Georgia assistant football coaches Tony Ball, Bryan McClendon, get significant raises
Georgia assistant football coaches Tony Ball and Bryan McClendon received significant pay increases recently, but they were the only members of the Bulldogs’ football staff to get raises following the Bulldogs’ 6-7 season.
Ball
McClendon
McClendon, Georgia’s running backs coach since 2009 and its youngest assistant, saw his pay more than double from $90,000 a year to $200,000 annually, according to documents obtained by the AJC under the Freedom of Information Act. Previously McClendon 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 now make $200,000 after earning $165,480 last year.
The raises, which were enacted in February and March, respectively, were the results of “competitive counter offers” from UGA, according to Athletic Director Greg McGarity. Both coaches were offered positions at other schools, but he declined to say from whom.
“All I can say is they were legit offers,” said McGarity, who was 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, especially.”
Offensive line coach Stacy Searels received a hefty pay increase to take the same job at Texas and linebackers coach Warren Belin left to take a job with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
No other coaches — including Richt — are due to receive raises this year, McGarity said.
Ball, who came to Georgia from Virginia Tech five years ago, declined to discuss any other job offers he may have received.
“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.
“Salary actions” also were executed for new assistant coaches Will Friend, who came from UAB to coach offensive line, and Kirk Olivadotti, who came from the Washington Redskins to coach linebackers. They will earn $200,000 and $250,000 a year, respectively.
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.”
Georgia also could not afford to lose two of its three minority assistant coaches. McGarity would not address it but hiring more highly-qualified assistant coaches in a year in which the perception is that 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.”
By Chip Towers, The UGA Blog
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276 comments Add your comment
Derek
May 3rd, 2011
12:23 pm
Hmmmm a more than doubling raise for a Coach whos rushing game was #51 in the Country and 10th in the SEC!! Lets compare the other schools who rushed for more yards and better average than UGA!
DAWG ONE
May 3rd, 2011
12:25 pm
Mike McCollum – Perhaps you have forgotten the 5 mil the Athletic Dept. gave the academic side a couple of years ago. Wake up! Some of these professors need a jolt, not a raise. Fortunately, we have a fine institution but like all, we have our share of “slackers”.
Fans contribute and give to the Athletic Dept. AND to the Alumni Society. Wise up.
observer
May 3rd, 2011
12:27 pm
If we are giving Mcclendon a pay raise for being a good recruiter, perhaps Richt should “re-assign” him like he did with the ex strength coach and make him a recruiter not a coach. Replace him with someone who can get a running game going. But then again I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, and Richt does…
Dawg2
May 3rd, 2011
12:28 pm
Thats Stimulas money..right!
Did all Professors get raise are just the ball boys…………..
OJ Dunbar
May 3rd, 2011
12:30 pm
What’s weird is that student tuition is going up, HOPE is going to pay less, and some of the teaching staff will get the pink slip. Yet no one is saying a thing about it. There needs to be a paradigm shift in how/where money is spent.
Mobile Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
12:32 pm
I’m sure McGarity knew it would be a PR problem however in this case with CMR’s job in the balance they know they aren’t going to get anyone else to come in so it was probably money well spent. They are “all” accountable this year and they know it.
78 DAWG
May 3rd, 2011
12:33 pm
If you are honest with yourself you’ll admit Grantham was our 5th choice and they paid him 750k the same as we offered our first 2 choices, Smart and Muschamp. I don’t know which is dumber? How much do they get if we go 5-7?
Fark Badley
May 3rd, 2011
12:33 pm
Alabama has already offered every high school senior football player in the entire southeast. Naw, they don’t cut players, that is just a rumor.
Dr. Phil
May 3rd, 2011
12:35 pm
The athletic department, football facilities, and classrooms for those football players who choose to attend class are all part of the University. To say that the athletic program supports itself is not true. The athletic department and athletic teams exist as part of academic programs, not the other way around. Last year, Ohio State athletics returned 100 million dollars to academic programs and scholarships. UGA returned around two million. Professors have not received pay raises in about five years, and when they do, the raises are based on performance. The performance of Richt and his assistants has been dismal in recent years.
An Old Violin
May 3rd, 2011
12:36 pm
As long as we “the people” allow these pay raises, they will continue ! People are doing without in this great state because we don’t have the money for health care, mental health care, and education yet we can pay sports motivators big bucks to “tell our kids to run, catch, block or tackle” ! I’d like to see us pay those big bucks to the teachers who teach our kids ” to read, write or do arithmetic”, ! For some stupid reason I seem to feel that this is more important…..Coach – Teacher +…..Coaches should be paid a fair salary, but not at the expense of raising tuition for the students, which is what just happened at UGA !
tide roll
May 3rd, 2011
12:39 pm
Auburn has 5 minority coaches on staff. You’d have to be in denial to not make a connection between these hires and a national title. Georgia needs to get with it!
Show me the Money
May 3rd, 2011
12:39 pm
@Mike McCollum- Thats probably why you are at a non BCS school…..It is the law of the land. See what you all fail to understand is UGA football is a multi-million dollar operation…..Just as well as some of the other BCS programs….@Outside Observer…Being a politician isn’t a Multi-Millon dollar industry. I would hope that Government officials wouldn’t make 200K to just over see decisions that are made by the lower governing powers…Please, you all sound like some sour people that can not stand to see younger coaches make this type of money. $200K as a BCS assistant coach? Are you serious, that nothing compared to other schools. Ok, I tell you all what, go pull the salary schedule of all the BCS school assistant coaches pay and then form your arguement. Georgia coaches are still underpaid……..You all have the crab in the bucket disease…..As stated in my earlier blog…..Would you give your life up to UGA football the way these coaches do and don’t want to be compensated. While you are home drinking your coffee or tea, these guys are working. There is a lot more done behind the scenes that you all wouldn’t ever be aware of…..
1eyedJack
May 3rd, 2011
12:39 pm
I can’t think of two men who deserve it less.
I’m a post-secondary instructor in this state and I haven’t gotten a cent in raises for the past three years. Matter-of-fact, counting the furloughs I’ve taken pay cuts just to keep my job.
Tuna
May 3rd, 2011
12:41 pm
Rewarded for what, recruiting the “Dream Team?” What about the 6-7 record and barely better than that the year before? Doesn’t make sense.
Bad bark!
May 3rd, 2011
12:42 pm
No wonder a player sells his jersey when his coach is getting rich off him…Sad day when everyone is hurting and UGA gives coaches double the money. Great PR job..for State Schools.
Matthews Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
12:42 pm
It’s capitalism at its finest! Maybe all of us got into the wrong profession! That’s right, most on here have never played any ball at a level beyond youth league and some high school. Is it fair on what they are being paid? It is if the market demands it! Also, as I have been told by my dad and I’ve told my kids, “life isn’t always fair”! Trying to be fair to everyone is what is getting this entire country into trouble. If they don’t do their jobs this year, then they won’t get that money next year! Here’s hoping they ALL get raises next year! That would mean a great season!! Go Dawgs
SAG Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
12:45 pm
I’m surprised so few posters understand basic economics. These raises are simply based on market value – nothing else. Most professionals (in any line of work) in America are overpaid by any definition, but the market determines the pay. The market has made offers to them that UGA has matched for the sake of continuity.
I personally know Tony and his job keeps him from other activities – including home and family – more than anyone else I know.
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
12:45 pm
Also, I’m not devaluing his importance to the athletic dept., but I am questioning the amount he needs to be compensated. The SEC is about Keeping up with the Jonses, which is a point I fully understand, but at what point do we say STOP! Will it take a $500,000 video intern, or $300 student tix to games before we finally say, “enough is enough?” How much money do coaches really need to be comfortable?
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
12:48 pm
@Show me the Money. I undersand this all too well. I went to Auburn and I worked in the athletic dept. My masters was at Colorado, where I saw my program shuttered as we paid our coach Millions$ for being fired. I’m just asking, in general, when enough is enough.
Coach Grohbo
May 3rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Looks like McGarity ran out to BS job titles to hand out.
Show me the Money
May 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
@An Old Violin you sound very out of touched with reality……”People are doing without in this great state because we don’t have the money for health care, mental health care, and education”. Ok in life there are choices….Careers, Education, etc. etc…….However, Sports in this great state is a form of entertainment……Are you entertained? Is that not why you here?……….Its a demand, people use it as an outlet to get away from the ” doing without in this great state”. You pay an actor millions of dollars to entertain us….Why cause it takes us away briefly from the pain of going without….What is the difference in Athletics? Wake up people….70k people attend Stanford Stadium 6-7 times a year going to games at $50+ a seat….$200k for a coach….are you kidding me?
Coach Grohbo
May 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
Looks like McGarity ran out of BS job titles to hand out.
Outside Observer
May 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
Show me the Money: Georgia’s total state budget, which the governor overseees, is $17.9 billion, but the governor does not makes as much as these assisitant football coaches. Georgia’s judges decide multi-million dollar lawsuits, and decide whether people go to jail and for how long, but they don’t make as much as these asst. football coaches. Georgia’s professors are responsible for educating hundreds of students per year, while the RB coach and the WR coach are responsible for maybe 10 guys each maximum, but the coaches make more.
You say these coaches work hard, and I say there are hundreds of equally (or better) qualified football coaches (high school and on down) in ths state of Georgia who would do the same job and work just as hard for half the money.
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
12:52 pm
@DAWG ONE. Your blind faith in the athletic dept. is misplaced. Also, my concern is that UGA REMAINS a top notch school. This is just a warning that these salaries will get really out of hand at this rate, if they have not already. When does this end? I think it’s more than OK to ask these questions. I love college football. The AUBURN I graduated from is no different than the way UGA compensates its coaches. I just want to see some restraint.
Blackberry Cobbler
May 3rd, 2011
12:52 pm
Hulk @ 11:27 am
Yes, UGA was 10th in the SEC in rush offense………………
But don’t worry dude. CMR “knows what the hell he’s doing”.
Yea right. ROFLMAO.
2011 will be the end of CMR and his girly-man style of coaching.
Sunshine
May 3rd, 2011
12:54 pm
It may be deserving, but come on people! Give the teachers/professors pay increases because they sure as hell deserve it. We keep giving pay increases to the high paying officials of this state but not giving any kind of merit increases and/or cost of living increases to the state of georgia employees. Give back to your worker bees that keep this state moving.
The State of Georgia need to take a good look at all this wasteful spending! Governor Deal need to follow the city of atlanta mayor and make all employees who are making over 80,000 to take a cut in pay.
Note: To the editor of this article, come take a look at the waste the State of Georgia is doing by giving pay increases to the “Good Ole Boy Network”.
emory grad
May 3rd, 2011
12:54 pm
To Matthews:’the problem with capitalism is capitalists’. It would be helpful and rational that those giving to athletic departments would give to the academic side of the university, then this obscene emphasis on college athletics would be mitigated as the funds would dry up and most of us writing in this blog would have to find something productive to do like read a book and NO “show me the money’ the “Far Side Collection” does not count as reading!
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
12:55 pm
@Outside Observer. Nice Points. @DAWG ONE a $5 million gift will soon be less than the salary of ONE coach on ONE team.
JB
May 3rd, 2011
12:56 pm
Not raises because of results. They better save some money. Wonder who looked at our running game and decided they had to have McClendon?
Summit Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
12:57 pm
Hey Red & Silver, Why you are you knocking single A….It’s not Ealey or Kings fault that BOO BOO is a “quarterbacks Coach” and builds his offense around that instead of running backs….they can’t score if they don’t have the ball…..Oh, and did Garrison Hurst not come from Single A??? You idiot!!!!
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
12:57 pm
Also, why don’t you all use your real names? This is the public square of the future. I’m sure we are all neighbors. And if you google me, no, I’m not the science fiction writer.
Coach Donnan
May 3rd, 2011
12:57 pm
I miss the days when Dr. Adams would just pay us under the table.
sogadog
May 3rd, 2011
1:00 pm
Washaun Ealey (a four star recruit for what that is worth) : 1. fumbles away the USC game, 2. fumbles away the Miss State game, 3. has a wreck, flees the scene and gets himself arrested and suspended 3. misses a key block in the Arkansas game 4. underperforms throughout the season.
Caleb King (a five star recruit for what that is worth): 1. fumbles away the Colorado game, 2 blows off court gets arrested and suspended 3. underperforms throughout the season.
Richard Samuel (a five star recruit for what that is worth) underperforms so badly he is pulled from the running back rotation and moved to second string linebacker.
Carlton Thomas underperforms, fumbles often and cant get a yard running up the middle.
Bryan McLendon is in charge of developing Ealey, King, Samuel and Thomas and his salary is more than doubled by increasing it 110K per year.
I am sorrying but this makes no sense, McClendon’s performance and the production of his players do not merit a raise. If McLendon wants to take another job then fine.
$110,000 Raise?
May 3rd, 2011
1:02 pm
In an economic depression, after a 6-7 season, uga is handing out 100% raises to average coaches??? Are you serious? What a total waste of taxpayer money in athens. The running backs and wide receivers didn’t do much last year, but these coaches get a huge raise??? No worries–it’s only money. I’m glad they don’t waste money like this at Bama.
SAG Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
1:03 pm
Hey Mike McCullum, did you not take an economics class at UGA or Auburn? Please read my earlier post. It is not what they deserve, but rather what the market offers. If you don’t like it, then change the market. Good Luck.
barneyb
May 3rd, 2011
1:06 pm
One hit after another just keeps coming out of Athens under the Richt regime…..it’s so carzy, you can’t just make this stuff up!
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
May 3rd, 2011
1:08 pm
Thank you “quota” system, it’s working well.
emory grad
May 3rd, 2011
1:08 pm
Agree change the market:to all the morons who support college athletics so they can meet and greet richt and co. STOP IT and give your hard earned cash to the general student fund to educate your neighbors kids and your kids
DEAL OR NO DEAL
May 3rd, 2011
1:08 pm
This is where all the extra tution will go. Not to teachers or labs or anything that has to do with teaching. It will all go to the coaches. Sick, just sick.
Show me the Money
May 3rd, 2011
1:10 pm
@Outside Observer ok….You are right….No need to proceed and collect $200 when you pass go. Just for the record…..Politics is not a multi-millon dollar industry….They make work cases or represents Millionaires….Just being PC…..OK? Now, here is the thing…..I have a Doctorate Degree and I am a Head High School football Coach….There’s is not any money that can compensate me for what I do with this profession and the time I spend away from my family, However I do it because I have an interest of the these kids being successful. I have several close associates that coach on the collegiate level and the reason why they get paid the way they do it because of the HIGH RISK involved. You are talking about school professors or government official….Guess what, have you heard of Job security through government jobs? Well guess what? THERE IS NOT JOB SECURITY IN COACHING COLLEGE FOOTBALL, THEY CAN COME IN TONIGHT AND TELL THEM TO GET THEIR SH>> AND BE GONE BY FRIDAY…….TRUST ME IT HAPPENS….(Not shouting, just bringing home my point).
Matthews Dawg
May 3rd, 2011
1:10 pm
emory….should we all be paid the same? Should that guy or girl in your class when you were at emory get the same grade you got when you worked your tail off and that person didn’t do as much work? Of course not! I agree, teachers should be paid more, but the market doesn’t demand it. I grew up in a family where my dad was a teacher/coach. We didn’t have as much as my friends, but I was fine with that. But, I chose after graduating not to go that same route. It’s a choice we all make. If you are at the top of your profession, you will get top dollar. Maybe I am making it very simple and it’s more complexed, but for someone who is putting kids through college ( and yes sending my first to UGA next fall and out of state to boot! Very expensive paying out of state, but she will be a Dawg and 2 UGA grads are glad she is going there) (Sorry for the rabbit trail) I chose not to go down the teacher/coach path. We all have a choice!
emory…you points are well taken and you are correct, but it’s not going to change. I give more to the academic side than I ever have to the athletic side. But, I do give to both. I wish I had more to give. Which that will stop this year because of out of state tuition cost. I had to give up something. I think the academic side will be getting enough of my money now. Go Dawgs!!
Jim Bo Taylor
May 3rd, 2011
1:10 pm
It sucks big time. Bad message at the wrong time. Guess Coaches can buy more $4 gas etc for their big suv’s. Football coaches don’t work more more than good Teacher…Bet on it.
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
1:12 pm
@SAG DAWG. Markets are based on consumer confidence, supply/demand, yada, yada, yada. I fully understand WHY he gets paid so much. However, I don’t think it’s wrong question our misplaced priorities. To throw your hands up in the air and say, “Well, life sucks, but what can you do?” is pretty cynical and defeatist. The market will respond if we all ask it to, but it takes collective effort, which begins with these civil conversations. Again, I’m just asking how far this pay system goes until we all really get angry, such as $500,000 video interns. I know that’s a pretty exaggerated example, but if you had told my dad 30 years ago that a position coach would make $200,000, he’d laugh you out of the house. The only one laughing now is McLendon.
59bulldawg
May 3rd, 2011
1:14 pm
Hmmm! Seems that some of my brothers in the Dawg Nation are a little on the cheap side! Check out the payrolls on other division 1 schools. Yeah I know . . . all things considered, it’s not the way I’d run a railroad either . . . but I don’t think it’s out of line with other similar size athletic departments around the country.
Outside Observer
May 3rd, 2011
1:17 pm
SAG Dawg: These coaches are public employees at public universities. Public salaries are typically set by the legislature, or other governing body, and are not set “by what the market offers”. That’s why the governor, judges, professors, etc. make less — they get paid what is allowed by law, not what the market says. The problem is we let the athletic directors at major public universities carve out a little fiefdom for major sports, and run it like it’s a private enterprise. If Congress passed a law that set all Division I assistant football coach salaries at $90,000, there would still be a line out the door for these jobs. It has nothing to do with “the market”, or “supply and demand”.
JB
May 3rd, 2011
1:18 pm
To an earlier post, this is not tax payer money. Professors yes. When an English teacher can get 90,000 folks to show up on 6 Saturday’s to here her teach at $45 per person and millions more from TV and radio, then we’ll pay her/him 2.8 mil to teach. Until then, enjoy you salary.
cursive
May 3rd, 2011
1:18 pm
Don’t forget folks, the money for the academic part of UGA and the money for the athletic part of UGA are two completely different things. They pull from 2 different “pools” of funding. Don’t misdirect hostility toward the athletic department because they are getting raises, direct that hostility toward your congressmen and governor for cutting the funding to the academic fund @ UGA.
JB
May 3rd, 2011
1:19 pm
That s/b hear………..Where do I sign up to take the class…LOL
Alabama | MrSEC.com
May 3rd, 2011
1:20 pm
[...] It’s been six drafts since the NFL took a Georgia defensive player in the first round.3. Two UGA assistants got nice pay raises following the Dawgs’ 6-7 2010 campaign.4. This writer says South Carolina is a first-place [...]
Mike McCollum
May 3rd, 2011
1:21 pm
@Cursive. Excellent point.