Alabama announces new deals for Nate Oats, football assistants
The University of Alabama Board of Trustees’ compensation committee met Monday afternoon to approve 15 new contracts for members of the Alabama athletic staff.
The details of basketball head coach Nate Oats’ contract extension were announced as well as new contracts for nine football assistants and both of the football strength and conditioning coordinators. Director of sports medicine Jeff Allen, football director of player personnel Bob Welton and new swimming and diving head coach Margo Geer also received new deals.
Oats received a three-year extension which now runs to March 14 2027 and will pay a total compensation of $3.225 million annually.
The contract also features a significant buyout clause should Oats move on to another job. If he leaves during the 2021-22 season he’d owe Alabama roughly $12.57 million. That figure goes down to $9.83 million in 2022-23 before dropping to roughly $6.96 million in 2023-24 and $2.41 million in 2024-25. Oats does not have buyout in either of the two final years on his contract.
All four of Alabama football’s new hires this offseason had their deals approved. The highest-paid assistant of the bunch will be offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who is set to receive a salary of $1.1 million this year. Offensive line coach Doug Marrone netted the next highest salary of the new assistants as he will earn $755,000 this year before seeing his salary raise to $900,000 next year. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie will earn $535,000, while cornerbacks coach Jay Valai will earn $525,000 this year before seeing his salary rise to $550,000 next year. Alabama saw newly-hired tight ends/special teams coach Jay Graham resign last week and has yet to name his permanent replacement.
Alabama was able to save some money on those deals as three of those four hires will make less than their predecessors. O’Brien will make $1.4 million less than former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who was the highest-paid assistant in college football with a $2.5 million annual salary before leaving to become the head coach at Texas. In addition, Valai will make $25,000 less than departing cornerbacks coach Karl Scott, while Gillespie will make $15,000 less than departing running backs coach Charles Huff. Marrone is the only one of the four to be paid more than his predecessor as he’ll receive $105,000 more than Kyle Flood did last year.
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding will be the highest-paid assistant on Alabama’s staff as he will earn $1.5 million, up from $1.225 million last year. His contract will increase to $1.6 million in 2022 and $1.7 million in 2023. Safeties coach Charles Kelly will earn $825,000, up from $800,000 last year. Wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins will earn $575,000, up from $475,000 last year. Sal Sunseri will earn $695,000, up from $675,000 last year. Freddie Roach will earn $720,000, up from $700,000 last year.
Director of sports science Dr. Matt Rhea will earn $475,000 this year before making $500,000 next year. Director of sports performance David Ballou will earn $525,000 this year before making $550,000 next year.
Basketball
— Nate Oats: $3.225 million through March 14, 2027
Football
— Pete Golding: $1.5 million (2021), $1.6 million (2022), $1.7 million (2023) through Feb. 29, 2024
— Bill O'Brien: $1.1 million through Feb. 28, 2023
— Charles Kelly: $825,000 through Feb. 28, 2023
— Doug Marrone: $755,000 (2021), $900,000 (2022) through Feb. 28, 2023
— Freddie Roach: $720,000 through Feb. 29, 2024
— Sal Sunseri: $695,000 through Feb. 28, 2023
— Holmon Wiggins: $575,000 through Feb. 28, 2023
— Robert Gillespie -- $535,000 through Feb. 28, 2023
— Jay Valai: $525,000 (2021), $550,000 (2022) through Feb. 28, 2023
— David Ballou: $525,000 (2021), $550,000 (2022) through Feb. 28, 2023
— Matt Rhea: $475,000 (2021) $500,000 (2022) through Feb. 28, 2023
— Jeff Allen: $250,000 (2021), $260,000 (2022), $270,000 (2023) Feb. 29, 2024
— Bob Welton: $225,000 through Feb. 28, 2023
Swimming and diving
— Margo Geer: $150,000 through June 30, 2024
