Where Brent Brennan ranks nationally among highest paid coaches

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan is 60th nationally and 15th and last in the Big XII among the programs listed by USA Today in annual salary. Brennan receives a $2,700,000 annual salary, a $1,200,000 unspecified annual bonus and a $13,625,000 buyout.

Brennan signed a five-year contract when he was hired in January. Per the Associated Press following Brennan's hire, his annual salary will increase each year to $3.6 million in 2027. Former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch who is now at Washington makes $7,700,023 in annual salary, $1.55 million in potential bonuses and has a $40,239,960 buyout.

Kirby Smart of Georgia who makes $13,282,580 per season has the highest salary of any coach nationally. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is 17th nationally and the highest-paid coach in the Big XII making $7,75 million annually, has a $1 million maximum bonus was paid $125,000 in bonuses in 2023-24 and has a $25,359,375 buyout.

Every Big XII coach is listed by USA Today except Kitane Sitake of Brigham Young. Private schools are not required to release salary information. Sitake is one of nine coaches at private schools whose salaries were not published by USA Today. Brennan made $2.3 million annually and $8,351,524 total in seven years at San Jose State.

The College Football Network Provided an extensive analysis of how and what Brennan will make with Arizona. Keff Ciardello of CFN dove into the outside earnings for Brennan at Arizona and what he will make in bonuses that include grade point average, wins, bowl game appearances and where Arizona finishes in the Big XII.

Arizona needs three wins in their final six games to earn a bowl berth after the 2024 season. Many of the bonuses written into Brennan's contract seem out of reach in 2024. Per Ciardello Brennan will "be due 100% of the contract if terminated without cause within the first two years and 75% after that."

Ciadello continued "If Brennan terminates the contract, he’ll owe Arizona an annually decreasing buyout of $10 million after the first year, $7.5 million after the second, then $4.5 million, $2 million, and $500,000 for the last year of the agreement." Barring something unforeseen, expect Brennan to be with Arizona through at least 2026.