College football’s best, worst coaching contracts: Buyer’s remorse with Mike Norvell at Florida State?

For all the incessant complaints associated with NIL, the transfer portal and college football’s recruiting calendar, one thing’s for certain — coaching at a Power Four university has its financial advantages. With increased revenue distribution comes enhanced resources, and it’s never been more costly for those funding coaching contracts.

Texas A&M’s gross miscalculation with Jimbo Fisher cost the Aggies a record-setting $76 million in buyout money, a figure many FBS schools would never be able to absorb. We’re now seeing new hires on shorter leashes as a result, and for the already proven winners, handsome increases to keep them in tow.

College football’s coaching contract financials ahead of the 2025 season vary greatly, but there are 10 deals that fall under our “best” and “worst” categories. Essentially, $10 million annually is the new benchmark for the top 5% of the sport with eight coaches set to exceed that number this fall.

Let’s start with a few of college football’s best contracts before diving into the ugly ones. These are all calculated agreements that include recent bumps during successful tenures for respective coaches. Most include not-so-insane buyouts just in case things go south in a hurry.

Kiffin has signed a contract extension with a pay increase twice since 2022, a smart move from the Rebels considering his rapid ascension and reinvigorated career of sorts coming after his coaching rehabilitation stint at FAU. Kiffin has hit 10 or more wins three times in five years, this coming after the program’s numbers of 10-win seasons was just seven all-time when he was hired. He has a penchant for the portal in college football’s new era and his acumen offensively makes Ole Miss an attractive destination.

Somehow, the Cyclones have been able to keep Campbell happy during his time in Ames. Last September, Campbell became the all-time winningest coach at Iowa State and helped the Cyclones reach 11 wins for the first time in program history. He signed an eight-year extension after he was courted by North Carolina and others, and for the most part, has done more with less during his tenure in terms of talent. Though terms of Campbell’s new deal haven’t yet been disclosed, he only made $4 million last season, which ranks outside of the top 50 nationally.

At $2.9 million last season, Key was on the bottom rung of ACC coaches before sporting another 7-5 season that included a win over then fourth-ranked Miami and an eight-overtime loss to eventual SEC champion Georgia. One of the haves in Atlanta made the call, and the Yellow Jackets stepped up to lock-in Key with a five-year extension. He has brought stability to the ACC program since Geoff Collins left it in ruins following Paul Johnson’s successful tenure. Few teams nationally embody the personality of their  coach like the Yellow Jackets, and it shows on the field.

There were some who scoffed at the Buffaloes taking a chance on Coach Prime and nearly doubling the previous high-water mark of a Colorado coach, but the investment is already drawing returns. He hasn’t left for another job and has three years remaining on a not-so-expansive deal compared to other high-end Power Four coaches. The Buffaloes nearly challenge for a Big 12 crown last fall. 

The Gamecocks boosted Beamer’s salary to $8.1 million in January coming off the program’s nine-win campaign, a number that still ranks in the middle of the 16-team SEC. Beamer has shot past the Gamecocks’ preseason projected win total three times in his first four seasons and is recruiting at an all-time level in Columbia. Given his pay, this is a bargain for a coach who looks to be a South Carolina-lifer if the winning continues. He’s not the type to sniff around at other vacancies should the Gamecocks obtain playoff breakthrough.

Not all contracts are winners, however. “What have you done for me lately?” is everything in college football, and a detached fan base leading into a season is one of the last things you want to see as someone who signs the checks. Sifting through current deals — including a few recent updates — here are five bad contracts ahead of the 2025 campaign …

Convinced it was written in error earlier this spring, I refreshed my browser to make sure the headline was correct: Wisconsin extends Luke Fickell through the 2031 season. Come again? The coach who has failed to impress after landing the Big Ten job in 2022 following an impressive run at Cincinnati? The one-year extension is not unprecedented in Madison — he was originally signed to a seven-year deal — but it’s ill-timed, to say the least. Badgers legend Barry Alvarez voiced his displeasure with the current state of affairs last month coming off the program’s first losing campaign in 23 years.

Kentucky handed Stoops a big-time extension after a home loss to Vanderbilt in 2022, and there’s been no return on that investment. The Wildcats have faded into irrelevancy since that new deal was signed, including 14 losses in their last 18 SEC games. Stoops has lost 10 of his last 12 home games against league competition, too. And then there’s the Texas A&M fiasco two coaching cycles ago. This marriage seems to be deteriorating in the Bluegrass.

Thanks to 10 wins ahead of his first season in the SEC, Venables happily signed a six-year extension with the Sooners worth $51.6 million, a big win for CAA’s Jimmy Sexton. Then, reality set in. Ravaged by injuries at wide receiver and marred by season-long struggles at the line of scrimmage, Oklahoma tumbled to its second 6-7 finish in three years under Venables last fall. Now, he will rely on mass transfer portal help to try to right the ship.

Cover your eyes, FSU fans. Norvell’s restructured contract coming off 2024’s two-win disaster runs through the 2031 season and his buyout is the largest in the ACC at $63 million. Norvell’s new deal following FSU’s conference title in 2023 put the Seminoles in a financial straight jacket for the foreseeable future, but who could’ve imagined last season’s all-time fall from grace? Portal evaluations were home runs early, but last cycle left much to be desired from Norvell’s staff.

Lincoln Riley, USC

Since winning 11 games in his first season with the Trojans in 2022, Riley is beginning to fade. A 4-5 finish against Big Ten competition last fall was tough to stomach, especially considering three road losses came to Minnesota, Maryland and Washington — programs that were not equipped with USC’s talent, comparatively. Riley’s buyout figure ahead of the 2025 season might make the decision-makers in Los Angeles a bit squeamish given its parameters. Unless Riley leaves for another vacancy in the next few years, the Trojans are on the hook for the long haul. Riley’s buyout number is $90 million, second only to Georgia coach Kirby Smart ($118 million).