Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo got a $240,000 pay raise as all nine of the Bulldogs’ assistant coaches received salary increases this week, Athletic Director Greg McGarity confirmed Wednesday.
The largest increases were the result of job overtures from other teams. Bobo, who was offered the offensive coordinator’s job at Virginia Tech in January, will now earn $575,000 a year. That places him fourth among SEC offensive coordinators, according to McGarity.
Offensive line coach Will Friend, who was approached about openings at Alabama and Virginia Tech, got a $90,000 raise to $300,000 a year. And wide receivers coach Tony Ball, who was offered the running backs coaching job at Tennessee last week, received a $50,000-a-year-raise to $260,000.
Georgia’s other assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, all received $25,000 salary increases. Defensive line coach Chris Wilson was recently hired for $250,000 a year.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received details about the salary changes in response to an open records request. McGarity said the raises were recommended by head coach Mark Richt in a meeting the two had "a couple of weeks ago." The adminitrative process to activate the changes was completed "in the last three to five days, McGarity said.
“It was a result of conversations Mark and I have had and it was important to him to be able to do this for all his assistants,” McGarity said.
McGarity would not say whether Bobo had been approved for a multi-year contract. Grantham, who is in the second year of a three-year contract, is the only other member of the coaching staff with a multiyear deal.
The increases give UGA a football payroll of about $6.4 million a year. That includes Richt’s recent raise to $3.2 million a year. According to McGarity, that places the Bulldogs in the top half of the SEC.
“This doesn’t place us in the Top 3 but it puts us on par with Arkansas, Florida and Texas A&M,” McGarity said. “The bottom line is we believe our coaches are paid fairly and competitively.”
Bobo, who has coached quarterbacks at Georgia since 2001 and been offensive coordinator since 2007, led a Bulldogs offense that set school records for points (37.79 per game) and yards (467.6 pg) this past season. Georgia ranked 22nd and 19th, respectively, in the NCAA in those categories.
Here's the complete list of football coaches' salaries:
- Head coach Mark Richt $3,200,000
- Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham: $850,000
- Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo: $575,000
- Offensive line coach Will Friend: $300,000
- Inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti: $285,000
- Wide receivers coach Tony Ball: $260,000
- Defensive line coach Chris Wilson: $250,000
- Secondary coach Scott Lakatos: $235,000
- Tight ends coach John Lilly: $235,000
- Running backs coach Bryan McClendon: $235,000
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