UK paid its football coaches almost $10 million in 2019. Will it go higher for Marrow?
Vince Marrow’s name has again been linked to a football coaching job at another university.
Marrow, the University of Kentucky’s associate head coach, has been offered a role at Michigan State University, according to multiple reports citing unnamed sources.
Michigan State this week hired Mel Tucker as its new head coach. Marrow’s role would purportedly be similar to the one he has now at UK, where he acts as recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach and NFL liaison, and come with a significant pay bump (specific dollar figures have not been confirmed or reported).
The Spartans’ reported interest comes on the heels of discussions Marrow had with Youngstown State University about its vacant head coaching position. Marrow earlier this month publicly affirmed his desire to stay at UK in spite of that interest from his hometown school.
It’s likely that if Marrow remains at Kentucky into next season he will receive a new contract that would pay him an amount approaching seven figures and make him one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country. Marrow last January agreed to a new contract worth $600,000 annually that was to pay him a monthly rate of $50,000 through June 30 of this year. Per the terms of that contract, he is set to receive annual raises of $25,000 on July 1 of this year and next year.
Per USA Today, Marrow was the 96th-highest paid assistant coach among more than 1,000 college football coaches for whom contract information was available. He was the third-highest paid assistant coach on UK’s staff last season behind Eddie Gran ($875,000; 37th overall) and Brad White ($625,000, 88th overall). Both Gran and White received extensions and raises in January 2020, the details of which are below.
UK’s assistant coaches collectively made more during the 2019 season than head coach Mark Stoops. With incentives, Stoops was paid $4.76 million last season while his assistants brought in $5.15 million. Together after incentives they came up about $80,000 short of a $10 million payday.
UK coaching contracts
(Current as of Feb. 13, 2020; amounts do not include possible bonus incentives for measurables such as win benchmarks, postseason qualification, etc.)
Mark Stoops (head coach): $4.75 million annually; $5 million annually effective July 1; $5.25 million annually effective July 1, 2021; 5.5 million annually effective July 1, 2022; $5.7 million annually effective July 1, 2023; $6 million annually effective July 1, 2024. Current contract expires June 30, 2025.
Steve Clinkscale (defensive backs): $500,000 annually. Current contract expires June 30, 2022.
Eddie Gran (co-offensive coordinator, running backs): $875,000 annually; $900,000 annually effective July 1; $925,000 annually effective July 1, 2021; $950,000 annually effective July 1, 2022. Current contract expires June 30, 2023.
Darin Hinshaw (co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks): $500,000 annually. Current contract expires June 30.
Vince Marrow (associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, tight ends, NFL liaison): $600,000 annually; $625,000 annually effective July 1; $650,000 annually effective July 1, 2021. Current contract expires June 30, 2022.
John Schlarman (offensive line): $490,000 annually effective July 1. Current contract expires June 30, 2021.
Jon Sumrall (inside linebackers): $650,000 annually; $675,000 annually effective July 1, 2021. Current contract expires June 30, 2022.
Michael Smith (wide receivers): $450,000 annually. Current contract expires June 30, 2021.
Anwar Stewart (defensive line): $300,000 annually. Current contract expires June 30, 2022.
Brad White (defensive coordinator, outside linebackers): $625,000 annually; $875,000 annually effective July 1; $900,000 annually effective July 1, 2021; $925,000 annually effective July 1, 2022. Current contract expires June 30, 2023.
Total due UK football coaches effective July 1 and through June 30, 2021: $9.79 million (does not include Hinshaw’s expiring contract).
