How Kenny Dillingham can earn record bonus from ASU, plus $500K for staff
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Last November, Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham gave his $200,000 bonus for winning a ninth regular-season game to 20 off-field staff members, surprising them with between $5,000 and $10,000 apiece out of his own pocket.
This year, if the Sun Devils reach nine wins, he will do no such thing. The school is paying.
Dillingham agreed to a contract extension in January that makes him the second-highest-paid coach in the Big 12 Conference. It provides performance incentives that allow him to earn the largest bonus of any public college football coach in the country. And it creates a separate discretionary bonus pool of up to a half-million dollars to distribute to his staff.
Dillingham was eligible to receive up to $8.014 million in bonus money for on-field and academic performance during the 2025-26 school year, according to a contract obtained by The Arizona Republic through a public records request, the most out of 111 coaches’ contracts reviewed by USA TODAY. The Republic is part of the USA TODAY Network.
The incentives are in addition to $7.442 million Dillingham has already earned in salary, signing and retention bonuses this year, the second-most in the Big 12, behind only Colorado coach Deion Sanders ($8.975 million).
ASU will also provide a discretionary bonus pool of up to $500,000 for Dillingham to distribute as annual, one-time bonuses for assistant coaches and support staff.
The pool begins at $200,000 for a ninth victory and increases by $100,000 for each additional win.
Arizona State (6-3) must win its next three games, against West Virginia, Colorado and Arizona, to reach nine regular-season victories and trigger the bonus pool for staff members this season.
Last season, the Sun Devils won the Big 12 title, advanced to the College Football Playoff, finished with an 11-3 record and were ranked No. 7 in the country.
Dillingham set a major college football record with $3.056 million in on-field and academic performance-related bonuses, which surpassed the $3 million that Michigan paid Jim Harbaugh for winning the 2023 national championship.
Dillingham signed a five-year contract extension that can stretch up to 10 years, through 2034, based on a clause that adds a year to the deal each time ASU wins six games and becomes bowl-eligible.
The Sun Devils defeated Iowa State, 24-19, on Nov. 1 for their sixth win this season.
Here’s a look at Dillingham’s salary and bonus schedule for 2025:
Guaranteed compensation
Base salary: $700,000
Additional salary: $5.1 million
Signing bonus: $1 million (paid January 1)
Retention bonus: $642,000 (paid July 1)
Athletic performance bonuses
Regular season wins: Up to $1.4 million (cumulative)
Nine wins: $200,000
10 wins: $300,000
11 wins: $400,000
12 wins: $500,000
Conference championship gameappearance: $580,000 (10% of annual salary)
Conference championship gamevictory: $580,000 (10% of annual salary)
Non-playoff bowl appearance: $50,000
Non-playoff bowl victory: $483,333 (one month of annual salary)
College Football Playoff: Up to $4 million (non-cumulative)
CFP game appearance: $2 million
Win CFP quarterfinal game: $2.5 million
Win CFP semifinal game: $3 million
Win CFP championship: $4 million
Coach of the Year awards: Up to $150,000 (cumulative)
National Coach of the Year: $100,000
Any other coach of the year: $50,000
Rankings in final polls: (one payment for the highest rank, regardless of poll)
Top 5: $174,000 (3% annual salary)
Top 10: $116,000 (2% annual salary)
Top 25: $58,000 (1% annual salary)
Academic performance bonuses
Grade Point Average: Up to $150,000
Graduation Success Rate: Up to $150,000
Academic Progress Rate: Up to $580,000 (10% of annual salary)
New scholarship student athletes: Up to $250,000
Tips or story ideas? Email sports features and investigative reporter Jason Wolf at jason.wolf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @JasonWolf.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Dillingham can earn record bonus, $500K for ASU staff
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