Big raise in the works for Dabo Swinney

Nobody’s going to be surprised if Clemson University agrees that Dabo Swinney’s $3.3 million salary this season was a bargain given the market for top coaches.

So it’s likely, regardless of the outcome of Monday’s national championship game, Swinney will receive a raise that could make him one of the highest paid coaches in college football.

How much? It’s reasonable to speculate that a new agreement could lift Swinney to among the 10 highest paid coaches in the game with a salary in the neighborhood of at least $5 million.

A source indicated this week that conversation has begun, but nobody would speak on the record.

In the second year of a contract that runs through 2021, Swinney was already scheduled for a bump to $3.45 million. By winning the ACC Championship, his annual salary automatically moves to $3.5 million for the duration.

By reaching the CFP Championship game Monday night in Glendale, Ariz., Swinney was assured $950,000 in performance bonuses.

Winning would be worth another $100,000, a modest figure compared to $400,000 for appearing in each of the two playoff games. That would make his total compensation $4.5 million for 2015-16.

A survey published annually by USA Today placed Swinney at No. 26. Nick Saban is the nation’s highest paid coach at nearly $7 million annually. The top 10 includes Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops and Les Miles, coaches whose teams Clemson has beaten.

Hugh Freeze of Ole Miss, No. 10 on the list, received a raise this week from $4.3 million to nearly $5 million, moving him to No. 8 behind Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M. Jim Harbaugh, Jimbo Fisher and Charlie Strong are all above $5 million.

Concern that Monday’s game could serve as audition for Alabama’s next coach could be ended if Swinney agreed to an extension with a big increase. Swinney’s buyout in 2016 is $5 million. It drops to $3 million in 2017.

In addressing any concern over keeping him, Clemson would need to present an offer reflecting Swinney’s value to the institution.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 8:10 PM with the headline "Big raise in the works for Dabo Swinney."