clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Illinois Football Assistant Coach Salaries

Illinois had the nation's 56th largest assistant coaching payroll.

By Jim Vainisi
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

USA Today released their updated database of college football assistant coach salaries on Sunday, and Illinois dished out a total of $2,011,208 during the 2015 season. That figure is good for No. 56 in the country (doesn't include some private schools). Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Mike Phair ($450,000) led all staff members during his first year with the program.

Here's a closer look at the salaries, including possible bonuses for each staff member:

COACH SCHOOL PAY OTHER PAY TOTAL PAY MAX BONUS
Mike Phair $450,000 -- $450,000 $70,000
Tim Banks $412,000 $600 $412,600 $51,500
Alex Golesh $206,000 $725 $206,725 $41,200
Mike Ward $206,000 $500 $206,500 $41,200
Tom Brattan $206,000 -- $206,000 $41,200
Al Seamonson $185,400 -- $185,400 $37,080
Mike Bellamy $180,000 -- $180,000 $36,000
Nathan Scheelhaase $83,333 -- $83,333 $10,000
Ryan Cubit $80,650 -- $80,650 $16,130

For comparison, here are the 25 programs with the highest total assistant salaries:

  1. LSU ($5,471,236) - SEC
  2. Auburn ($5,341,900) - SEC
  3. Alabama ($5,227,090) - SEC
  4. Georgia ($4,807,200) - SEC
  5. Texas A&M ($4,419,360) - SEC
  6. Clemson ($4,329,606) - ACC
  7. Florida State ($4,284,800) - ACC
  8. Michigan ($4,248,667) - Big Ten
  9. Ohio State ($4,021,950) - Ben Ten
  10. South Carolina ($3,995,600) - SEC
  11. UCLA ($3,969,000) - Pac-12
  12. Texas ($3,906,100) - Big 12
  13. Louisville ($3,779,800) - ACC
  14. Oklahoma ($3,768,500) - Big 12
  15. Florida ($3,728,500) - SEC
  16. Oregon ($3,695,000) - Pac-12
  17. Missouri ($3,630,000) - SEC
  18. Tennessee ($3,540,700) - SEC
  19. Arkansas ($3,529,550) - SEC
  20. Nebraska ($3,450,000) - Big Ten
  21. Mississippi State ($3,287,500) - SEC
  22. Washington ($3,278,524) - Pac-12
  23. Virginia Tech ($3,257,690) - ACC
  24. Michigan State ($3,195,154) - Big Ten
  25. Arizona State ($3,196,740) - Pac-12

Going further down the list, Central Florida, Colorado, Rutgers, Virginia, Kansas, Purdue, Army, and Iowa State also paid their assistants more than Illinois. That seems incredibly surprising at first glance, but USA Today excluded Bill Cubit's salary since he was the acting head coach; it looks like the Illini would've been in the Oklahoma State/Minnesota/Kentucky range had it been included.