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3 Michigan assistants will make over $1 million in 2017

12 assistants made $1 million or more in 2016. (Getty)
Twelve FBS assistants made $1 million or more in 2016. (Getty)

It’s very good to be a Michigan assistant coach.

Three coaches with the Wolverines will have annual salaries over $1 million in addition to coach Jim Harbaugh. According to the Detroit Free Press, defensive coordinator Don Brown, offensive coordinator Tim Drevno and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton will each make over $1 million. It’s the first time a school has paid three assistant coaches seven-figure salaries according to USA Today’s database.

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Brown made over $1 million last season while Drevno’s contract was a base of $800,000. Hamilton, who came to the Wolverines from the Indianapolis Colts in January, signed a four-year contract worth $1 million a year. Hamilton replaced Jedd Fisch, who left the school to be the offensive coordinator at UCLA.

Twelve assistant coaches made seven-figure salaries last year according to USA Today’s database including both Alabama coordinators and both LSU coordinators. No other school had more than one coach making over $1 million. The highest-paid assistant coach was Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis, who made $1.5 million.

Harbaugh’s base salary was $5 million in 2016, though his total compensation package was $9 million thanks to a life insurance loan.

The move for Michigan to up the salaries for assistants comes in the middle of a nationwide trend to increase assistant salaries. As head coach salaries have skyrocketed, many coaches are also asking for their assistants to be paid more too in order to attract and keep top assistants. While Michigan may be first to have three assistants with million-dollar salaries, we have a feeling the Wolverines won’t be alone for long.

For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!