5. The Vols are willing to spend to get the best
Shoops’ reported three-year/$1.15 million per year contract is the biggest in UT history for an assistant coach, surpassing the $1 million deal that former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin got in 2009. The Vols’ total pool of assistant coach money has been competitive, but not at the top end of the nation, in recent years. No assistant got paid more than $525,000 in 2015 as part of what was a pool of approximately $3.5 million for assistants last year.
We don’t have all the new numbers yet, but it’s clear that’s going up. New tight ends coach Larry Scott will likely make more than the $245,000 that UT was paying Mark Elder and Shoop is doubling up Jancek’s salary as well. Combined with Butch Jones’ raise, spending is going up for the football staff, but it looks like athletic director Dave Hart is trying to make a financial commitment to bring stability and success to the most important program in the athletic department.
