May this be the costliest teaching carousel in college football historical past? With greater than $100 million already dedicated to fired head coaches — and extra in all probability to come back — FBS faculties may high $250 million in buyouts this yr.
Up to now, 9 head coaches — together with Penn State’s James Franklin and Florida’s Billy Napier — have been fired. The mixed buyout determine of all of them is $114.55 million, in response to information from USA Today and Front Office Sports.
Different head coaches who could also be on the recent seat embrace North Carolina’s Invoice Belichick ($20.83M buyout), Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell ($27.49M), Auburn’s Hugh Freeze ($15.44M), Florida State’s Mike Norvell ($58.67) and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops ($37.69M), amongst others. If these 5 head coaches had been to be fired, the overall buyouts would attain $274.67 million, shattering a document.
In line with information from the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database, between 2005 and 2024, the very best yearly severance for FBS coaches occurred final yr ($188.15M). That information, although, consists of head coaches, assistant coaches and administrative workers.
The $114.55M in buyouts accrued this season is just for head coaches; that quantity would not embrace assistants and different workers members.
Buyouts of 9 head coaches fired this season
Trent Bray, Oregon State, $3.9 million
Trent Dilfer, UAB, $2.82 million
DeShaun Foster , UCLA, $6.43 million
James Franklin, Penn State, $48.67 million
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State, $15 million
Billy Napier , Florida, $20.43 million
Jay Norvell, Colorado State, $1.5 million
Sam Pittman, Arkansas, $9.8 million
Brent Pry, Virginia Tech, $6 million
5 CFB seasons with highest severance quantities
2024: $188.15 million
2022: $159.59 million
2018: $156.19 million
2023: $147.21 million
2021: $116.83 million
The buyouts for the opposite 15 years within the Knight-Newhouse database had been all beneath $100 million yearly.
More moderen seasons have bigger greenback quantities, partially, due to inflation, together with the general progress of the game. Elements corresponding to an expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff and large tv contracts, particularly within the Large Ten Convention and Southeastern Convention, have led to a ballooning of the salaries for head coaches and their assistants.
Nonetheless, these salaries are anticipated to be reined amid the revenue-sharing period. With the multi-billion-dollar Home of Representatives settlement, faculties at the moment are paying their athletes immediately, and to remain aggressive with revenue-sharing, packages could must decrease the salaries to their coaches.
The rest of the 2025 marketing campaign should play out. The pinnacle-coaching carousel needs to be chaotic this offseason. And the cash paid out for head coaches’ buyouts may find yourself being historic.
