College football's 5 most underpaid assistant coaches outperformed expectations

Calling someone “underpaid” when they make well into six figures — and sometimes seven — is a strange reality of college football.

Of course we know that the average college football fan probably would be thrilled to make $800,000-plus, as everyone on this list does. But it’s all relative. And when it comes to competing for national championships, schools that want to go the distance have to pony up.

This list includes assistant coaches who are a steal when you consider everything they bring to the table.

Think about the career arc of someone like Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. For more than a decade, Lupoi has been praised as one of the best recruiters in the country, repeatedly signing top talent no matter where he worked. He’s still (very) good at that. But he's dramatically improved his overall résumé this season, building one of the top defenses in the country. Yes, Lupoi makes a lot of money. But he can, and should, make more.

There’s no question that each of the assistants below are successful enough that they’ve caught the eye of other schools, and other head coaches. It’s plausible that someone else is going to make each of these assistants an offer they can’t refuse.

The quickest, and best, way for schools to avoid that? Give them a raise, and do it quickly.

FIVE MOST UNDERPAID ASSISTANTS

1. Bryant Haines, Indiana, defensive coordinator

Compensation: $1.175 million 

Did you start the 2024 season thinking Indiana, a basketball school, would put together one of the best defenses in college football? The Hoosiers, who earned an at-large berth in the first 12-team playoff, finished the regular season with the No. 2 overall defense in the country, trailing Ohio State. Indiana gave up just under 245 total yards per game, and went 11-1 during the regular season, a stellar turnaround from last year when the Hoosiers finished 3-9. Haines is in for a big raise, and deservedly so.

2. Joey Halzle, Tennessee, offensive coordinator

Compensation: $850,000

How on earth is Halzle not making at least $1 million?

In the preseason, Tennessee was ranked No. 15 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the Associated Press poll. Voters, including coaches, thought Tennessee was going to be good, not great.

Now, the Vols are on the way to their playoff debut and finished the regular season ranked No. 9 in overall offense. Halzle and the Vols have one of the best ground attacks in the country, averaging 232 rushing yards per game behind running back Dylan Sampson. All of this means Halzle is in a position for a major pay bump this offseason. Long a starved fanbase, Tennessee boosters will be more than willing to make sure Halzle is compensated accordingly.

3. Marcus Arroyo, Arizona State, offensive coordinator

Compensation: $830,000

One of the other best turnaround stories in college football this season, Arizona State is on its way to the College Football Playoff for the first time. Much of that is because of the coaching staff and particularly the top assistants, Arroyo and defensive coordinator Brian Ward. ASU ranked just 45th in total offense in the regular season, but you can’t deny its importance to a 11-2 record. ASU administrators clearly agreed, as they signed Arroyo to a new contract extension Nov. 27 that will raise his annual pay to $1.2 million, according to documents USA TODAY Sports obtained from the school.

4. Pat Shurmur, Colorado, offensive coordinator

Compensation: $801,000

The Buffs might have narrowly missed a playoff spot, but they can boast about an incredible turnaround — they went 1-11 in 2022 and 9-3 in 2024 — and the likely Heisman winner in Travis Hunter. Colorado finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in passing offense, piling up more than 327 yards per game. Coach Deion Sanders gets most of the airtime, but he knows how critical good assistants are and he’s likely to encourage administrators and boosters to pull out the checkbook to increase Shurmur’s salary.

5. Tosh Lupoi, Oregon, defensive coordinator

Compensation: $1.9 million

Considering the undefeated Ducks are a favorite to win their first national championship and finished the regular season ranked No. 7 in total defense, Lupoi isn’t just underpaid, but severely so.

Oregon made a statement its first year in the Big Ten, securing its spot in the conference title game in mid-November. The Ducks are seeded No. 1 in the playoff after beating Penn State in the Big Ten championship game. Lupoi has long been a renowned recruiter and the Ducks boast the No. 8 class according to 247Sports.com’s 2025 composite rankings. If they win their first national championship, expect that recruiting haul to get a lot more talented.

Bottom line: Lupoi and his agent should be renegotiating this contract ASAP.

Also considered: Jim Knowles, Ohio State defensive coordinator; Charlie Weis Jr., Mississippi offensive coordinator; Pete Kwiatkowski, Texas defensive coordinator; Brennan Marion, UNLV offensive coordinator; Clayton White, South Carolina defensive coordinator.

Follow Lindsay Schnell on social media @Lindsay_Schnell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football assistant coaches: Who are five most underpaid?