The pay slashing has continued after a brief respite, with the South Carolina football coach next up on the list.
Tuesday afternoon, USC announced “a plan to implement voluntary 10-percent pay reductions for President Bob Caslen, several senior-level cabinet administrators and the university’s three highest-paid coaches for fiscal year 2020-21, which begins July 1, 2020.” Included in that group, of course, is South Carolina head football coach Will Muschamp.
Last year, Muschamp pulled in $4.4 million. That means that, if the cuts last an entire academic year, the coach would be foregoing in excess of $440,000.
All told, the university hopes to save more than $1.2 million the upcoming fiscal year.
“Working in intercollegiate athletics at the University of South Carolina is a tremendous calling for myself and our coaches and staff,” athletic director Ray Tanner, who is a part of the salary reductions, said in a statement. “I am aware of the difficulties many people in our state and nation are having because of this pandemic, including the staff and students of our great University. These shared voluntary sacrifices will help address the anticipated financial shortfalls at Carolina.”
South Carolina is just the second SEC school known to have made such cuts. The only other is Missouri.
Below is a partial list of FBS programs that have initiated various cost-cutting measures for athletic department personnel, including coaches:
- Arizona (HERE).
- Boise State (HERE).
- Colorado (HERE).
- Iowa State (HERE).
- Kansas (HERE).
- Kansas State (HERE)
- Louisville (HERE).
- Michigan (HERE).
- Minnesota (HERE).
- Missouri (HERE).
- Northern Illinois (HERE).
- Oregon (HERE and HERE).
- Rutgers (HERE).
- Syracuse (HERE).
- USC (HERE).
- Wake Forest (HERE).
- Washington State (HERE).
- Western Kentucky (HERE).
- Western Michigan (HERE).
- West Virginia (HERE).
- Wyoming (HERE).
Additionally, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, who reportedly made north of $5 million a year ago, is taking a 20% pay cut. Scott’s Big 12 counterpart, Bob Bowlsby, announced pay cuts for himself and the conference’s staff.