Auburn released its deal with Bryan Harsin which sees the new head football coach earn $5 million in his first season.
The deal is set to last six seasons with an increase of $100,000 each year. The deal does include bonus incentives including $250,000 for an SEC Championship victory and $800,000 for a CFP national championship.
Another major deal with a head football coach may be surprising considering the $21 million buyout that the Tigers paid to former head coach Gus Malzahn. However, the current deal averages $1.75 million less per year than Malzahn’s seven-year $49 million contract.
Although Harsin’s contract is less than Malzahn’s, it is more than what the now UCF head coach received in his first deal with the Tigers. In 2013, Malzahn signed a five-year, $2.3 million deal to open his head coaching career at Auburn.
Malzahn was fired in December after Auburn’s seventh season in a row with at least four losses. Kevin Steele served as the interim head coach during the Citrus Bowl which saw the Tigers lose 35-19 against Northwestern.
Harsin was hired in late December from Boise State, his alma mater, where he won three Mountain West titles. Harsin brought on Mike Bobo from South Carolina to serve as offensive coordinator and Derek Mason from Vanderbilt to serve as defensive coordinator.
Auburn fans will get their first glimpse of Harsin’s new philosophy at work during the A-Day spring game on April 17.
