Let’s do some math.
For the cost of one Bill Self — at $8.8 million the highest-paid coach in college basketball for the second year in a row — you could pay the combined salaries of Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger ($3.5 million) and Houston’s Kelvin Sampson ($4.6 million) and have enough left over for Vermont’s John Becker ($387,198) and Montana State’s Kevin Logie ($304,882).
Not to say Self hasn’t earned his paycheck despite Kansas’s two-year swoon out of the Big 12 catbird seat; after all, the Jayhawks are just three years removed from another national championship.
But it just goes to show: There are some extremely good deals to be found on the highest levels of college coaching.
In terms of getting bang for your buck, it’s hard to top the regular-season and postseason success Otzelberger and Sampson have brought to the table for two of the top programs in the Big 12.
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
The former UNLV coach has been a smashing success in Ames, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament twice in his first three years with another team this season capable of advancing deep into March. That has made Otzelberger, 47, the first coach in program history to make multiple trips to the tournament’s second weekend and just the second to reach the tournament in each of his first three seasons. Otzelberger is a huge bargain at $3.5 million in total pay, which ranks eighth in the Big 12 among public schools, though his $29 million buyout leads the conference.
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
The longtime college coach has turned Houston into the class of the Big 12 and one of college basketball’s biggest heavyweights. After a slow but steady building process — Houston didn’t make the tournament until 2017-18, his fourth season — the Cougars have made the Sweet 16 in each of the past five tournaments, with two Elite Eight bids and one trip to the Final Four. This year’s team finished four games up in a top-heavy Big 12 and is nearly guaranteed a spot on the No. 1 line come Selection Sunday.
Brad Brownell, Clemson
Quietly and with essentially zero national fanfare, Brownell has turned Clemson into one of the top programs in the ACC. After winning 24 games and reaching the Elite Eight last season, the Tigers are sitting at 26-5 overall and in a tie for second in the league standings entering the ACC tournament. It’s been quite a process to reach this point: Clemson made the tournament in Brownell’s debut, way back in 2010-11, and wouldn’t return to the field until 2018. But the Tigers have turned a corner, making his $3.51 million in compensation this season a very nice bargain given the middling returns on investment seen at fellow ACC programs such as North Carolina, North Carolina State — which parted ways with Kevin Keatts — and Pittsburgh.
Pat Kelsey, Louisville
But no ACC school this season is getting better returns than Louisville. After hiring Kelsey away from College of Charleston with a contract worth $2.37 million in total compensation this season, the Cardinals are sitting at 25-6 overall, more than doubling the program’s two-season wins total under former coach Kenny Payne. The Cardinals are tied with Clemson in the conference standings and head into the ACC tournament on a nine-game winning streak – one they could ride to a deep run into March Madness. Kelsey’s compensation ranks ninth in the ACC and 58th among public-school coaches in our survey.
Nate Oats, Alabama
Oats continues to be one of the best values on the major-conference level after leading Alabama to 24 wins and a top-three finish in the SEC against what may be the nation’s most difficult schedule. Since the 2020-21 season, Oats has led the Crimson Tide to a pair of SEC regular-season and conference championships, three Sweet 16 appearances and one trip to the Final Four, with this year’s team again one of the favorites to reach the national semifinals. Those are some major returns for a coach who ranks fourth in the SEC and 10th nationally at $5.01 million in total pay this season.
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg