Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Hefty numbers

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■ Texas A&M fired football Coach Jimbo Fisher, deciding that it was fine with paying him more than $75 million — the balance of his fully guaranteed, 10-year contract that he signed in 2020. The buyout is the highest paid to a coach in college sports history.

Athletic Director Ross Bjork said unrestrict­ed contributi­ons within the donor-backed 12th Man Foundation will be used to make an initial payment of $19 million to Fisher within 60 days and the rest would be paid with athletic department funds.

Some of the current buyouts for coaches at public universiti­es at the top of college football, totaling $585.5 million:

KIRBY SMART, GEORGIA, $92.5 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031.

— His predecesso­r, Mark Richt, had a $4.1 million buyout in 2015.

BRIAN KELLY, LSU, $70 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031.

— His predecesso­r, Ed Orgeron, had a $16.9 million buyout in 2021.

JAMES FRANKLIN, PENN STATE, $64.5 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031.

— He would owe Penn State $6 million if he left for the NFL this year.

DABO SWINNEY, CLEMSON, $64 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031.

— If Swinney took another job this year, he would owe Clemson $5 million. If that job was Alabama, where he was a walk-on, he would owe $7.5 million.

MATT RHULE, NEBRASKA, $62 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031, signed 2022.

— Nebraska required to pay only 90% of remaining contract value.

— His predecesso­r, Scott Frost, had a $15 million buyout in 2022.

MARK STOOPS, KENTUCKY, $51 MILLION

— Contract expires 2031.

— Kentucky required to pay only 75% of remaining contract value.

— His predecesso­r, Joker Phillips, had a $2.5 million buyout in 2012.

JOSH HEUPEL, TENNESSEE, $46.5 MILLION

— Contract expires 2029, signed in 2023.

— Tennessee paid buyouts of $12.6 million to Jeremy Pruitt in 2020 and $8.3 million to Butch Jones (now at Arkansas State) in 2017.

RYAN DAY, OHIO STATE, $46 MILLION

— Contract expires 2028, signed in 2022.

— An NFL team or another school would have to pay Ohio State $4.5 million if it were to hire Day before Feb. 1, 2024.

NICK SABAN, ALABAMA, $45 MILLION

— Contract expires 2030, signed in 2021.

— Alabama would owe Saban 48 months’ pay if he were fired, or for the number of months remaining if contract is within four years of expiration.

DAN LANNING, OREGON, $44 MILLION

— Contract expires 2028, signed in 2023.

— An NFL team or another school would have to pay Oregon $20 million to hire him at any point during the contract term.

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