2m = $840,000
38. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M (9-1), $7.5m = $833,333
39. Dabo Swinney, Clemson (10-2), $8.3m = $830,000
40. Tom Herman, Texas (7-3), $5.8m = $828,571

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Ryan Day’s Buckeyes will face Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide for the national title on Monday. The two ranked 41st and 50th, respectively in money/win in 2020.

41. Ryan Day, Ohio State (7-0), $5.6m = $800,000
42. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri (5-5), $3.9m = $780,000
43. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (6-2), $4.6m = $766,666
44. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia (5-5), $3.8m = $760,000
T45. Karl Dorrell, Colorado (4-2), $3.0m = $750,000
T45. Dan Mullen, Florida (8-4), $6.0m = 750,000
T45. Scott Satterfield, Louisville (4-7), $3.0m = $750,000
48. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (7-2), $5.2m = $742,857
49. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss (5-5), $3.7m = $740,000
T50. Nick Saban, Alabama (13-0), $9.1m = $700,000
T50. Matt Wells, Texas Tech (4-6), $2.8m = $700,000

52. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma (9-2), $6.2m = 688,888
53. Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh (6-5), $4.0m = $666,666
54. Mario Cristobal, Oregon (4-3), $2.5m = $625,000
55. Tom Allen, Indiana (6-2), $3.7m = $616,666
T56. Dave Clawson, Wake Forest (4-5), $2.3m = $575,000
T56. Chris Klieman, Kansas State (4-6), $2.3m = $575,000
58. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (8-3), $4.1m = $512,500
59. Jeff Hafley, Boston College (6-5), $3.0m = $500,000
60. Neal Brown, West Virginia (6-4), $2.9m = $483,333

61. Mack Brown, North Carolina (8-4), $3.4m = $425,000
T62. Manny Diaz, Miami (8-3), $3.1m = $387,500
T62. Dave Dorean, NC State (8-4), $3.1m = $387,500
64. Matt Campbell, Iowa State (9-3), $3.4m = $377,777
65. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame (10-2), $1.8m = $180,000

* — Aranda’s salary was not released, but he’s thought to earn at least $4 million. He previously earned $2.5 as defensive coordinator at LSU. His predecessor at Baylor Matt Ruhle earned $4 million.