Contract Analysis: Auburn’s Gene Chizik Rewarded for National Championship

The Tigers won the national championship last year and as promised, Auburn bestowed raises upon its head coach and all of the assistants.  Head coach Gene Chizik will now be earning $3.5 million per year (up to $4.5 million with incentives).

Chizik has had an interesting and diverse last few years, to say the least.  And I’m not sure there’s a better explanation other than assuming he sold his soul to the devil.  Because two and a half years ago, his future looked very different.  It looked like his job was possibly going to be on the line at Iowa State after losing 10 straight to close out the 2008 season at 2-10.  Chizik had just completed his second year as head coach of the Cyclones and had won just FIVE total  games in that time.  Yet, despite his 5-19 record over those two seasons, he somehow was rewarded with a new job.  He was hired by Auburn as their head coach on December 13, 2008 and saw his pay increase to $1.9 million per year.  The following year in 2010 after going 8-5, he received a pay raise and an extension giving him $2.1 million a year plus incentives.  Because Chizik was still a big question mark, incentives remained a significant part of his contract and they quickly added up to $1.3 million thanks to last year’s championship run.  As a result Chizik’s salary climbed to $3.5 million in 2010.  And now in 2011, Chizik stands with a 22-5 record, and has proven himself enough to satisfy the Auburn decision-makers and get that $3.5 million in writing as guaranteed money.  I think we can all agree he signed his name in blood somewhere along the line.

And just as important as Chizik is offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn whose speedy but simply offense is huge key to Auburn’s success.  Malzhan, by the way, turned down a head coaching position at Vanderbilt supposedly worth up to $3 million a year in order to remain with the Tigers.  Instead, he received a hefty increase in salary to $1.3 million, which makes him the highest paid assistant coach in college football and more than doubles his previous salary.