Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson’s extension gives him security and a salary bump, but compared with his highest-earning peers, is hardly exorbitant.
Johnson’s four-year extension, which goes into effect next season and runs through 2020, is worth a total of $18.1 million, annually averaging $3.02 million. By average, it makes him the third-highest paid coach in the ACC behind Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher ($3.8 million) and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($3.39 million). Louisville’s Bobby Petrino is just behind at $3 million. Fisher reportedly received an extension for the second in a year row, which could distance him further.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a copy of Johnson’s contract through an open-records request.
Johnson’s previous contract, which was through 2016, averaged $2.5 million. He had two years left on the deal. To compare, Johnson was due to receive $2,667,000 in 2015 and $2,717,000 in 2016 on the previous contract. With the new deal, the numbers bump up to $2.8 million and $2,884,361, respectively. That’s an increase of about 5 and 6 percent, respectively.
Tech athletic director Mike Bobinski and Johnson, represented by Atlanta-based agent Jack Reale, agreed on the extension Dec. 5, the day before the ACC Championship game. It followed the Yellow Jackets’ 10-2 record in the regular season and ACC Coastal Division championship, for which he was named the ACC coach of the year for the third time in his first seven seasons. Tech will play Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31.
The buyout structure is different in this contract compared with the previous agreement, which would have owed Johnson the full value of the remaining contract had he been fired before the end of it. If Johnson were fired during the new extension, Tech would pay Johnson the remaining full salary for each of the first three years, but only $1 million per year for the final three years. As such, $11.7 million of the deal is guaranteed.
If Johnson leaves Tech to accept a head-coaching job at another FBS school, he will owe Tech $750,000, which is the same amount in the previous contract.
The structure of the bonuses, which reward the team’s academic and on-field performance and coaching awards, has been largely left intact, with nearly all of the bonus sizes remaining the same. One particular difference is, where the previous contract awarded a $75,000 bonus for reaching any bowl and $200,000 for reaching a BCS bowl, the new contract is more specific. That is presumably in part because of the new postseason structure allowing for such.
The bonuses range from an extra $250,000 for leading Tech to the College Football Playoff to $125,000 for a Citrus or Russell Athletic bowl berth to $75,000 for one of the ACC’s “Tier Two” or conditional bowls, such as the Independence or Military bowls.
The assistant-coach salary pool, which was a priority for Johnson in negotiations, according to Reale, is not a part of the contract.
Hunt-Days decision: Defensive lineman Jabari Hunt-Days did not regain his eligibility following the fall semester and will not play in the Orange Bowl.
Tech’s NCAA compliance office reached that conclusion after its certification process, according to Tech spokesman Chris Yandle. Hunt-Days was declared academically ineligible in May after falling behind an NCAA checkpoint that measures progress toward graduation. He could have regained eligibility following the fall semester had he made sufficient progress.
Hunt-Days has practiced with the team, serving on the defensive scout team. He can remain with the team, participate in spring practice and attempt to regain eligibility following the end of the spring term.
