Today, Alabama trustees formally approved raises for Steve Sarkisian and two members of the Crimson Tide strength staff.
Matt Zenitz of AL.com was among the first to share the news of the pay bumps.
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who made $1.65 last season, had his pay bumped to $2.5 million. Sarkisian, who has strong PAC-12 ties from his time at USC and Washington, was a candidate for the vacant head coaching job at Colorado following the departure of Mel Tucker to Michigan State late in the coaching cycle.
The raise puts Sark among the highest paid assistant coaches in college football in the same ballpark as guys like Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, and Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
This off season Alabama was faced with replacing head strength coach Scott Cochran, who made the unique move to an on-field coaching position onto Kirby Smart's Georgia staff, where he will have the special teams coordinator title. To replace his longtime right hand man, Nick Saban turned to David Ballou to take over the strength program and and Matt Rhea to be the director of sports science. Both Ballou and Rhea came to Tuscaloosa via Indiana, and prior to their time with the Hoosiers they were together at IMG Academy (FL).
Ballou will be paid $500k this year, and has a scheduled raise to $525k next year while Rhea will make $450k this year, and also get a $25k bump to $475k next year.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.