Think coaches salaries are getting out of hand? Clemson is just getting started. Word is that the big orange paw will be writing a check for $800,000 a year to new D.C. Brent Venables, who just jumped off the Sooner wagon. That's on top of Chad Morris hitting the jackpot for $1.3 million -- annually for six years. Whew, two coordinators raking in over $2-mil combined. By comparison, Mark Stoops recent raise brings him to $575,000.
Looks like Clemson's coaching payroll will outstrip FSU's as the biggest in the ACC and one of the richest in all of Div. 1. Morris alone is now the nation's highest paid assistant, taking sole possession of the title since Gus Malzahn chose relative obscurity at Arkansas State.
Clemson can afford to up the ante because of increased revenue from the new TV contract, and because of the millions in reserve in its IPTAY program. The Clemson booster group has been around since 1934 (IPTAY originally meant "I Pay Ten A Year") and raises enough dough that it can even chip in $1.25 million for non-atheletic scholarships.
Clearly Dabo Swinney can spend like there's no tomorrow because Clemson fans give like there's no bigger priority than Tiger football.
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