Brent Venables, Clemson's defensive coordinator, earned a $2.5 million contract extension per year through 2026 on Wednesday, making him the highest-paid assistant football coach in the country
The Clemson board of trustees' compensation committee approved the extension, which also includes bonuses for finishing in the top five in total defense and making appearances in the College Football Playoff, which the Tigers have done in each of the last six seasons.
With the extension, Venables—who was a reported candidate for the Auburn coaching job during the offseason—adds one year and $100,000 per year to his current contract and puts him at the top of the totem pole in terms of the pay scale for assistant coaches.