Current:Home > NewsMost overpaid college football coaches include two from SEC. Who are they? -ValueMetric
Most overpaid college football coaches include two from SEC. Who are they?
View
Date:2025-04-12 13:50:15
At this point, it’s a foregone conclusion that 2024 will be Billy Napier’s final season as the head coach at Florida. After going 40-12 across four years at Louisiana-Lafayette, Napier is headed toward a third losing finish in as many years.
Since being hired by the Gators in November 2021, Napier has earned more than $1 million per win — easily one of the worst returns on investment from any program in the Football Bowl Subdivision during this span.
This gives Napier the top spot on USA TODAY Sports’ list of the most overpaid head coaches in the country, joining coaches from the Big Ten, ACC, American Athletic and a second choice from the SEC.
Billy Napier, Florida
Napier is making $7.4 million in total compensation this season, 21st among coaches. Of the 20 coaches ahead of Napier, all but one has won nine or more games in a single season at a Power Four school. (The exception is Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell, and more on him in a moment.) With his tenure drawing to a close, the conversation has shifted to Napier’s buyout. As of Dec. 1, 2024, Napier’s buyout for being terminated without cause is $26.7 million. At 14-17 overall after Saturday's overtime loss to rival Tennessee, Napier should end up as the program's first full-time coach to finish his tenure with a losing record since Raymond Wolf went 13-24-2 from 1946-49.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn
As with Napier at Florida, the hype and fanfare around Freeze’s arrival at Auburn before last season has petered out amid the Tigers’ struggles. After going 6-7 last year, Auburn is 2-4 and winless in the SEC with wins against Alabama A&M and New Mexico along with a series of ugly, error-filled losses. While his $6.73 million compensation in 2024 ranks 12th among public SEC schools, the expectation was that Freeze would bring Auburn quickly back into Top 25 contention and eventually challenge for the College Football Playoff. Instead, his job security is failing after just 19 games as head coach.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
There’s a trend developing for the first three coaches on this list. Like Napier and Freeze, Fickell was able to translate a ton of success at a lesser program – he went 57-18 at Cincinnati and coached the first Group of Five team to make the playoff – into a huge deal at Wisconsin worth $7.725 million in compensation this season. But the Badgers have been mediocre or worse since he took over in late 2022, barely sneaking into a bowl last year and potentially missing the postseason in 2024. These struggles can be attributed to a strange shift in offensive philosophy from the meat-and-potatoes style that Wisconsin used to great impact for decades.
Mike Norvell, Florida State
Florida State fans and boosters want to know of Norvell: What have you done for us lately? After winning the ACC championship and just missing the playoff last year, the Seminoles are this year’s biggest disappointment at 1-5. One of the league favorites in August, FSU is now in real danger of missing a bowl game altogether. Thanks to his rebuild and ACC crown, Norvell is making $10 million in total compensation, tied with Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer for fifth among coaches at public universities. As of Dec. 1, Norvell has a buyout of $63.8 million, the third-most among coaches in our survey behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($118.1 million) and DeBoer ($70.1 million).
Trent Dilfer, Alabama-Birmingham
At $1.45 million in total compensation, Dilfer’s contract would be a steal if he had maintained the Blazers’ place among the most consistent programs in the Group of Five. That hasn’t been the case. After posting six winning seasons in a row from 2017-22, UAB is 5-13 overall under Dilfer and 1-5 this year. Rock bottom has come in recent weeks, with a 71-20 loss to Tulane on Oct. 5 and last Saturday's 40-10 loss to Army. Of Dilfer's five wins, two have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition and just one against an eventual bowl team. The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback will go down as one of the worst hires of the decade.
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg
veryGood! (45)
Related
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has a shot at Olympic gold after semifinal win
- Why AP called Missouri’s 1st District primary for Wesley Bell over Rep. Cori Bush
- Are Whole Body Deodorants Worth It? 10 Finds Reviewers Love
- IOC's decision to separate speed climbing from other disciplines paying off
- USA's Tate Carew, Tom Schaar advance to men’s skateboarding final
- 2024 Olympics: Ryan Lochte Reveals Why U.S. Swimmers Can’t Leave the Village During Games
- Stocks inch up in erratic trading as investors remain nervous
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Devin Booker performance against Brazil latest example of Team USA's offensive depth
Ranking
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- Georgia property owners battle railroad company in ongoing eminent domain case
- Harris’ pick of Walz amps up excitement in Midwestern states where Democrats look to heal divisions
- Jenna Ortega speaks out on age-gap controversy with Martin Freeman in 'Miller's Girl'
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- US safety board plans to quiz officials about FAA oversight of Boeing before a panel blew off a 737
- Keira Knightley Shares Daughter’s Dyslexia Diagnosis in Rare Family Update
- What investors should do when there is more volatility in the market
Recommendation
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Over 55,000 Avocado Green Mattress pads recalled over fire hazard
Alligator spotted in Lake Erie? Officials investigate claim.
Gabby Thomas wins gold in 200, leading American track stars in final at Paris Olympics
Meet 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao, the youngest Olympian competing in Paris
Customers line up on Ohio’s first day of recreational marijuana sales
How Lahaina’s more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fire
A soda sip-off or an election? Tim Walz, JD Vance fight over the 'Mountain Dew Belt'