Univ. of SC football coach Lou Holtz's $655,000 annual salary "puts him sixth among" SEC football coaches and "well behind" Univ. of FL (UF) coach Steve Spurrier, whose "nearly" $2M annual salary is the highest in the conference, according to Michael Smith of the Columbia (SC) STATE. Holtz's salary includes his base salary, TV and radio deals and apparel endorsements, but does not include a $450,000 house that the university purchased for him. As an "incentive for Spurrier to stay" at UF, the school will withhold $250,000 of his salary for each of the next two seasons, which he will collect, plus interest, after the 2001 season "as long as he is still coaching" there. UF "will again withhold" $250,000 for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, which he will collect, plus interest, at the end of the 2003 season. The Univ. of GA and Univ. of TN also withhold part of the coaches salaries. Below are the deal terms for SEC coaches (Columbia (SC) STATE, 6/19):
| COACH/SCHOOL | ANNUAL SALARY/
YEAR DEAL ENDS |
| 1) | Steve Spurrier/Univ. of FL | $1.9M/2003 |
| 2) | Phil Fulmer/Univ. of TN | $950,000/2004 |
| 3) | Hal Mumme/Univ. of KY | $800,000/2003 |
| 4) | Jim Donnan/Univ. of GA | $775,000/2003 |
| 5) | Tommy Tuberville/Auburn Univ. | $750,000/2003 |
| 6) | Lou Holtz/Univ. of SC | $655,000/2003 |
| 7) | Houston Nutt/Univ. of AR | $650,000/2004 |
| 8) | Gerry DiNardo/LA State Univ. | $585,000/2003 |
| 9) | Mike DuBose/Univ. of AL | $500,000/2003 |
| 10) | Jackie Sherrill/MS State Univ. | $450,000/2002 |
| 11) | David Cutcliffe/Univ. of MS | $450,000/2002 |
| 12) | Woody Widenhofer/Vanderbilt Univ. | $300,000/2001 |
