Georgia assistant football coaches Tony Ball and Bryan McClendon recently received significant pay increases, making them the only members of the staff to get raises following the Bulldogs’ 6-7 season.
McClendon, Georgia’s running backs coach since 2009 and its youngest assistant, saw his pay more than double from $90,000 per year to $200,000 annually, according to school documents. McClendon previously was one of the lowest-paid assistants in the SEC.
Ball, Georgia’s wide receivers coach and a member of coach Mark Richt’s staff since 2006, will make $200,000 after earning $165,480 last year.
The raises, enacted in February and March, respectively, represented “competitive counter offers” from UGA, athletic director Greg McGarity said Tuesday. Both coaches were offered positions at other schools that weren't identified.
“All I can say is they were legit offers,” said McGarity, attending SEC athletic director meetings in Birmingham on Tuesday. “I think the key is continuity. We had already lost two coaches to other schools. Continuity of staff is important to me and to Mark, and we thought it was important to maintain stability.”
Former offensive line coach Stacy Searels received a hefty pay increase to take the same job at Texas and former linebackers coach Warren Belin left to take a job with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
No other coaches, including Richt, have raises coming at this time, McGarity said.
Ball, who came to Georgia from Virginia Tech five years ago, declined to discuss any other job offers.
“That’s something I want to keep in-house,” he said. “Those things happen all the time. Obviously, I feel blessed to be at Georgia and excited about the direction under Mr. McGarity and Coach Richt. We’re excited about the future.”
McClendon did not return a phone message seeking comment.
McGarity indicated Ball and McClendon might have received raises anyway.
“They’re well deserved,” McGarity said. “Both of these men are tremendous coaches who work very hard and were underpaid, in my opinion. We had some momentum going after recruiting and they had a lot to do with that. All signs are pointing up and we needed to be proactive. We will always be proactive.”
McGarity would not address it, but for him to try to hire more highly qualified assistant coaches with the perception Richt’s future is uncertain could have been problematic.
McGarity would not rule out the possibility of additional salary increases in the future.
“Like I said, we’re always going to be proactive,” he said. “If things happen during the season we may feel like we need to do something. I think you have to look at each situation independently, but we’re always going to do what’s in the best interest of Georgia.”
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