Tigers’ football assistants earning top dollar

They are highest paid Group of 5 staff in nation

The University of Memphis is paying its assistant football coaches $2.635 million in 2018-19, making it the highest-paid Group of Five staff in the country.

Memphis' assistants make an average of $263,500, an 18.7 percent increase from last year's staff averaging $222,056, according to an open records request submitted by The Commercial Appeal

Per USA Today's assistant coach salary database released Wednesday, the nextclosest staff in salary among AAC schools is Cincinnati, which is paying its assistant coaches $2.425 million. When head coach Mike Norvell signed a five-year contract extension last December to increase his salary to $2.6 million, the highest for a non Power-5 coach, his deal included a provision to increase the salary pool for his assistants and football staff.

Norvell's five assistants who returned from the 2017 season all received significant raises in 2018. Defensive coordinator Chris Ball remained the Tigers' highestpaid assistant. He earned $390,000, an increase from $355,000 last year, which makes Ball the fifth-highest paid coordinator in the AAC.

Special teams coordinator/inside linebackers coach Joe Lorig received a raise from $188,000 last year to $360,000 this year and became the second-highest paid assistant on Norvell's staff.

Offensive line coach Ryan Silverfield's salary increased from $265,000 to $295,000 as he was promoted to assistant head coach. Offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who was promoted from being quarterbacks/tight ends coach last year, now makes $280,000 after making $160,000 last year. Defensive line coach Paul Randolph's salary increased from $242,500 to $255,000.