Bo and Asst. Coach Salaries
Saw this article on the ESN blog about Dabo Swinney sending part of his raise to his assistants which is a nice story , but I raised an eyebrow at the end.
There is a clause in Swinney's contract stating that if he won the ACC, he would rise to a certain level from a salary standpoint among ACC coaches. When he won the 2011 title, that meant this year's contract would increase by $422,000. He is taking $265,000 of that to give to his coaches. Technically, it's an allocation -- not money he has already received. It's a true investment in his program -- one I've never heard of or seen elsewhere in the college coaching ranks -- and odds are it will pay off. It is proof of the literal value of coaching stability.
She states that she has never heard of such a thing. Before I lecture her on being a wippersnapper and knowing her college football history isn't it true that Bo directed all sorts of income due to him to his coaches? I know I've read that in books about Bo so unless Bacon and Albom are liars she is mistaken.
Does anyone have further details on coaches salaries from back with Bo and Mo? I know they were underpaid but were the assistants also underpaid.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:49 PM ^
Based on the bowl performance, I'm not sure he should keeping any of it.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:56 PM ^
I believe Mark Richt suffered secondary NCAA violations by giving some money from his own salary to his assistant coaches in the past few years.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:01 PM ^
Richt corrupted their status as amateur athletes by doing that...I mean...what?
February 16th, 2012 at 6:09 PM ^
did but he did to coaches that where fired or let go before their contracts were up. So since they werent with the university anymore I think that was the problem like the one guy who was let go or not renewed by Georgia Mark gave him $10,000 dollars one year till he could hire him again or he got another job.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:59 PM ^
But I believe that Michigan football assistants were underpaid just like Bo and Mo. Specifically, I think you could argue that they were underpaid until the current regime came in - and maybe that some of them still are.
As far as head coaches looking out for assistants, my understanding is that Tressel sometimes named a co-coordinator as a way of getting that guy a raise.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:58 PM ^
February 16th, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^
Bo gave all of his shoe money, summer camp money, TV and radio money (in short everything but his salary) to his assistants.
It came out in the Norby Walters agent trial in Chicago in which Bo testified for the prosecution. I think it was detailed in Bacon's book re Bo's Lasting Lessons.
Edit: Bo started out at $20,000 per year in 1969 on a one year contract and a handshake at that. That's the way it was for years between him and Canham.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:17 PM ^
I think back then the litigation culture hadn't sunk in yet and people could be taken at their word and handshake.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:22 PM ^
I can think of another person who accepted the job of head football coach at Michigan with his handshake and his word.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^
Our new Bo. His name is Brady.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^
Hold your horses there chief. I like Coach Hoke too but lets not compare him to Bo until he wins a couple Big Ten titles atleast.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:11 PM ^
I wonder if Harlan Stone gave Frank Murphy an out-of-pocket bonus.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:12 PM ^
all of the coaches were not paid that well. How their compensation compared to other colleges I'm really not certain. But, I know that Don Canham was very frugal with salaries, even in a time before the big money started rolling into college sports. I think it contributed to Johnny Orr going to Iowa State (of all places) and Bill Frieder bailing out when ASU offered him more $$. Even Bo briefly flirted with the idea of going to Texas A&M for a big raise. But, absolutely, Bo was never about the financial rewards of the job. He was generous with giving more to his coaches because he knew the team's success depended on it, and he didn't want to lose them due to money reasons.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:27 PM ^
if Bo had gone to A&M I mean Bear and Bo both coaching at College Station I bet they would have had a long run at A&M that might still be one of the greatest schools in college football. But shoulda coulda woulda right thank the Lord he stayed in Ann Arbor. But could have really made A&M the team of the 70's and 80's and maybe even the 90's.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:51 PM ^
Bo couldn't have made them the team of the '70s . . . the offer came in 1981.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^
I wasnt born till 1980 and I havent really heard this story that I can recall so I just assumned it was when he was at Miami of Ohio before he came to the Big House. But still I bet they would've done almost anything to get him in 1981 anyhow.
February 16th, 2012 at 8:32 PM ^
February 16th, 2012 at 8:46 PM ^
hail mary game it was one of the few games I remember before the 95 season thats when I was the fanatic who hasnt missed watching a game since the Virginia Mercury Hayes cach in Lloyds first game ever. I remember Remy Hamiltons FG to beat ND in 94, the hail mary game the 2 straight Wheatley Rosebowls. Whole point is I knew Colorado was good a power back then just never knew our DC was their HC. So thanks for the knowledge drop guys the more history I know about U of M the better.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
Kordell Stewart. He out threw a prevent defense.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
Bo did more that flirt with the idea. He took a visit to Texas. They offered to make him the highest paid coach in College Football in 1978. IIRC if any other coach was given more money then what Bo made, T A&M would match and "1 up" so Bo would always be the highest paid coach.
I remember it vividly. I was in Junior High and I could not sleep. My Dad said "Bo would NEVER leave Michigan. He just wanted a free trip to Texas" Im not sure if the latter was true or not, but I certainly hoped it to be true.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^
February 16th, 2012 at 8:01 PM ^
but would have the DC Bill McCartney been a good head coach for the Wolverines? I mean did he ever get a head coaching job later on? I thought Lloyd and Gary M., were our Defensive Cord. under Bo I have not heard of this Mr. McCartney untill today actually.
February 16th, 2012 at 8:31 PM ^
February 16th, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
I grew up and still live in Ohio I have a picture of my 8th birthday all decked out in U of M gear and my mom made a Michigan cake for me so that was 1988. I didnt really get die hard till around the 1995 season when Lloyd took over thats why I love Lloyd so much to this day. So I watched all I could from 1988 to 1994 but as of DC or OC at the U of M before 1995 I was not all up to speed yet. So no I just learned quite a lot that I prevously did not know.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
Monaghan came over to offer the Columbus franchise as inducement to keep Bo at M. Bo told him to forget it because he was staying anyway and had already decided. Monaghan talked Bo into taking the franchise anyway, which Bo did. I believe he owned it until his death in spite of the fall out with Monahan over the Tigers.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:45 PM ^
When Channel 7 in Detroit did a fluff piece on Bo's retirement (which was aired again after his death) it showed a clip from the press conference where he announced he would be staying at Michigan. The date was January 15, 1982 which was just a couple weeks after the Bluebonnet Bowl win over UCLA.
Skip ahead to 2:00 in...
February 16th, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
Actually Frieder went to ASU for an even lower salary than what he was making at UM. I think he felt that he would be under too much pressure from Bo since some of the stuff he did was really shady.
February 17th, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
That's not right. ASU definitely offered him more money - and guaranteed, whereas we only offered the standard yearly "handshake" deal.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:26 PM ^
This is going to sound redundant to some im sure. But with the great job D.B. is doing raising all of this money for the "school and students" its my opinoin that our current staff is underpaid. Our coaches should be the highest paid in their field, period. If we expect greatness we should be willing to commit to these men a life long investment. I understand if you always go with the guy who wants the most money, turn-about is fair and he could leave for more, but hoke and co have vastly over achieved their first year and are underpaid. I would rather my money spent on this program, tickets, merch etc be directed either at the players or the coaches salaries. I want Mattison around for a very long time, give them a boat load of cash. They have and will continue to earn it the Michigan way.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
I don't think Mattison is being underpaid by any means. I'm sure this will be his last coaching location, he is getting pretty old.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
Do you know how much these guys make? Hoke ($2M / year) arguably is underpaid, but Mattison is one of the highest-paid assistants in the country and Borges isn't far behind. The position coaches are making competitive salaries as well.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:51 PM ^
After him, I'm not sure how the other assistants stack up. I know this is going to rub some people the wrong way, but let's wait another season or two before opening up and paying Mack Brown/Nick Saban money for Brady Hoke.
I'm a believer, but there's a reason those guys make $5m a year, and we're not there yet.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:48 PM ^
this article does a good job showing how much the coaches made and how much the program made:
February 16th, 2012 at 6:52 PM ^
Tops in the Big Ten, and top ten (8) in the nation. That sounds pretty reasonable to me.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:07 PM ^
Now all we need to do is start winning B1G championships multiplely and consecutively fergodsakes.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:14 PM ^
you're good at Scrabble?
February 16th, 2012 at 8:37 PM ^
my go to word is qi.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:18 PM ^
Albom most certainly is a liar (see below). Bacon...? Eh, probably not.
February 17th, 2012 at 7:43 AM ^
I don't remember if it was "Lasting Lessons" or "Bo" but Bo mentions the shadiness of the deal as it was driven by a booster, he would make more money than the school president and he felt like he would be owned by the said booster to be at his beck and call.