There's ka-ching and then there's KA-CHING!

Much has been made of how Pac-12 coaching salaries went up this off-season -- head and assistant -- due to the new mega-TV deal with ESPN and Fox. And rightly so.

But, well, then there's Alabama, which is coming off its second national title in three years under Nick Saban.

Saban just signed a contract extension through 2020. He'll be making $5.3 million in 2012 and $5.97 million in 2019.

Moreover, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart received a $100,000 raise to $950,000. The Alabama's nine-man staff, in total, will be paid $3.81 million.

That, of course, dwarfs the highest paid staff in the Pac-12 -- Washington at $2.73 million in 2012 (though USC's and Stanford's figures are not public records because both are private schools). The highest paid staff from the non-private Pac-12 schools in 2011 was Colorado at $2,490,000.

Of course, Alabama's eye-popping numbers are based on success. As Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News pointed out, Alabama's staff made $2.24 million in 2007, Saban's first year. Big money, yes, but not off the charts.

By the way, Saban's staff also includes new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who with the Huskies in 2011. He signed a three-year deal that will pay him $590,000 annually. He was paid $365,000 at Washington.