Contract details for Gus Malzahn at Florida State revealed

New Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is set to become one of the highest-paid coordinators in the college game, according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel.

The Sentinel’s Matt Murschel reports that an open records revealed Malzahn will be paid $6 million over three seasons.

Gus Malzahn will earn $1.5 million in his first year, $2.0 million in his second year and $2.5 million in the third and final year of his deal. Those figures will compare quite favorably to the top-paid assistants in college football.

A USA Today report in late 2023 revealed that Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley was the highest-paid assistant that cycle with a $2.05 million annual sum. Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks was paid $1.5 million that year, ranking 17th nationally among assistants.

All that to say that Florida State is putting significant coin behind its attempted turnaround under head coach Mike Norvell.

With the announcement of Gus Malzahn’s hire official, both he and Norvell provided statements on the move.

“I am excited to be here at Florida State and to help us win championships,” Malzahn said, via a press release. “It’s exciting to work with Coach Norvell, who is someone I believe in as a coach and leader.”

Malzahn previously served as the head coaches of both Auburn and, most recently, UCF.

Malzahn took over the Knights program in 2021 and found quick success. The Knights finished with nine wins in each of his first two seasons before making the leap to the Big 12, and they went 6-7 a year ago. However, UCF struggled this year with a 4-8 record, leading to questions about Malzahn’s future in Orlando.

Ultimately, that led to a reunion with Norvell. The two previously worked together at Tulsa.

“I’m extremely excited to have Gus Malzahn join our staff at Florida State,” Norvell said. “He has one of the most innovative minds in college football and a proven track record of developing elite offenses everywhere he’s been. His offenses have consistently showcased a tremendous running game combined with explosive plays through the air. I’m thrilled to work side-by-side with Gus again as we elevate the Florida State offense back to one of the elite groups in college football.”