BEST- PAID ASSISTANTS

Based on school affiliation during 2014 season. Total pay includes compensation from university, its affiliates, coaches’ most recently available, self- reported athletically related outside- income report. It does not include bonuses, benefits or perks. For full methodology, go to sports. usatoday. com/ ncaa/ salaries/ football/ assistant. Pay for Baylor’s Phil Bennett came from school’s most recently available federal tax return, which includes compensation for the 2013 calendar year based on all income paid by the school, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. NOTES ON AMOUNTS IN BOLD Brent Venables, Clemson: Includes $ 54,807 related to raise for the current contract year that was made retroactive to the final six weeks of the previous contract year.

Brent Key, Central Florida: Includes a $ 700,000 payment that accrued to him because was not hired to succeed George O’Leary as the team’s head coach.

Mike Norvell, Arizona State: Includes $ 250,000 that was scheduled to be credited to him as an annual retention payment Jan. 1, 2016. That amount — along with $ 200,000 credited to him on Jan. 1, 2015 — was not scheduled to be paid unless he remained with the school through Jan. 1, 2019, or unless he was fired without cause before that date. He became Memphis’ head coach Dec. 4, so these amounts are subject to forfeiture.

Tim Drevno, Michigan: Includes taxable payment of $ 30,000 for relocation

expenses.

D. J. Durkin, Michigan: Includes taxable payment of $ 30,000 for relocation expenses. Also includes $ 50,000 in deferred pay that was scheduled to be credited to Durkin on Dec. 15 but not paid unless he remained with Michigan until Dec. 15, 2017, or unless he was fired without cause before then. He became Maryland’s head coach Dec. 2, so amount is subject to forfeiture. Geoff Collins, Florida: Includes a $ 100,000 signing bonus.

Tracy Claeys, Minnesota: Amount based on his scheduled compensation for being the team’s defensive coordinator during a contract year that had been set to last through June 30, 2016. He became the team’s interim head coach after Jerry Kill’s retirement Oct. 28. On Nov. 11, Claeys signed a multiyear contract to remain the head coach. The new agreement included an immediately effective pay increase based on an annualized total of $ 1.3 million that is scheduled to run through Jan. 31, 2016. At that point, Claeys begins a new contract year with different pay terms.

Randy Shannon, Florida: Includes a $ 200,000 signing bonus. USA TODAY Sports was assisted in the compilation of these figures by Stephanie Klein; Robert Lattinville, who is of counsel to Spencer Fane LLP and whose practice areas include representation of college coaches, athletics directors and NCAA member institutions; David Zwart, a St. Louis- based attorney who works with Lattinville.

SHANNA LOCKWOOD, USA TODAY SPORTS Will Muschamp made $ 1.6 million in one season as Auburn defensive coordinator. South Carolina hired him as head coach.

JOSHUA S. KELLY, USA TODAY SPORTS Brent Venables made more than $ 1.4 million for running No. 1 Clemson’s defense this season.

JONATHAN BACHMAN, AP Texas A& M defensive coordinator John Chavis, left, with LSU head coach Les Miles, made $ 1.5 million in 2015.

JASON GETZ, USA TODAY SPORTS Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was the nation’s sixth- best- paid assistant, making more than $ 1.3 million.