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Published Mar 25, 2016
McElwain receives annual raise of $750,000 after successful first season
Landon Watnick
Senior Writer

After going 10-4 in his first season as Florida's head coach and taking the Gators to their first SEC Championship Game since 2009, Jim McElwain is getting rewarded.

UF announced Friday that McElwain has received an annual pay raise of $750,000 per season through 2020, effective Feb. 1. His salary now increases from $3.5 million to $4.25 million per season, after originally signing a six-year, $21 million deal back in December 2014.

"We recognized early in Coach Mac's tenure that he totally changed the vibe around football for The Gator Nation and in the building," Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said via a school release.

"Dr. Fuchs and I first talked about this in mid-October - we didn't want to make it about winning one game or advancing to the SEC Championship Game."We wanted to make a change because of the direction of the program and his leadership. From the moment he set foot on this campus, he has steadily put into place his blueprint for the football program. His efforts have been relentless. We are very grateful to have him and his family in Gainesville."

McElwain is now the highest-paid coach in the SEC East and has the sixth-greatest annual salary of coaches in the conference.

"It's great to know that our university and administration believe in the direction we are taking this program,'' McElwain said via a school release. "This sends a strong message about the things we are putting in place and the work of the entire organization. It sends a real message in recruiting that we have the support and confidence in our long-term vision."

Below is where McElwain stands among SEC head coaches in the salary department. Vanderbilt, a private institution, has not publicly disclosed the salary of current head coach Derek Mason.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama - $7.09 million

2. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M - $5 million

3. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss - $4.7 million

4. Les Miles, LSU - $4.39 million

5. Gus Malzahn, Auburn - $4.35 million

6. Jim McElwain, Florida - $4.25 million

7. Butch Jones, Tennessee - $4.13 million

8. Bret Bielema, Arkansas - $4.06 million

9. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State - $4 million

10. Kirby Smart, Georgia - $3.75 million

11. Mark Stoops, Kentucky - $3.5 million

12. Will Muschamp, South Carolina - $3 million

13. Barry Odom, Missouri - $2.35 million

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