The USC Board of Trustees dished out new contracts and handed out some new dollars. The rewards are justified for the coaches they were bestowed upon.
USC’s football coach, Steve Spurrier, will earn $3.3 million a year for the next four years – up $750,000 from his pay last year. After winning a SEC East crown in 2010 and 11 wins in 2011, this new money is deserved. The new contract moves him into the Top 10 in the nation as far as coaching salaries are concerned and every penny is worth it.
He also will receive $250,000 in deferred compensation this year. Spurrier received a $1 million longevity bonus at the beginning of this year that was part of a 2007 contract extension. He has new bonuses that will pay $200,000 for winning 11 games and $300,000 for winning 12. The other big thing besides the money is his contract was extended to 2015.
Early in the 2012 season Spurrier should have the opportunity to get his 200th career win as a college coach. His current career record is 197-75-2, putting him in fourth place in the NCAA for most wins among active coaches. Coach Spurrier, entering his eighth season at South Carolina with a 55-35 record, will likely have the chance to become the Gamecocks’ all-time winningest coach, breaking the record of 64 wins held by Rex Enright, who coached fifteen years in Columbia.
Keep Spurrier happy as he has built a new standard in USC football.
The board also approved a $140,000 annual raise to $650,000 for USC’s baseball coach Ray Tanner. He also received a one-year extension through 2016. After two national championships, USC needs to do all they can to keep him happy and in the dugout.
Also the USC assistant football coaches got some additional cash, here is a breakdown:
(Assistant – 2012 salary, 2013 salary)
Kirk Botkin – $185,000; $200,000
Grady Brown – $150,000; 170,000
Shawn Elliott – $300,000; $315,000
Brad Lawing – $300,000; $315,000
Joe Robinson – $280,000; $300,000
Everette Sands – $185,000; $200,000
Steve Spurrier Jr. – $300,000; $315,000
Lorenzo Ward – $550,000; $575,000
And if that is not enough, the assistants have something to coach for as there are some incentives built into their contracts, here is the details:
Assistant football coaches receive a $30,000 bonus if the team makes a BCS bowl game. Coaches receive a $20,000 bonus if the team participates in the Capital One, Cotton, Chick-fil-A, or Outback Bowls. The coaches will receive a $15,000 bonus for any other bowl game.
So is all this money worth it?
Heck yeah. Spurrier and Tanner are two of the best out there in their respected sports and they have built solid programs. This money is deserved for them and the assistants as the price to win keeps going up and if that is what USC wants then you have to pay up.
As long as they keep winning, let’s keep rewarding.
