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By: Mike Huesmann

This is part one of three. I’ll also look at offensive coordinators and position coaches/special teams coordinators. I examine the ten highest-paid defensive coordinators and, from the school's point of view, grade them as underpaid, overpaid, or fair. Three of these ten, including the two highest paid, are new hires this offseason. Multiple factors were considered, including; individual success, the school's need for this coach, and the coach's ability to get another job as a DC at a school of similar profile(or a HC job at another P4 school).

Blake Baker, LSU, $2.5 million annually

Grade: Fair

Baker is the highest-paid DC entering 2024, and that’s fair. The combination of coaching a top-level Mizzou defense last year and LSU being atrocious on defense in 2023 means Brian Kelly was smart to identify his candidate and make him a whale offer. LSU is a top-level program with good resources. They can’t afford to be as bad on defense as last season.

Wink Martindale, Michigan, $2.3 million annually

Grade: Fair

Wink has spent the last 21 years in the NFL and he’s joining a brand-new staff. Initially, I was going to say the school overpaid considering the long-term future isn’t there due to his age, but considering the makeup of the staff and this being Sherrone Moore’s first HC job, I think getting a levelheaded and successful veteran is smart. He knows defense and will be a good sounding board for the younger coaches on staff.

Pete Golding, Ole Miss, $2.15 million annually

Grade: Overpaid

Golding is a decent coach, but he was essentially run out of Alabama and landed a salary of over $2 million a year because the defenses had been so bad for Lane at Ole Miss. The Rebels had a good 2023, but defensively, they were just okay. They ranked 42nd overall in scoring defense and 70th in total defense. That’s not great value for the third- highest-paid DC.

Adam Fuller, Florida State, $2.015 million annually

Grade: Fair

Fuller has been with Mike Norvell since their days at Memphis and is now being compensated for it. Last year, the Noles were 28th in total defense and 18th in scoring defense, a solid output within a great overall season for them. Fuller is bordering on underpaid, but we haven’t heard other schools trying to poach him or his name mentioned for HC jobs. This could be due to him loving Tallahassee, but we don’t know.

Al Golden, Notre Dame, $2 million annually

Grade: Underpaid

In 2023 the Irish finished fifth in total defense and eighth in scoring defense. That is elite play any way you slice it. I wasn’t prepared to say Golden was underpaid until evaluating the cold hard numbers. Combined with how they’re recruiting and his reputation, it looks like Notre Dame has a bargain heading into 2024.

D’Anton Lynn, USC, $2 million annually

Grade: Fair

Lincoln Riley has never had a good defense. This is a no-lose situation for Lynn, who comes over from UCLA, because if they struggle on defense again, people will just blame Riley. The Trojans won’t be a national contender until they play serviceable defense. I mean, they had Caleb Williams and were never close because they can’t stop anyone. Much like LSU, USC needed to identify a target and pour out the money.

Glenn Schumann, Georgia, $2 million annually

Grade: Fair

Schumann and the Bulldogs' defense were elite last year, ranking in the top 10 for both scoring and total defense. Becoming the coordinator at one of the premier powers in the nation should come with a hefty price tag, and he earned it. The reason he isn’t considered underpaid yet is due to the situation he inherited. He came into an elite roster and is under the best head coach in America, who is also a defensive specialist. If he keeps it up with a full cycle of his own recruits, I’ll gladly bump him to underpaid.

Jim Knowles, Ohio State, $1.9 million annually

Grade: Underpaid

Knowles was among the best at his job at Oklahoma State, and Ryan Day was smart to identify this. Prior to this, he did an underrated job for David Cutcliffe at Duke. The Buckeyes are primed to make a run for the national title and they’ll need Knowles' defensive acumen to do so. Last year, the Buckeyes were second in scoring defense and third in total D. Those numbers don’t happen in a vacuum, you have to be top-notch to achieve them.

Phil Parker, Iowa, $1.9 million annually

Grade: Underpaid

Anything short of being the highest-paid DC plus about $5 million is a deal for Iowa. Parker is coaching elite-level defenses and keeping the Hawkeyes in games. Ferentz trusts him, and together they keep winning games and divisions. Give him a lifetime contract.

Pete Kwiatkowski, Texas, $1.8 million annually

Grade: Underpaid

Considering the resources of Texas, arguably the largest in America, I would have expected a veteran like Pete to be higher than 10 on this list. He was a successful DC at Boise State and Washington under Chris Petersen, where he had his first playoff appearance. In 2023, the Longhorns were tough on defense again, finishing the season ranked 15th in scoring defense and 35th in total D. 

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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