Staff Salaries

[megablue]

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator, $1,600,000
Vince Marrow, Associate Head Coach, $1,300,000
Bush Hamdan, Offensive Coordinator, $1,250,000
Mike Stoops, Linebackers Coach, $675,000
Jay Boulware, Special Teams Coordinator, $550,000
Anwar Stewart, Defensive Line Coach, $500,000
Frank Buffano, Safeties Coach, $415,000
Christopher Collins, Defensive Backs Coach, $400,000
Eric Wolford, Offensive Line Coach, $350,000
Daikel Shorts, Wide Receivers Coach, $300,000

Total = $7,340,000

As reported by Jon Hale in the Lexington Herald-Leader (02/18/24)

 

[YaketySax]

Lower than last year, iirc, with Bama subsidizing Wolford for 2024 and Hamdan at a big chunk less than Coen in 2024. New WR coach earns less too, maybe?

Plough the difference into analyst staff; or throw it into a one year bond (5% ish), earn some interest, and use it for next years staff pay bumps?

 

[JHB4UK]

Tampa Bay or Coen paid UK a buyout. Think $500k? So that also alleviates the 2024 expenses.

I really hope Shorts unit performs well & he earns a raise for 2025. WR coach has been Stoops version of Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

 

[JPFisher]

WR coach has been Stoops version of Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

😂

I'm okay with the salaries. Waldorf and Shorts can earn pay bumps by sticking around and performing. I have more faith in Shorts in both regards.

I think White has some work to do this off-season to earn that $1.6 mil. Last year's defense won't cut it and the fanbase will be about as pissed as hornets if Hamdan's offense outshines White's defense.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Those are top tier for SEC.

 

[ChaiseyD]

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator, $1,600,000
Vince Marrow, Associate Head Coach, $1,300,000
Bush Hamdan, Offensive Coordinator, $1,250,000
Mike Stoops, Linebackers Coach, $675,000
Jay Boulware, Special Teams Coordinator, $550,000
Anwar Stewart, Defensive Line Coach, $500,000
Frank Buffano, Safeties Coach, $415,000
Christopher Collins, Defensive Backs Coach, $400,000
Eric Wolford, Offensive Line Coach, $350,000
Daikel Shorts, Wide Receivers Coach, $300,000

Total = $7,340,000

As reported by Jon Hale in the Lexington Herald-Leader (02/18/24)

It was the 8th highest paid staff with Coens contract,I'm sure its dropped now but definitely still top 15/20 .

 

[truebluewildcat]

I'll just come out and be the one to say it.

For 1.6 we need a better ROI on D

For 1.3 we need better recruits and TE play. We all love the big fella and I know other programs have made a run at him but jesus christ.

No wonder there was a mutiny and dudes we're like good luck Mark when he tried to take off...I'd say the same damn thing too for 1+...staff has it good here and they know it.

 

[Cabo Blue]

I could be wrong, but I believe Mike Stoops is overpaid as a Linebacker coach. Not a big time recruiter and I really didn’t see any real improvement as far as that group went. Stewart’s dline played just as well or better

 

[truebluewildcat]

I could be wrong, but I believe Mike Stoops is overpaid as a Linebacker coach. Not a big time recruiter and I really didn’t see any real improvement as far as that group went. Stewart’s dline played just as well or better

Said in another thread about him that in his defense he has a hell of a resume and lineage. Maybe the best on staff. Also, he does have real deal P5 HC experience so he can command a bit higher salary even for position coach.

He has conference title, big time bowl, and even national title hardware. Bill Snyder, Bob Stoops, Lincoln Reilly, and Even Nick Saban as references.

He may have the best resume of any assistant we've ever had.

 

[Bereacat420]

Lower than last year, iirc, with Bama subsidizing Wolford for 2024 and Hamdan at a big chunk less than Coen in 2024. New WR coach earns less too, maybe?

Plough the difference into analyst staff; or throw it into a one year bond (5% ish), earn some interest, and use it for next years staff pay bumps?

Who do they have as analysts? I know Gran and Hood. What do guys like that make?

 

[THE_OAK]

Buffano is way overpaid at $415k.

 

[YaketySax]

Who do they have as analysts? I know Gran and Hood. What do guys like that make?

The quality control positions look to have six guys but one just left for Tampa Bay job. I think the Gran and Hood jobs are more ceremonial consulting positions that have them around the offices regularly.

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Salary will vary. I’d assume less than $100k in a lot of cases but I haven’t looked since that Pat Forde article on Clemson’s analyst staff a few years ago so who knows now.

Bama has been good about hiring fired coaches still getting paid by last school to subsidize. Since they aren’t on-field roles guys can double dip until they are ready to get back out there again.

 

[Cabo Blue]

Said in another thread about him that in his defense he has a hell of a resume and lineage. Maybe the best on staff. Also, he does have real deal P5 HC experience so he can command a bit higher salary even for position coach.

He has conference title, big time bowl, and even national title hardware. Bill Snyder, Bob Stoops, Lincoln Reilly, and Even Nick Saban as references.

He may have the best resume of any assistant we've ever had.

Can’t argue with his resume at all. But paying him for what he has done for other schools, not sold on that. That resume should get him in the door, pay him for his results at Kentucky.
But just my opinion and not something I would be mad about. Just seems disproportionate to the results we see on the field.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Buffano is way overpaid at $415k.

It's easy to think that but then think about the talent at safety over the years. It's almost always the deepest room on the team. Iirc he coached that unit even as an analyst.

It confounds me too but he must be doing something right.

 

[THE_OAK]

It's easy to think that but then think about the talent at safety over the years. It's almost always the deepest room on the team. Iirc he coached that unit even as an analyst.

It confounds me too but he must be doing something right.

I agree, we have talent at the safety positions, but he does a piss poor job coaching them. They seem to always take bad angles and bite on every play fake and so many times they are out of position and don't get me started on the blown coverage assignments. He just doesn't pull his weight coaching or recruiting, apparently, you just need to be from Youngstown and you can get a fat check at UK.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I'll just come out and be the one to say it.

For 1.6 we need a better ROI on D

For 1.3 we need better recruits and TE play. We all love the big fella and I know other programs have made a run at him but jesus christ.

No wonder there was a mutiny and dudes we're like good luck Mark when he tried to take off...I'd say the same damn thing too for 1+...staff has it good here and they know it.

I think the coordinators are in line, neither makes as much as UGA's DC but both make more than the OC. CVM is a surprise. But the guys on the low end are toward ads the bottom in SEC pay.

Who do they have as analysts? I know Gran and Hood. What do guys like that toss-up.

In general most of those positions are manned by coaches who been fire and not able to find an on field position, winding down a career, former players waiting on that big break or maybe even HS coaches looking to make the jump to college. Their salary would based on experience and resume.

 

[mrschwump]

A huge problem for UK football for decades, generations really, was UK was unwilling or unable to pay assistants a competitive salary. Was an albatross around the program's neck stretching back as far as I can recall. Glad to see UK's making progress paying a fair wage.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I agree, we have talent at the safety positions, but he does a piss poor job coaching them. They seem to always take bad angles and bite on every play fake and so many times they are out of position and don't get me started on the blown coverage assignments. He just doesn't pull his weight coaching or recruiting, apparently, you just need to be from Youngstown and you can get a fat check at UK.

Safety is always our deepest position. We lost Geiger who was great because he wouldn't see the field. Vito too.

This past season was disappointing because we had one guy biting on things he shouldn't. Everything else was fantastic.

I get the desire to criticize him. I feel it too. But with the years of standout play and excellent player development, he must be doing something right

 

[3632]

Lower than last year, iirc, with Bama subsidizing Wolford for 2024 and Hamdan at a big chunk less than Coen in 2024. New WR coach earns less too, maybe?

Plough the difference into analyst staff; or throw it into a one year bond (5% ish), earn some interest, and use it for next years staff pay bumps?

We also have ex assistants we moved on from we are paying still although I’m not sure how those payoffs are structured but Scangarello gets paid his reg salary 1m+ through 25, yenser getting money, not sure about others like Woodard.

 

[3632]

It's easy to think that but then think about the talent at safety over the years. It's almost always the deepest room on the team. Iirc he coached that unit even as an analyst.

It confounds me too but he must be doing something right.

That’s stoops coaching forte so that position is likely always going to be at least ‘ok’ there but it’s a waste of money to just pay ‘some guy’. At least get someone that is really strong in recruiting or something.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

That’s stoops coaching forte so that position is likely always going to be at least ‘ok’ there but it’s a waste of money to just pay ‘some guy’. At least get someone that is really strong in recruiting or something.

They've been far more than ok. Consistently they're the deepest talent pool in the team. We constantly have very talented guys that can barely even get on the field.

I know it's fan theory that stoops secretly coaches safeties and buffano just draws a check. That's possible but unlikely. You're talking about someone who just fired yenser after an extension to hire someone better. Same thing with scang. He isn't exactly handling out freebies.

I'm sure we can probably do better than buffano but no need to act like he's worthless when the actual evidence clearly proves otherwise

 

[rick64]

I make more than all of them put together. 😆

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Wolford goes up to 800K next year.

 

[The-Hack]

For 1.6 we need a better ROI on D

For 4 of the last 5 seasons we have been top 4 in least total yardage and points surrendered in the SEC

2023 looks like an outlier.

 

[3632]

They've been far more than ok. Consistently they're the deepest talent pool in the team. We constantly have very talented guys that can barely even get on the field.

I know it's fan theory that stoops secretly coaches safeties and buffano just draws a check. That's possible but unlikely. You're talking about someone who just fired yenser after an extension to hire someone better. Same thing with scang. He isn't exactly handling out freebies.

I'm sure we can probably do better than buffano but no need to act like he's worthless when the actual evidence clearly proves otherwise

You can support the multiple insulation hires in recent years if you want to, I do not. And I don't disagree the position has typically performed, hence why I said it's likely to be 'ok' at a minimum. That doesn't mean it won't be better than ok or hasn't been. It is a supposition that it probably has the highest floor of any defensive position just because it's stoops background.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

😂

I'm okay with the salaries. Waldorf and Shorts can earn pay bumps by sticking around and performing. I have more faith in Shorts in both regards.

I think White has some work to do this off-season to earn that $1.6 mil. Last year's defense won't cut it and the fanbase will be about as pissed as hornets if Hamdan's offense outshines White's defense.

Smitty stayed at the Waldorf while the rest of the team stayed at a Holiday Inn.

 

[yoshukai]

I could be wrong, but I believe Mike Stoops is overpaid as a Linebacker coach. Not a big time recruiter and I really didn’t see any real improvement as far as that group went. Stewart’s dline played just as well or better

Glad to see Stew get a raise . Until this past year he was making $250,000 which was the lowest on the staff and had arguably the best performing squad year in and year out . They brought Yenser is at $600,000 while Stew was at $250,000 . It was a slap in the face.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

You can support the multiple insulation hires in recent years if you want to, I do not. And I don't disagree the position has typically performed, hence why I said it's likely to be 'ok' at a minimum. That doesn't mean it won't be better than ok or hasn't been. It is a supposition that it probably has the highest floor of any defensive position just because it's stoops background.

You should've just lead with "I hate stoops" and it would've saved me the time

 

[YaketySax]

For 4 of the last 5 seasons we have been top 4 in least total yardage and points surrendered in the SEC

2023 looks like an outlier.

Also, the run defense was very good last year. 2nd place in the SEC: http://www.cfbstats.com/2023/leader/911/team/defense/split01/category01/sort01.html

It was the secondary, and I think primarily the corners, who were the issues.

11th

cfbstats.com - 2023 Southeastern Conference Team Leaders

 

[satcheluk]

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator, $1,600,000
Vince Marrow, Associate Head Coach, $1,300,000
Bush Hamdan, Offensive Coordinator, $1,250,000
Mike Stoops, Linebackers Coach, $675,000
Jay Boulware, Special Teams Coordinator, $550,000
Anwar Stewart, Defensive Line Coach, $500,000
Frank Buffano, Safeties Coach, $415,000
Christopher Collins, Defensive Backs Coach, $400,000
Eric Wolford, Offensive Line Coach, $350,000
Daikel Shorts, Wide Receivers Coach, $300,000

Total = $7,340,000

As reported by Jon Hale in the Lexington Herald-Leader (02/18/24)

Wolford is getting over $900k in 2024 from Bama, unless he negotiated less and UK will pay hiom $800k next year, though he has a $500k buyout if he leaves, which means we would have profited from his year here. lol

 

[satcheluk]

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator, $1,600,000
Vince Marrow, Associate Head Coach, $1,300,000
Bush Hamdan, Offensive Coordinator, $1,250,000
Mike Stoops, Linebackers Coach, $675,000
Jay Boulware, Special Teams Coordinator, $550,000
Anwar Stewart, Defensive Line Coach, $500,000
Frank Buffano, Safeties Coach, $415,000
Christopher Collins, Defensive Backs Coach, $400,000
Eric Wolford, Offensive Line Coach, $350,000
Daikel Shorts, Wide Receivers Coach, $300,000

Total = $7,340,000

As reported by Jon Hale in the Lexington Herald-Leader (02/18/24)

I read many wondering why Hamdan would leave his alma mater for a "lateral move." His salary went up over 300%. Sometimes I wonder about people's ability to process logic and nuance.

 

[satcheluk]

Tampa Bay or Coen paid UK a buyout. Think $500k? So that also alleviates the 2024 expenses.

I really hope Shorts unit performs well & he earns a raise for 2025. WR coach has been Stoops version of Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Plus we are getting Wolford at a $500k discount thanks to Bama.

 

[satcheluk]

Those are top tier for SEC.

As an historical 2nd/3rd tier SEC program, we need to overpay a bit in order to attract competent coaching talent because they know they don't have th elogo out on front of them drawing blue chips in like a night light to insects. The problem with our coaching is depth at recruiting. We are probably 1-2 short in that department and, as a former recruiter, I would say that young up and coming recruiting hot shots are more likely to take less money to get experience at a big brand school which makes it difficult for Stoops fill in the bottom of that salary pool with lesser earning, but still effective young guys.

 

[satcheluk]

I'll just come out and be the one to say it.

For 1.6 we need a better ROI on D

For 1.3 we need better recruits and TE play. We all love the big fella and I know other programs have made a run at him but jesus christ.

No wonder there was a mutiny and dudes we're like good luck Mark when he tried to take off...I'd say the same damn thing too for 1+...staff has it good here and they know it.

If you don't think Marrow is worth $1.3mm, then everything you type afterwards is Charlie Brown's teacher.

 

[satcheluk]

I could be wrong, but I believe Mike Stoops is overpaid as a Linebacker coach. Not a big time recruiter and I really didn’t see any real improvement as far as that group went. Stewart’s dline played just as well or better

He gets paid that due to his past experience. No way a former elite recruiter and P5 HC works as a position coach for less than that. He hasn't signed any blue chips since he;'s been here, but he is getting visits, so we'll see if that starts to play out better soon. Otherwise, you have a somewhat capable DC level LB coach, not to mention trusted brother, to help game plan defenses. The value is there, just which he recruited a bit better.

 

[satcheluk]

Who do they have as analysts? I know Gran and Hood. What do guys like that make?

High five(young up and comers), low 6 figs. Why wouldn't they, if it's in the budget. More quality minds to help prepare each week.

 

[satcheluk]

Buffano is way overpaid at $415k.

He's been here 3 years and he's brought in 3 blue chips and a hig 3 star. IMO he is not underpaid in relation to his peers. https://247sports.com/coach/frank-buffano-4523/alltimerecruits/

 

[JPFisher]

Smitty stayed at the Waldorf while the rest of the team stayed at a Holiday Inn.

Oh, believe me – mis-naming him after a fruit salad with nuts was VERY intentional.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Plus we are getting Wolford at a $500k discount thanks to Bama.

But also paying yenser for his new extension. So it's still costing us

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

A writer ranked the 25 best college football coaches. Stoops was 25th and Huepel of TN was 24th. They had Brohm at 16th. Two ranked very very high surprised me the guy from Kansas and the guy from Utah I think he was in the top five. A couple of guys in the future to keep an eye on.