The head football coaches in the SEC are some of the highest paid in the country.
Eight of the 14 head coaches in the league make $3 million or more per year.
The athletic directors in the SEC aren't exactly going poor, but many of the other athletic directors at traditional football powerhouse schools are making more than their SEC colleagues.
USA Today did a study Wednesday of athletic director salaries at the 124 FBS schools. According to the study, Vanderbilt's David Williams was far and away No. 1 on the list at $3,239,678. As is pointed out in USA Today's piece, Williams wore several different hats at Vanderbilt during the period covered by the university's most recent available federal tax return. He was vice chancellor for university affairs and athletics, general counsel and university secretary for Vanderbilt and its medical center as well as a tenured law professor. As of July 2012, Williams' title changed to vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletics director. He no longer had the roles of general counsel and university secretary, but remains a tenured law professor.
After Williams, Florida's Jeremy Foley is the highest-paid athletic director in the SEC at $1,233,250. He's the only other athletic director in the league who makes $1 million or more in salary.
However, according to USA Today's study, Louisville's Tom Jurich ($1,411,915), Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez ($1,230,000), Nebraska's Shawn Eichorst ($1,123,000), Texas' DeLoss Dodds ($1,109,041), Ohio State's Gene Smith ($1,099,030), Notre Dame's Jack Swarbrick ($1,026,942) and Oklahoma's Joe Castiglione ($1 million) are all at $1 million or more. Michigan's Dave Brandon makes $900,000.
The Big Ten obviously values its athletic directors.
Below is a list of what the SEC athletic directors are making, according to USA Today's figures:
David Williams, Vanderbilt: $3,239,678
Jeremy Foley, Florida: $1,233,250
Jeff Long, Arkansas: $903,900
Dave Hart, Tennessee: $817,250
Eric Hyman, Texas A&M: $800,000
Joe Alleva, LSU: $725,000
Ray Tanner, South Carolina: $675,000
Mike Alden, Missouri: $674,317
Mitch Barnhart, Kentucky: $654,000
Jay Jacobs, Auburn: $615,000
Mal Moore, Alabama: $600,500
Greg McGarity, Georgia: $525,000
Scott Stricklin, Miss. State: $450,000
Ross Bjork, Ole Miss: $400,000
Missouri's Mike Alden ($347,915), Alabama's Mal Moore ($255,000) and Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart ($240,000) have the largest maximum bonuses in their contracts.