By JAMES MORAN | Tiger Rag Associate Editor
College football’s highest-paid assistant coach is about to get richer, but he’s not going anywhere.
LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has turned down advances from Texas A&M for a second time and will receive a raise to remain at LSU, a source confirmed to Tiger Rag.
Ross Dellenger of The Advocate first reported the news and LSU coach Ed Orgeron officially announced it via twitter not long after.
“I’m very happy to report Dave Aranda has agreed to be with our program for years to come,” Orgeron tweeted. “Thanks to Joe Alleva, Dr. Alexander and the board of supervisors for their support in making this happen. Geaux Tigers.”
Aranda was already set to make $1.85 million in 2018, the most of any assistant coach in the nation. Now he’s expected to make somewhere in the area of $2.5 million annually over a four-year guaranteed contract, a source confirmed.
Texas A&M re-ignited its pursuit of LSU’s second-year coordinator earlier Wednesday with an offer believed to be north of $2 million and included assurances that Aranda would be free to handpick his own defensive staff. The Aggies and Jimbo Fisher initially made overtures before LSU’s 21-17 defeat in the Citrus Bowl, according to The Advocate.
Just how astronomical is that salary for a defensive coordinator. According to the USA Today Salary Database, only 46 Division I head coaches make more than the $2.5 million LSU is set to pay Aranda. The database lists the salaries of 121 head football coaches. He’ll earn more than Missouri’s Barry Odom ($2.35 million), a sitting SEC head coach.
Linebacker Devin White, Aranda’s star pupil, celebrated the news with a tweet of his own.
Locked in for 2018, LETS RIDE COACH ? pic.twitter.com/krSowQEQrG
— DEVIN WHITE 4️⃣0️⃣ (@DevinWhite__40) January 4, 2018
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