Highest-Paid College Football Coaches

Nick Saban took over the storied Alabama football program in 2007, and in his 14 seasons in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide has won six national championships, including in 2020. Same as usual.

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But that was the only usual thing about the 2020 college football season. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Saturday traditions just weren’t the same. In some conferences, a full slate of games was played, even if it meant postponing and rescheduling games if a team faced a COVID-19 outbreak. In others, games were canceled outright because of the threat of the virus. Some games were played in cavernous stadiums with zero fans to try to stop the spread, the boisterous student sections, the marching bands and the cheerleaders silenced.

Conferences are hopeful that the 2021 college season can go on as scheduled, with few to no interruptions. The coaches spent the summer preparing their game plans -- and their players -- while keeping COVID-19 protocols front and center. And now that the season has arrived, it’s time to turn the focus, at least briefly, to the head coaches — and their compensation.

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Saban leads the pay game, earning $9.3 million in his championship season in 2020, but there’s much more to coaching than what we see on television. Head coaches must put together and manage a network of assistant coaches, trainers, managers and support staff. They have to navigate complex and strict rules established by the NCAA and their individual schools. They’re charged with understanding and mitigating the emotional and social challenges that are inherent to their players’ age group and deal with intense pressure under a bright media spotlight.

On top of that, of course, are the Xs and Os of creating playbooks, developing strategies and instituting a winning culture that extends from the locker room and the practice field to game day. Coaches' responsibilities are vast, and so is their pay. In fact, in many states, the highest-paid public employee will be the head football or basketball coach of a state-run university.

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To determine the top 25 highest-paid Division I college football coaches, GOBankingRates used USA Today's data on NCAA football coach salaries from the 2020 college football season. See which coaches earn the most for their efforts on and off the field.

Image Credits: Butch Dill/AP