Georgia Tech’s three coordinators are making a combined $1.7 million under first-year coach Brent Key, according to contracts obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That sum is part of the $7.5 million pool Key was afforded to pay his staff upon his hiring in December.
Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner has been given a $750,000 annual salary while defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker is making $650,000 annually. Thacker’s salary will bump to $700,000 on Feb. 1, 2024, and his contract is scheduled to end Jan. 31, 2025.
By comparison to some of Thacker’s peers, Florida State defensive coordinator Adam Fuller reportedly makes $1.1 million, Clemson defensive coordinator Nick Eason makes $800,000 and Glenn Schumann, defensive coordinator at Georgia, receives $1.9 million. Thacker will be in his fifth season with the Yellow Jackets in 2023 and made a salary of $455,000 during the 2022 season.
Faulkner, who spent the three previous seasons at Georgia in an offensive quality control role, is getting $75,000 less than his predecessor Chip Long ($825,000). Faulkner has previously been an offensive coordinator at Valdosta State, Murray State, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State and Southern Mississippi.
Ricky Brumfield, in his first season as Tech’s special teams coordinator, is making an annual salary of $300,000. Brumfield has also directed special teams units at Florida International, Virginia, Texas-San Antonio and Western Kentucky.
Defensive line coach Marco Coleman and linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer are each making an annual salary of $450,000, running backs coach Norval McKenzie is making $400,000 and wide receivers coach Josh Crawford is making $225,000.
A.J. Artis, the program’s director of strength and performance, is making a $300,000 annual salary.
The AJC previously reported the salaries of defensive backs coach Travares Tillman ($350,000), offensive line coach Geep Wade ($350,000) and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke ($300,000).
Former Tech coach Geoff Collins was allotted $5.7 million for his 10 assistant coaches during the 2022 season. Tech’s 2023 payroll of $10.3 million, which includes Key’s $2.8 million salary, is the largest in program history.
Key’s assistant coaches, according to the contracts, also receive a $7,800 annual vehicle allowance, relocation expenses, a mobile phone and bonuses for an ACC championship game appearance, bowl game appearance, New Year’s Six bowl game appearance, College Football Playoff semifinal appearance, national championship game appearance and/or a national championship victory.
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