STAR-ADVERTISER / 2014
The Rainbows were 4-9 in 2014, Norm Chow's best season in three years as coach.
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The University of Hawaii paid football coach Norm Chow an average of $137,500 per victory in 2014.
That figure ranked Chow sixth among the 12-member Mountain West Conference schools based upon his annual base salary.
Chow achieved a 4-9 record and has a $550,000 UH-paid base.
Over his three seasons at UH, Chow’s average cost per victory is $206,250 in an 8-29 tenure.
The conference’s biggest coaching bargain in 2014 was Utah State’s Matt Wells who cost the Aggies $57,500 per victory, finishing 10-4 on a $575,000 annual base salary.
Nevada-Las Vegas’ Bobby Hauck had the most expensive average at $425,000 for each of two victories. He was replaced following the Nov. 22 37-35 loss to UH.
According to CBSsports.com, which studied the highest-paid coaches in 2014 based upon USA Today’s salary database, Oregon’s Mark Helfrich was "an absolute bargain" in a 13-2 season in which the Ducks were runners-up for the national championship.
He has since received a raise to $3.5 million from $2 million.
Urban Meyer of champion Ohio State averaged $324,046 per victory in a 14-1 season, fifth-least expensive figure among the 25 highest-paid coaches in 2014, CBS said. Texas’ Charlie Strong was the most expensive at $933,378 per win in his first year with the Longhorns, who went 6-7.
MONEYBALL |
Average cost per victory |
Coach |
School |
Cost per win |
Matt Wells |
Utah State |
$57,500 |
Bryan Polian |
Nevada |
$82,143 |
Brian Harsin |
Boise State |
$83,334 |
Troy Calhoun |
Air Force |
$86,625 |
Rocky Long |
San Diego State |
$114,285 |
Norm Chow |
Hawaii |
$137,500 |
*Jim McElwain |
Colorado State |
$150,000 |
Ron Caragher |
San Jose State |
$175,000 |
Bob Davie |
New Mexico |
$193,173 |
Craig Bohl |
Wyoming |
$208,000 |
Tim DeRuyter |
Fresno State |
$233,333 |
*Bobby Hauck |
UNLV |
$425,000 |
* No longer at school |
Source: Based on 2014 base salaries from USA Today database. |