Pair of Notre Dame football coaches get title bump, pay raise

The Notre Dame football team spent most of the winter under the pressure of one rumor or another about coaches getting ready to leave. It appears that Marcus Freeman has decided he’d like to continue to reward the guys who stuck around.

On Friday, it was announced that defensive coordinator Al Golden’s reward was a brand new contract. It’s not hard to figure out what he was being rewarded for, considering the number of open jobs he was rumored to be a candidate for over the last few months.

According to multiple reports, Golden signed a four-year extension, and according to those same reports, Golden is getting a package worth a total of $9 million. Assuming that’s accurate, the new contract would make him one of the sport's highest-paid assistant coaches.

This deal demonstrates quite clearly that Notre Dame football is sparing no expense to put together a staff that is seen as one of the best in the business. Teamed with new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, the Irish have one of the top-paid coordinator duos in college football.

Golden wasn’t the only Notre Dame coach to get rewarded for sticking around when it seemed obvious he could move on to other positions if he wanted to do so. 

Notre Dame football running backs coach gets a title bump

Deland McCullough will continue to coach the Irish running back, but he is more than just a running backs coach. He’s now also the team’s Associate Head Coach. While it hasn’t been reported just what he might be making in the new position, it’s a safe bet that he is seeing more money.

The title bump and pay raises come just as the Notre Dame football team ramps up and prepares for spring practice. While the Fighting Irish have lost one assistant this winter, the staff is mostly intact and ready to rumble in 2024.