It takes only a rudimentary understanding of football to understand the importance of a good coordinator. And, since coaches are represented by agents, and they're not outlawed from the open market, it's no surprise that money, for the most part, follows talent in this industry.
What is interesting, however, is the explosion in Big Ten coaching salaries since 2010, three years after BTN's launch.
According to Chris Vannini of CoachingSearch.com, Big Ten assistant coaching salaries are up a staggering 116% since 2010. Here's a comparison of the top five:
| 2010 COACH | SALARY | 2014 COACH | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL PETRINO (ILLINOIS) | $475,250 | PAT NARDUZZI (MICHIGAN STATE) | $907,033 |
| PAUL CHRYST (WISCONSIN) | $361,094 | GREG MATTISON (MICHIGAN) | $888,333 |
| VIC KOENNING (ILLINOIS) | $325,120 | DOUG NUSSMEIER (MICHIGAN) | $830,000 |
| JIM BOLLMAN (OHIO STATE) | $311,500 | TIM BECK (NEBRASKA) | $715,281 |
| JIM HEACOCK (OHIO STATE) | $309,000 | MIKE LOCKSLEY (MARYLAND) | $632,000 |
Fun facts: That 2010 Illinois football team went 7-6 (4-4). Michigan's 2014 team went 5-7 (3-5).
While Ohio State doesn't have any assistants in 2014's top 5, Luke Fickell ($600,000), Chris Ash ($590,000), and Tom Herman ($550,000) rounded out the top ten at No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9.
For comparison's sake, the SEC's assistant pay is up 64% in the same time period. Although, the average pay of its top ten assistant coaches ($932,192) is still much higher than the Big Ten's ($686,265).
