New offensive coordinator Josh Heupel becomes MU’s highest-paid assistant

Missouri’s new offensive coordinator, Josh Heupel, is the highest-paid assistant coach in program history.

MU hasn’t finalized the terms of his contract but provided salary information through a Sunshine Law request.

Heupel is set to make $700,000 next season after joining first-year football coach Barry Odom’s staff from Utah State. That’s $25,000 more than former Tiger offensive coordinator Josh Henson, whose $675,000 salary last season had been the highest ever for an MU assistant.

Heupel earned $232,420 last season in his only year with the Aggies, putting him 398th in salary among Football Bowl Subdivision coaches, according to USA Today’s assistant coaches’ salary database.

Heupel’s new salary would have put him among the 30 highest-paid assistant coaches in the nation and 10th among offensive coordinators last season, earning more than Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin ($680,000).

Among SEC offensive coordinators, only LSU’s Cam Cameron ($1.5 million) and Georgia’s Brian Schottenheimer ($957,200), who is no longer with the Bulldogs, made more than Heupel’s $700,000 in 2015.

Heupel made $605,000 in 2014 during his fourth and final season as co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma.

Missouri also released the salary figures for four other recent hires Tuesday.

New defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, who had been TCU’s co-defensive coordinator, is set to make $600,000, which would put him among the top 40 highest-paid assistants in the nation last season.

Odom made $625,000 last season in his first season as defensive coordinator at Missouri.

Cross’ salary with the Horned Frogs isn’t a matter of public record, because TCU is a private school.

The same is true for USC, where Missouri’s new defensive line coach, Chris Wilson, previously coach. His salary with the Tigers will be $395,000.

Missouri paid Craig Kuligowski, who is now on Mark Richt’s staff at Miami (Florida), $362,500.

New cornerbacks coach Greg Brown, who made $300,000 at Louisville last season, will receive a base salary of $325,000.

Cornell Ford made $360,500 as cornerbacks coach last season, but he has been moved to running backs coach and will receive the same salary.

New strength and conditioning coach Rohrk Cutchlow’s salary will be $360,000. His predecessor, Pat Ivey, was paid $280,000 last season.

Associate head coach Andy Hill, who is returning to coach wide receivers after Heupel’s hire, remains under contract for $417,500.

Finally, second-year MU safeties coach Ryan Walters received a raise from $240,000 to $340,000. He followed Odom from Memphis last offseason and is one of three coaches retained from former coach Gary Pinkel’s staff.

Salary information for new Missouri offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, who was hired Monday, wasn’t immediately available.

Odom signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-year deal worth $2.35 million guaranteed annually last month. Pinkel made $4.02 million in his final season last year.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 1:17 PM with the headline "New offensive coordinator Josh Heupel becomes MU’s highest-paid assistant."