Univ. of Alabama AD Greg Byrne got a raise yesterday when the UA Board of Trustees compensation committee “approved his extension into 2031,” according to Matt Stahl of AL.com. Byrne will make $1.56M in the first year of the contract, and “will receive raises every year, up to” $2.3M in the final year. He was “mentioned recently as a potential candidate for the same job at Texas A&M," where his father, Bill Byrne, held the position from 2003-12. He “quickly poured cold water on that speculation, announcing he will remain in Tuscaloosa." Under the new deal, he will owe Alabama $5M if he "leaves on or before June 30, 2027." For two years after that, the number would be $3M, after which point it drops to $1M for the remainder of the deal. The buyout is "waived if Byrne accepts a job as commissioner of a ‘Power 4’ conference.” Byrne came to Alabama in 2017 and this deal is his fifth contract update since taking over control of the athletics program (AL.com, 3/18).
COACHES MONEY: In Tuscaloosa, Nick Kelly noted Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer had his contract “approved by the compensation committee” yesterday and he will make $10M in the first year of his eight-year deal that will run through Dec. 31, 2031. His compensation will grow to $11.75M in the final year of the deal. The deal sees DeBoer make a "colossal jump in his compensation," after he made $4.2M this past season in total pay at Washington. DeBoer's contract is 90% guaranteed (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 3/18). Kelly in a separate piece noted Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats “had his contract approved," which sees him make $5M in the first year, growing to $7.55M in the final year. His buyout will be $18M for the first two years of the deal if Oats leaves for another school. His contract is 100% guaranteed. Oats previously ranked No. 10 among coaches as he “made up the top five highest-paid public school coaches this season.” His compensation for this season would “rank just below that, but his compensation in two seasons would be in the top three” (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 3/18).
