How Tubby Smith’s salary compares to other NCAA tournament coaches
Smith earned $2.8 million during his first season at
Only nine coaches in this year’s NCAA tournament field earned more money than Memphis men’s basketball Coach Tubby Smith this past season, according to a USA Today salary database released Wednesday.
Smith earned $2.8 million during his first season at Memphis as part of a fiveyear, $15.45 million contract he agreed to upon being hired last April. He is scheduled to earn $2.9 million next year and $3.25 million during the final three years of the deal. Those figures were obtained when the university released its official offer of employment to Smith last April in response to an open records request by The Commercial Appeal.
But Smith spent his entire first season at Memphis working under a memorandum of understanding. Athletic Director Tom Bowen confirmed that, as of last Friday, the 65-year-old coach has yet to sign an official contract with the university. Smith and his representation continue to hammer out details with school officials, although Bowen and associate athletic director Mark Alnutt have indicated in recent weeks that they expect the contract to be signed soon.
Coaches often work initially under a memorandum of understanding while the final details of a contract are being negotiated, although it’s unusual for the arrangement to extend this long. The contract for Memphis football coach Mike Norvell was not fully executed until two days before his first game on the
Memphis as part of a five-year, $15.45 million contract he agreed to upon being hired last April. He is scheduled to earn $2.9 million next year and $3.25 million during the final three years of the deal
job last September.
According to the offer of employment provided by the university, Smith’s agreement includes a $500,000 buyout if he were to leave for a job at another school. If Memphis were to fire Smith without cause, it would owe him the full remaining balance of the deal.
“I’m still getting paid. We’re great. I don’t plan on going anywhere,” Smith said earlier this month when asked about not having a signed contract. “It’s happened everywhere I’ve been for the most part, so it just takes time.”
The USA Today salary database only includes publicly disclosed compensation that coaches received from their university.