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USA Today has had a database for the salaries of head coaches in both football and basketball for a few years now, which has been a pretty handy tool for me at times. Even if it's not always 100% accurate (buyouts are included in coaches salaries which makes you think Arkansas is paying Bret Bielema $5.1 million when a lot of that is what it cost to get him out of his deal at Wisconsin).
Well, now USA Today has added a database that includes the salaries of assistant coaches, so of course we had to see how much all of our Illini assistants are being paid. Sure, we could have just looked it up before since it's all public record, but this is so much easier.
Bill Cubit - $400,000
Tim Banks - $400,000
Mike Ward - $200,950
Tim Salem - $200,450
Alex Golesh - $200,000
Al Seamonson - $180,000
A.J. Ricker - $180,000
Greg Colby - $180,000
Mike Bellamy - $125,000
Which means that Tim Beckman's staff makes a total of $2,066,400. Which isn't bad, but could be better and could help make Illinois a much more attractive job for prospective coaches.
As for individual salaries, but Bill Cubit and Tim Banks come in ranked in a tie for tenth with each other and Purdue's John Shoop. The highest paid assistants in the conference are Michigan's Greg Mattison ($851,400) and Al Borges ($709,300).
Of course it should be noted that the salaries for Penn State and Northwestern's coaches aren't listed.
As a staff Illini assistans make a total of $2,066,400. Here's how the Illini rank among the Big Ten with the schools the database lists.
1. Ohio State - $3,474,504
2. Michigan - $3,072,000
3. Nebraska - $2,648,500
4. Wisconsin - $2,495,000
5. Michigan State - $2,410,483
6. Iowa - $2,367,500
7. Minnesota - $2,152,350
8. Indiana - $2,074,780
9. Illinois - $2,066,400
10. Purdue - $2,010,000
Yep, of the ten schools that are listed we're only better than Purdue, and I'm guessing Penn State would rank higher than us as well. As for Northwestern, I can't be sure, but I'd guess we have a slight edge there, but I could easily be wrong.
What I do know is that of the schools listed there are only two schools from the power five conferences -- again, that are listed -- that are paying their assistants a total less than ours. Purdue and Washington State. And that's just not acceptable if the athletic department wants Illinois football to actually be a success.
It's not a coincidence that eight of the 12 highest paid staffs in the country are in the SEC.
Better pay brings better coaches and better coaches bring a better program. It's not that difficult an equation to solve. The only question is whether or not Illinois will ever want to.
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