byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz
@byberkowitz.bsky.social
260 followers 27 following 300 posts
Sports projects reporter for USA TODAY Sports. E-mail is: [email protected]
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Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 3h
During 2019 football season -- last one before the pandemic -- there were two college head coaches making over $8 million, none making over $9.5M.

This season, nine coaches are making more than $10 million, with another now at an annualized total of $10M.
sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salarie...
Highest Paid College Football Coaches & Salaries - USA TODAY
Ever wondered who the highest paid coach in college football is? Find out today with USA TODAY's complete salary data.
sportsdata.usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 4h
Colorado is paying big bucks for Deion Sanders and his players, but how? Answer is ‘TBD’ -- a special report from @schrotenboer.bsky.social, with me and John Heasly: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
Colorado is paying big bucks for Deion Sanders and his players, but how? Answer is ‘TBD’
Colorado has committed to paying tens of millions for coach Deion Sanders and his players. The question is how. Right now, it's a mystery
www.usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 4h
The 2025 @usatodaysports.usatoday.com college football head coaches' pay survey is up and running:
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Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 9d
Firings so far this season by Arkansas, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Virginia Tech have those schools committed to buyouts totaling $37.1 million, subject to mitigation and offset, but not including amounts that also will be owed to assistant coaches
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 9d
Arkansas fires football head coach Sam Pittman. Per contract, he will be due a buyout of about $9.3 million, subject to a duty to mitigate, with the school entitled to offset from future income:
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
Why was Sam Pittman fired at Arkansas? Record, buyout info for Razorbacks coach
Arkansas has fired Sam Pittman following a demoralizing loss to Notre Dame that dropped the Razorbacks' record to 2-3 on the season. What to know:
www.usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 9d
Arkansas fires football head coach Sam Pittman. Per contract, he will be due a buyout of about $9.3 million, subject to a duty to mitigate, with the school entitled to offset from future income:
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
Why was Sam Pittman fired at Arkansas? Record, buyout info for Razorbacks coach
Arkansas has fired Sam Pittman following a demoralizing loss to Notre Dame that dropped the Razorbacks' record to 2-3 on the season. What to know:
www.usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 23d
From earlier: Virginia Tech fires football coach Brent Pry. Per his contract -- which had been set to run thru 12/1/27 -- he is owed buyout of just over $6.8 million. He has no specified duty to mitigate, but school would get offset from his future income.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 23d
From earlier: UCLA fires football coach Deshaun Foster after 0-3 start to season. Per his contract -- which had been set to run thru 1/31/2029 -- he is owed buyout of nearly $6.1 million, subject to his duty to mitigate, with offset usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@usatoday
UCLA fires football coach Deshaun Foster after 0-3 start to 2025 season
Deshaun Foster ends his tumultuous tenure as UCLA coach at 5-10, including three consecutive losses to start the season.
usatoday.com
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Sep 2
This bonus will increase to $25,000 if Utes are listed in top 25 of College Football Playoff rankings any time prior to final rankings, or to $150,000 if Utes are in final CFP or AP top 25.
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Sep 2
Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham picks up $15,000 bonus, as Utes are No. 25 in this week's AP media rankings.

He gets this amount if team is in AP or US LBM Coaches Poll (in yrs when Whittingham isn't a voter, which is case this year) any time prior to end of regular season.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Sep 2
Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham picks up $15,000 bonus, as Utes are No. 25 in this week's AP media rankings.

He gets this amount if team is in AP or US LBM Coaches Poll (in yrs when Whittingham isn't a voter, which is case this year) any time prior to end of regular season.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 29
Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables taking $1 million pay cut for 2025 season, newly obtained contract shows usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@usatoday
Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables takes $1 million pay cut for 2025 season
Ahead of a pivotal season after a bumpy SEC debut, Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables has a new contract that lowers his salary by $1 million.
usatoday.com
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 29
Rutgers -- paying $1.1 million guarantee to Ohio -- converts 4th down and 7 from Ohio 28 with just under 2 minutes to play while leading 34-31, then runs out clock to hang on for win by that margin.

Scarlet Knights were 5 for 5 on 4th down tonight.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 28
The week's top payouts:
-Michigan: $1.8 million to New Mexico
-Georgia: $1.7 million to Marshall
-Wisconsin: $1.6 million to Miami (Ohio)
-Penn State: $1.6 million to Nevada
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 28
We're set for kickoff of Week 1 of college football season. The long weekend includes at least 16 games in which the home school will be paying its opponent an appearance guarantee of at least $1 million.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 28
This does not include multi-million-dollar payouts coming to Va Tech and South Carolina for game in Atlanta, or Cincinnati's multi-million-dollar payout for playing "home" game against Nebraska in Kansas City, Mo.
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 28
We're set for kickoff of Week 1 of college football season. The long weekend includes at least 16 games in which the home school will be paying its opponent an appearance guarantee of at least $1 million.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 28
We're set for kickoff of Week 1 of college football season. The long weekend includes at least 16 games in which the home school will be paying its opponent an appearance guarantee of at least $1 million.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 24
Per Hawaii's notes for tonight's game: UH’s last wins over a Power Conference team were against the then-Pac-12’s Arizona and Oregon State in back-to-back weeks to open the 2019 season.
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 24
College football head coach bonus payouts already are underway! Hawaii coach Timmy Chang gets $7,500 bonus as Rainbow Warriors defeat Stanford on FG as time expires.

Chang gets this amount for a win at home over Power Five/Four team.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 24
College football head coach bonus payouts already are underway! Hawaii coach Timmy Chang gets $7,500 bonus as Rainbow Warriors defeat Stanford on FG as time expires.

Chang gets this amount for a win at home over Power Five/Four team.
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Aug 20
The SCORE Act, the college-sports bill that has been backed by several GOP leaders and advanced to the U.S. House floor, has picked up a third Democratic co-sponsor: Henry Cuellar of Texas.
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 14
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Senate Commerce Committee, sends letter asking that leaders of House subcommittee that is set to take up college-sports bill tomorrow delay consideration and change bill in 6 ways.
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Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 14
Commerce Committee has been focal point on Senate side for long-running negotiations among senators concerning a college-sports bill.
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 14
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Senate Commerce Committee, blasts college-sports bill that is set for markup in House subcommittee tomorrow.

“If you thought the dissolution of the Pac-12 was a heist, the SCORE Act is the National Championship of all heists. ... "
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 14
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on Senate Commerce Committee, blasts college-sports bill that is set for markup in House subcommittee tomorrow.

“If you thought the dissolution of the Pac-12 was a heist, the SCORE Act is the National Championship of all heists. ... "
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 11
Plaintiff lawyers in NCAA House settlement set to receive more than $750 million in legal fees usatoday.com/story/sports... via
@USATODAY
Plaintiff lawyers in NCAA House settlement set to receive more than $750 million in legal fees
Plaintiff laywers in the settlement involving the NCAA and the Power Five conferences are set to receive more $750 million in legal fees and costs.
usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 10
Bipartisan group of lawmakers in U.S. House of Representatives intriduces new college-sports bill. This rises from discussion draft by Reps. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and it's already set for subcommittee markup on Tuesday, July 15: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
College sports bill introduced by bipartisan group of House members
A bipartisan group from the U.S. House of Representatives announced they introduced a bill that would establish national rules for college sports.
www.usatoday.com
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byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 8
Plaintiffs in the Johnson case concerning whether college athletes should be considered school employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act tonight filed their response to motions to dismiss the case at district-court level.
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Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jul 1
As House-NCAA settlement takes effect today, a lead lawyer for plaintiffs says his side is exercising its right to audit school financial figures that are basis for revenue-sharing cap. Steve Berman: "We have questions about the information we’ve gotten." www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
College sports NIL revenue sharing figure being questioned by settlement plaintiffs
Colleges can pay athletes up to $20.5 million for the use of their NIL, but plaintiffs in the settlement are asking questions about the amount.
www.usatoday.com
byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · Jun 27
Nebraska AD Troy Dannen will get $180,000 bonus for Cornhuskers finishing No. 21 in final Learfield Directors' Cup standings (he gets this amount for finish from No. 25 through No. 21).