Alabama raises OC Steve Sarkisian's salary to $2.5 million

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will make $2.5 million a year under a new three-year deal reached after his flirtation with the Colorado head coaching job.

University trustees approved Sarkisian's new deal and others for assistant coaches and support staffers on Wednesday. It includes a raise of more than $800,000.

A former Washington and USC head coach, Sarkisian agreed to the new deal in February after being targeted by Colorado. It was pending formal approval by trustees.

Sarkisian signed a three-year deal worth $1.6 million annually in March 2019, returning to Alabama after two seasons running the Atlanta Falcons' offense.

In July, Sarkisian underwent a procedure to correct a congenital cardiovascular anomaly, but the university said he is expected to make a full recovery.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding got a bump from $1.1 million to $1.25 million with his three-year deal.

Other deals approved include:

- Charles Kelly, associate defensive coordinator, two years, $550,000 annually.

- Charles Huff, associate head coach offense, two years ($800,000 and $825,000 per).

- Freddie Roach, defensive line, three years, $700,000 annually.

- Assistant coaches, two-year deals: Jeff Banks, $725,000 per year, Sal Sunseri, $675,000; Karl Scott, $550,000; Holman Wiggins, $475,000.

- Support staffers also got raises. New directors of sports performance and strength and conditioning David Ballou ($500,000 and $525,000) and Matthew Rhea ($450,000 and $475,000) each got two-year deals. So did director of player personnel Bob Welton, who will make $220,000 annually.

- Basketball assistant Antonio Pettway, two years, $325,000 annually.

---

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25