Why Jason Semore's 2 weeks at Memphis football will earn Tigers $2 million
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Jason Semore’s time at Memphis was brief — but it was very lucrative for the Tigers.
Though Semore left Memphis for Georgia Tech less than two weeks after he was unveiled as the Tigers’ new defensive coordinator, he’ll owe Memphis a hefty amount on money. Semore will owe Memphis $2 million, according to a copy of his employment agreement obtained by The Commercial Appeal.
Semore came to Memphis after spending the 2025 season at Southern Miss. He followed new Memphis coach Charles Huff to the Tigers, but Georgia Tech — where he worked as an analyst and an assistant earlier in his career — hired him away just a couple weeks after he officially joined the Tigers.
Semore was set to make $500,000 a year for two years under the agreement he signed on Dec. 23, 2025. But the MOU also says he’d owe Memphis “200%” of the money left on his deal if he leaves within 120 days of the start of his term.
That money will be paid by Georgia Tech.
The Tigers are reportedly set to hire Oregon State’s Lance Guidry to replace Semore. Guidry just arrived at Oregon State after leaving LSU and could have a buyout in his contract as well.
New Memphis offensive coordinator Kevin Decker also signed a two-year, $1 million contract, according to his MOU with the university. The Tigers had to pay Old Dominion a $29,500 buyout for Decker.
Memphis has received plenty of money in buyouts over the past couple months. Arkansas paid Memphis $1.5 million for Ryan Silverfield’s buyout after he left to be the Razorbacks’ coach, then the Razorbacks had to pay buyouts for the assistant coaches that went with Silverfield to Arkansas. That included offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, who had a $625,000 buyout.
The department did have to pay $1 million for Huff’s buyout from Southern Miss, and it’s possible other assistants had buyouts as well. But those figures would be far lower than the money Memphis has received over the past couple months.
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Jason Semore’s 2 weeks at Memphis football will earn Tigers $2 million
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