The rich get richer in the Alabama football program. With great success comes great reward and Nick Saban and Kirby Smart are about to find out just how great that reward is. After leading Alabama to its third national championship in four years, the programs top coaches are about to get compensated greatly. While Saban is set to receive a new bonus package, Smart is rumored to be the next million dollar college coordinator.
Smart began coaching at Alabama in 2007 as an assistant coach after Saban was named the head coach. The two worked together at LSU and Saban added him to the coaching staff, promoting Smart to defensive coordinator in 2008. One year later, Smart won the Broyles Award for the nation's best assistant coach, the only Alabama assistant to ever win the award.
Since Smart began his reign as defensive coordinator, Alabama has finished either first or second in that nation in overall defense every year. Because of his success in the college ranks, Smart has received multiple offers to jump ship to the NFL. Earlier this year, he was interviewed to become a defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. He also interviewed for both the Arkansas and Auburn head coaching positions before ultimately deciding on staying with Saban and Alabama.
The University of Alabama systems Board of Trustees Compensation Committee is meeting with coaches this week to hand out salary raises and restructure contracts. Smart's current contract runs through the 2015 season and currently earns him $950,000 a year. It is expected that Smart's new contract will put him over the $1 million mark. A source reveals his deal will be similar to LSU's John Chavis who ears an average salary of $1.1 million. The salary raise is Alabama's attempt to hold on to Smart for years to come.
The committee will also be making adjustments to Sabana's bonus package. The head coach did not ask to receive a raise. He was givn a contract extension through 2019 last year, earning him an average of $5.6 million per year. His contract instead will be restructured to accommodate the upcoming playoff system in 2014-15.