Clemson to discuss contract extension, raise with Dabo Swinney
PHOENIX -- Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich said Saturday that he will begin negotiations on a contract extension and increased salary for coach Dabo Swinney after the national championship game Monday night.
The No. 1 Clemson Tigerswill play the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T at University of Phoenix Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Swinney, 46, has guided Clemson to a 75-26 record in seven-plus seasons as coach, including a 47-14 record against ACC foes. Hired after serving as the Tigers' interim coach midway through the 2008 season, Swinney signed an eight-year contract in January 2014 that pays him about $3.3 million. That deal included a raise of more than $1.1 million and runs through the 2021 season.
Radakovich said he has had one discussion about extending the contract with Swinney's agent, Mike Brown of Atlanta. Swinney's $3.3 million annual salary ranked 26th among FBS coaches this past season, one spot above Kentucky's Mark Stoops, who makes $3.25 million and is among the three lowest-paid coaches in the SEC.
Swinney could receive a raise that would put him in the $5 million range, making him one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in college football. Nick Saban of Alabama is the nation's highest-paid coach at $7 million a year.
"We've been in lockstep on it that we weren't going to talk about any of that until after the season was over," Radakovich said. "He and his staff have done a tremendous job, and that's certainly something that will be looked at once the season is over."
Swinney has guided the Tigers to an unprecedented success the past five seasons. Clemson has a 56-11 record since the start of the 2011 season, which is the best five-year mark in school history. Clemson and Alabama are also the only FBS teams to win at least 10 games in each of the past five seasons.
Brown, when reached earlier this week by ESPN.com, declined comment on the negotiations.
