The Clemson board of trustees approved a three-year, $5.1 million contract for Tony Elliott on Thursday, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the country.
Elliott earned a $600,000 raise in 2020. He is set to make $1.7 million in 2021 and $1.8 million in 2022. Both he and Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian are set to make $1.6 million this season, but Elliott is scheduled to make more next year.
Elliott shared offensive coordinator duties with Jeff Scott the past five seasons, but he now has the title to himself after Scott left to become head coach at South Florida.
Over those five seasons, Elliott called the plays for the Clemson offense, helping the Tigers to two national championships and a 69-5 record while developing standouts including Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, among many others.
Clemson also added another year to the contract of defensive coordinator Brent Venables, giving him a five-year deal worth $12 million. He is set to make an average of $2.4 million per year, just behind Auburn’s Kevin Steele, the nation’s highest-paid defensive coordinator at $2.5 million per year.
Venables’ total compensation package is larger, as Steele received a three-year deal worth $7.5 million.