How Much Does Jeff Capel Make as Pitt‘s Head Basketball Coach? The Full Breakdown

As head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men‘s basketball team, Jeff Capel is one of the highest earning NCAA coaches. But with contracts shrouded in secrecy, you may be wondering just how much Capel makes coaching the Panthers.

As your personal salary guide, I‘ve dug deep into Capel‘s compensation package to give you the full rundown on his salary, bonuses, contract length and more. You‘ll also get insider perspective on how Capel‘s pay stacks up against other top college basketball and football coaches.

So read on for the deep dive into Jeff Capel‘s lucrative Pitt contract!

A Salary Fit for an Elite Coach

According to detailed reporting by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Capel‘s current annual salary is approximately $2.7 million as of 2021. This cements his status as one of the highest paid basketball coaches across all U.S. colleges.

To give you some perspective on how impressive Capel‘s salary is, take a look at this table showing the top 10 highest paid NCAA coaches by total pay:

With an annual salary of $2.7 million, Capel finds himself in elite company as the 6th highest paid coach across all NCAA divisions, ahead of coaching stars like Tony Bennett and Shaka Smart.

And that $2.7 million base is just the beginning of Capel‘s potential earnings…

Bonus Bonanza: Up to $2.2 Million More

In addition to his ample base salary, Capel‘s Pitt contract contains incentives that allow him to earn up to $2.2 million more per year in potential bonuses.

These bonuses are linked to specific performance goals, such as:

• $100,000 for winning the ACC regular season title
• $50,000 for being named ACC Coach of the Year
• $750,000 for making the NCAA Final Four
• $1.5 million for winning the national championship

So if Pitt has an extremely successful season, Capel could potentially bring home nearly $5 million in total pay!

Even more likely bonus triggers would push Capel‘s salary well over $3 million. Just for example:

• If Pitt makes the NCAA Sweet 16: $750,000 bonus
• If Pitt wins 20 regular season games: $100,000 bonus
• If Pitt finishes top-3 in the ACC: $75,000 bonus

In his best year so far, Capel earned $425,000 in bonuses, bringing his total pay to around $3.1 million.

Clearly, Capel‘s potential bonuses give him serious financial incentive to build Pitt into an NCAA powerhouse.

How Capel‘s Deal Measures Up: Basketball vs Football

As we‘ve seen, Capel‘s $2.7 million salary already makes him one of the NCAA‘s basketball elite. But how does his compensation compare to top college football coaches?

College football is a major money maker, so it‘s no surprise that the salaries of top football coaches can be downright staggering. For instance:

• Nick Saban, Alabama: $9.3 million
• Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $9.3 million
• Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: $7.5 million

Capel‘s maximum possible pay of around $5 million makes him one of the top earning basketball coaches. But he still falls short of the astronomical salaries commanded by the most successful college football coaches.

However, compared to his own peers in college basketball, Capel‘s contract firmly cements him as one of the sport‘s coaching elites.

Jeff Capel‘s Path to a Powerhouse Payday

Capel‘s road to becoming a college coaching star began right from his playing days…

Standout Player at Duke

Capel first made a name for himself as a basketball standout at Duke University from 1994-1998. He was a two-time All-ACC selection and scored over 1,600 career points as one of Duke‘s top players.

Fast-Tracked to Head Coach

After a short pro career overseas, Capel returned to Duke as an assistant coach in 2000 at just 25 years old. He was named head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University just two years later in 2002 – making him one of the country‘s youngest D-I head coaches ever at 27.

Big Success at Oklahoma

Following a strong four-year stint at VCU, Capel achieved even bigger success as head coach at the University of Oklahoma from 2006-2011. He earned multiple Coach of the Year honors while guiding Oklahoma to the Elite Eight in 2009.

Rebuilding Pitt

In 2018, Pitt hired Capel to rebuild their program. He‘s delivered results, leading Pitt to ACC Coach of the Year honors and their first ACC Tournament semifinal in years. Under Capel‘s leadership, Pitt basketball is on the rise.

This impressive track record made Capel a prime candidate for a top-dollar contract. Pitt had to pay big to land Capel, but his coaching prowess makes it an investment well worth making.

Breaking Down Capel‘s Lucrative Contract

Now that you understand Capel‘s strong pedigree, let‘s get into the nitty gritty details of his Pitt contract:

• Length: 7 years, running from 2018 to 2025
• Base Salary: Starting at $1.4 million in 2018, now $2.7 million
• Potential Bonuses: Up to $2.2 million per year
• Buyout: Pitt owes 100% of remaining salary if fired without cause
• Perks: Country club membership, 2 cars, tickets

With a long 7 year commitment paying Capel millions annually, Pitt clearly made him a contract offer he couldn‘t refuse. The high buyout figure also provides stability for Capel, as Pitt faces a $20+ million payout if they fire him without cause before 2025.

Capel‘s Compensation: By the Numbers

Let‘s recap Capel‘s full compensation package deal in one simple breakdown:

• Annual Base Salary: $2.7 million
• Maximum Possible Bonuses: $2.2 million
• Potential Yearly Total: Up to $4.9 million
• Buyout if Fired: 100% of remaining contract
• Contract Length: 7 years (2018 to 2025)

With numbers like these, it‘s no wonder Capel chose to take his coaching talents to Pitt where he became one of the NCAA‘s elite earners.

The Verdict: A Salary Fit for Success

In the high stakes world of college sports, it takes big money to attract and retain elite coaching talent like Jeff Capel. His substantial contract reflects the confidence Pitt has in his ability to build the Panthers into a national powerhouse.

While Capel‘s pay lags behind the astronomical salaries in college football, he still earns more than nearly every coach in college basketball. This seems well deserved based on his proven track record and early success rebuilding the Pitt program.

The investments Pitt has made in Capel signal their commitment to making Pitt basketball a force to be reckoned with for years to come. For Capel himself, his lucrative Pitt contract cements his status as one of the coaching elites in college athletics today.