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Clemson football defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin's salary almost doubles as staff gets raises
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- Clemson football defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin's salary almost doubles as staff gets raises
Seven of Clemson 's 10 assistant football coaches were approved for raises Friday morning by the Clemson Board of Trustees' Compensation Committee.
The largest raise went to third-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, whose salary was bumped $550,000 to $1.4 million. His defense finished eighth among the 130 FBS schools, allowing 287.8 yards per game.
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The three assistants who did not receive raises were the three newest members of coach Dabo Swinney's staff – offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and offensive line coach Matt Luke and defensive ends coach Chris Rumph.
Riley agreed to a three-year deal worth $1.75 million annually when he was hired in January 2023, but was the highest-compensated assistant coach in the FBS ranks last year thanks to a $300,000 signing bonus that pushed his earnings to $2.05 million. He'll make $1.75 million in 2024.
Luke and Rumph agreed to deals in December that will pay them $975,000 and $950,000, respectively, in 2024.
Among the other assistants, defensive tackles coach Nick Eason received a $300,000 raise, pushing his salary to $1.1 million and making him the third Clemson assistant to reach the $1 million threshold.
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Clemson is now among eight programs with at least three assistants in the $1 million club. Ohio State has five and Texas and Michigan State have four who make $1 million plus. Other schools with three include Georgia, Kentucky , Florida and Texas A&M.
The five remaining assistants – Mike Reed, Mickey Conn, Kyle Richardson, Tyler Grisham and C.J. Spiller – each received $100,000 raises as well as one-year contract extensions through Jan. 31, 2027. Riley, Goodwin and Eason also received one-year extensions through the same date.
Collectively Clemson's 10 assistants will make $9,675,000 in 2024, which would rank No. 1 nationally according to the latest USA TODAY college football assistant coach salaries database released in November 2023. Clemson's assistants had combined salaries of $7,775,000 in 2023, which ranked as the ninth-highest total nationally.
Swinney is set to make $11 million in 2024, the third year of a 10-year deal he signed in September 2022.
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Goodwin's defense shined in 2023, finishing eighth nationally in total defense and tying for the national lead with five defensive touchdowns. His unit also ranked second in the country in first down defense and among the Top 10 in three other defensive categories, including interceptions, passing yards allowed and passing efficiency defense.
Clemson is coming off a 9-4 season that culminated with five consecutive victories, including a 38-35 win against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl. The Tigers missed the College Football Playoff for a third straight year and missed playing in the ACC Championship Game for just the second time in nine years.
Clemson football assistant salaries:
Garrett Riley, offensive coordinator, $1.75 million
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Wes Goodwin, defensive coordinator, $1.1 million
Nick Eason, defensive tackles, $1.1 million
Matt Luke, offensive line, $975,000
Chris Rumph, defensive ends, $950,000
Mickey Conn, safeties, $900,000
Mike Reed, cornerbacks, $900,000
Kyle Richardson, tight ends, $600,000
Tyler Grisham, wide receivers, $550,000
C.J. Spiller, running backs, $550,000
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney: Clemson football coach staff's salary for 2024
