UVA Football coach Tony Elliott got himself a million-dollar-a-year raise after his team’s 11-win season in 2025, with a total compensation package at $5.4 million a year, with $100,000 raises over each of the next five years of the deal.
Honestly, I expected more.
The UVA Freedom of Information Act Office got me the details Monday night, 19 days after the extension was announced publicly, which is when I first asked for a copy of the new deal.
Their first answer, oddly, was that there was no record responsive to my request.
Turns out, according to the copy of the offer sheet that I received tonight, the virtual ink was put to interwebs paper by Elliott on March 16, and then made official with the signature of the athletics director, Carla Williams, the next day.
It’s a little chintzy, if you ask me – James Franklin, just hired at Virginia Tech, after getting axed six games into the 2025 season at Penn State, is getting an average of $8.2 million a year down there.
ICYMI
Note: Franklin has yet to win a game in the modern era at the level of funding of a Virginia Tech, and he’s already lapping Elliott in terms of salary.
Bill Belichick down at UNC is getting $10 million per; Belichick won four games last year, and it ain’t going to get any better for them looking ahead to the fall.
And for some reason, for taking less money, Elliott agreed to what seems to me a sizable buyout if he wants to leave early – $5 million if he gets another job before March 31, 2029.
The Clemson job is a decent bet to be open between now and 2029.
Actually, Clemson has $5 million in its couch cushions.
Before you say, well, he probably gave up the chance at more money to get more for his assistants, no.
I reported earlier today that offensive coordinator Des Kitchings and defensive coordinator John Rudzinski are getting raises, but they’re both getting $1.2 million a year in their three-year extensions signed in February.
ICYMI
For reference, Brent Pry, hired as the DC on Franklin’s staff, after being fired as the head coach in September, will make $1.5 million in 2026.
The offensive coordinator, Ty Howle, is getting $900,000, so, the pay for the top two positions at least averages out.
Belichick’s top two guys at Carolina, Steve Belichick, the defensive coordinator under his dad, is getting $1.3 million, and the offensive coordinator, Freddie Kitchens, is paid $1.15 million.
I think our TE needs a better agent.
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Chris Graham
