Miami Hurricanes HC Mark Richt 22rd highest paid coach in CFB

Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mark Richt was named the 22nd highest paid coach in College Football in an article released on Wednesday by USA Today.

Richt’s exactly salary does not have to be released by the Miami Hurricanes Athletic Department because Miami is a private school. Five ACC Coaches are on the list.

Richt is the highest paid coach in the ACC Coastal Division and third in the conference. Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is seventh and Florida State’s Willie Taggart is somehow tenth.

Richt receives about $4 million per year according to the tax returns from the University of Miami obtained by USA Today. In two-plus seasons at Miami Richt has a 23-8 record.

He led the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record in 2017, their first ACC Coastal Division championship, first appearance in the ACC Championship game and first major bowl appearance since 2004. Miami lost to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl.

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According to USA Today Swinney made “$6,543,350. Swinney made more than $8.5 million last season.” Taggart who is in his first season at Florida State who plays at Miami on Saturday is being paid $5 million this season. Incredibly in order to hire Taggart away from Oregon after one season, Florida State has to pay two buyouts.

"“Last season, at Oregon, he made $2.9 million. To get Taggart, Florida State covered not only a nearly $1.4 million portion of the buyout Oregon was paying South Florida, it also began paying a separate $3 million buyout to Oregon.”"

Richt signed a new contract in May, but the most recent tax returns USA Today obtained from Miami were from 2016. They summarized his contract.

"“Mark Richt, Miami (Fla.): $4,058,061. Because Miami is a private school, Richt’s total is the one reported on the school’s most recently available federal tax returns, which cover pay for the 2016 calendar year, including benefits and bonuses paid. The returns covering 2016 were the first to show Richt’s compensation from Miami.”"

The $4 million per year that Richt is reportedly being paid at Miami is equivalent to what he was paid at the end of his tenure at Georgia according to various reports. Richt’s successor in Athens Kirby Smart is sixth on the list. USA Today also summarized Smart’s contract.

"“Kirby Smart, Georgia $6,603,600. Last season, Smart led the Bulldogs to their first SEC championship since 2005 (which Richt led them to) and to the College Football Playoff title game. In response, the school gave him a $2.85 million raise and added three years to his contract.”"

Smart was able to lead Georgia to the ACC Championship in just his second season, but primarily with Richt’s players. He proved he could recruit by landing the nation’s number one recruiting class in 2018.

Two other ACC Coaches are in the top 25 in addition to Richt, Swinney and Taggart. Louisville’s Bobby Petrino is 25th and Virginia Tech’s Justin Fuente 24th.

Petrino is being paid $3,980,434. Fuente is being paid $4 million after getting a $600,000 raise for this season. The Hokies won the ACC Coastal Division in Fuente’s first season in 2016.

Miami does not play Louisville or Clemson this season. They will play at Virginia Tech on November 17 in a game that could be the defacto ACC Coastal Division Championship game. The winner between the Hurricanes and Hokies has won the Coastal the last two seasons.