Getting Geoff Collins Paid
Before I get started, I will tell you that I do not know for sure if Geoff Collins has received a raise or the promise of a raise. Assistant coach pay increases are publicized pretty much never unless it’s a gaudy figure they school wants to brag about, i.e. Gus Malzahn after 2010 season at Auburn or Kirby Smart, etc. So, with that in mind I continue…
As pointed out a couple of weeks ago, I believe the MSU assistant coaches are due raises more than Coach Mullen. The main reason is maintaining continuity, but also getting them to a respectable level in the SEC and not last by a good margin (the results on the field have been far from last the past few years, so…).
The most appalling figure I can demonstrate to you in Coach Collins need for a raise is that he is the SIXTY-FIFTH highest paid assistant coach in the SEC. I didn’t include head coaches in that. There are SIXTY-FOUR assistant coaches in the SEC who make more than he does ($291,000). That’s not just coordinators or it would just be 27. It’s all kinds of assistants and he is our defensive coordinator. That’s embarrassing enough, but let’s just take a look at how Collins stacks up against his peers…
| Defensive Coordinator (school) | Salary | Scoring Defense | Total Defense |
| Kirby Smart (Alabama) | $1,150,000 | 1st | 1st |
| John Chavis (LSU) | $1,100,000 | 5th | 4th |
| Todd Grantham (Georgia) | $850,000 | 11th | 8th |
| Ellis Johnson (Auburn) | $800,000 | 6th | 12th |
| Mark Snyder (Texas A&M) | $708,000 | 13th | 14th |
| Lorenzo Ward (South Carolina) | $650,000 | 2nd | 3rd |
| Dave Steckel (Missouri) | $600,000 | 4th | 9th |
| Chris Ash (Arkansas) | $550,000 | 12th | 10th |
| Dave Womnack (Ole Miss) | $550,000 | 7th | 7th |
| D. J. Durkin (Florida) | $500,000 | 3rd | 2nd |
| D. J. Elliot (Kentucky) | $500,000 | 14th | 13th |
| John Jancek (Tennessee) | $480,000 | 10th | 11th |
| Geoff Collinns (Mississippi State) | $291,000 | 8th | 6th |
| Bob Shoop (Vanderbilt) | N/A | 9th | 5th |
This is flat out embarrassing.
What’s even more embarrassing is the fact that the DC’s that aren’t solely responsible for their side of the ball are still paid double what Collins is. In other words, UK and UF’s DC have defensive-minded head coaches but they still make $500K. Dan Mullen is an offensive coach, so Collins has the defense to himself and only makes $291K?!!!
Even if Collins was an awful coach this would be embarrassing because of how low the salary is. Look at the list – the going rate is at least $500K.
But Collins is not a bad coach. In fact, he’s a very good one. Look at those numbers. With a young team (as everyone continues to point out) he was in the middle of the pack.
DOUBLE HIS SALARY NOW!