For those of you who read some of the Monday material I posted on Robb Akey’s salary and the payroll for UI assistants, here’s some more information from the USA Today database. Click on that link to see for yourself — it’s extremely cool/well-organized.
Here are the different salaries/other income (excluding bonuses) that USA Today lists for Akey and the UI assistants.
Akey: $258,187
O-coordinator Steve Axman: $125,045
D-coordinator Mark Criner: $113,760
QB coach Jonathan Smith: $54,938
D-line coach Eti Ena: $51,433
Secondary coach Patrick Libey: $50,316
Running backs coach Jeremy Thielbahr: $50,266
O-line coach Dan Finn: $48,536
Receivers coach Luther Carr: $48,136
Linebackers coach Rob Christoff: $45,536
Now for some comparisons. Consider that while the payroll listed for UI assistants is $587,976, Washington defensive coordinator/former UI head coach Nick Holt pulls in $600,000. Looking instate, Boise State spends nearly three times as much on assistants as Idaho — $1,577,153. All nine Boise State assistants are listed as making more than $100,000 a year, and three make more than $200,000. BSU defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin both make around $224,000 — close to Akey’s total amount. Greg McMackin and Chris Petersen are the only WAC head coaches making more than $1 million, though Fresno State’s Pat Hill is close at $963,506.
Thoughts?
Last 5 posts by Jesse Baumgartner
- Moos coming to WSU - February 24th, 2010
- Report: Moos coming to WSU as AD - February 23rd, 2010
- WSU edges out Trojans 51-47 - February 20th, 2010
- Halftime: WSU 23, USC 19 - February 20th, 2010
- WSU falls hard against UCLA, 71-51 - February 18th, 2010
November 26th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I think its unfortunate that it often comes down to the bottom line, but that the reality. Idaho will continue to be used as a spring board for coaches looking forward to bigger schools that pay their coaches better salaries. Its not any different than regular, everyday jobs from that aspect.
In my opinion, the administration in Moscow needs to decide what the goals and objectives are for the athletic department. Is the objectives to just have an athletics program? Is it to win WAC championships? More boldly, is it to become competitive at the national level? If Idaho expects to ever be competitive and sustain competitiveness in athletics, coaches will have to be paid more. Pure and simple.
Finally, facilities upgrades must be forthcoming. Indeed, incremental progress is being made on the Dome. However, I worry that the current direction is to continue to use the Dome as a “multipurpose” or catch-all facility. I think basketball needs its own home. If a separate basketball facility is not constructed in the near future, I fear we will also lose Don Verlin.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Winning = revenues. Revenues are needed for facilities upgrades. Facilities upgrades = more revenues. Kind of a difficult circle.
I believe Idaho wants to compete for the WAC title and is dedicated to doing that. I expect to see some headway in salaries over the next year or two for both football and BB coaching staffs. Already this year Idaho has generated more football revenue via ticket sales, and has a possible bowl date looming. BB attendance was up last year and I expect another solid increase this year. Every extra ticket sold helps. The best thing we can do is support the teams by bying tickets, attending events, and supporting the Vandal Scholarship fund.
We have a good president now that understands the importance of successful athletic programs. A solid, revenue generating football and Mens BB program can go a long ways towards covering the entire athletics budget.