Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is staying put in Auburn, and he'll be handsomely rewarded for doing so.

Malzahn, who turned down a lucrative head coaching offer from Vanderbilt Monday reported to be in the neighborhood of $3 million a year, was rewarded with a contract extension by Auburn that will more than double his yearly salary, making him one of the highest paid assistants in the country.

All of Auburn's coaches, including head coach Gene Chizik, will get raises, which were approved by the university's compensation committee last week, according to the Birmingham News. Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs submitted the pay increases.


The deal is substantially more than any other assistant in an increasingly competitive SEC market. Four defensive coordinators — Georgia's Todd Grantham ($750,000), Alabama's Kirby Smart ($750,000), LSU's John Chavis ($700,000) and South Carolina's Ellis Johnson ($700,000) — were the highest-paid assistants this past year.

Current USC assistant Monte Kiffin had the highest-ever base salary for an SEC coordinator, making $1.2 million at Tennessee in 2009.

"Gus Malzahn has played a large role in the success of our football program the last two years and we're very pleased to be able to give him a raise and extend his contract," Chizik said. "In my opinion we have the best staff in the country, and while we want our coaches to strive to become head coaches, retaining them as long as we can is important to me and the entire Auburn family."

Malzahn will make more money than half of the country's Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches, according to the most recent USA Today coaching salary database.

"I'm very appreciative of coach Chizik and the entire administration for their support," Malzahn said. "My family and I love Auburn and right now my main focus is helping Auburn win a national championship."

Auburn, which faces Oregon in the BCS title game on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz., begins bowl practice on Dec. 18.

Vanderbilt targeted Malzahn as its top choice shortly after deciding to part ways with Robbie Caldwell after one 2-10 season, meeting with him late last week and reportedly upping their offer to around $3 million a year.

The Washington Post reported Sunday night that Malzahn had verbally agreed to the deal, although Vanderbilt officials said that report was not true. Several reports emerged Monday afternoon that Malzahn had turned down the Commodores' offer before Auburn announced his new deal.

Maryland offensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting James Franklin is thought to be Vanderbilt's next choice for the job.

I've had bad travel days before, and I've had bad computer days before, but never have both so perfectly merged as they did today on my return from New York.

As you know, there's been some news about offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and Vanderbilt out there. Here's what I could whip together after landing in Atlanta:

Talks heated up between Gus Malzahn and Vanderbilt about the school’s head coaching vacancy Sunday, although there are conflicting reports about whether or not Auburn’s offensive coordinator has accepted the job.

The Washington Post reported Sunday night that Malzahn verbally agreed to be the Commodores’ next head coach, saying he is expected to be introduced as early as Monday.

But Vanderbilt denied the report late Sunday night to The Tennessean, although director of communications Rod Williamson said he hoped the report would be accurate soon.

Other reports say the deal is not done. The Birmingham News, citing an unnamed source, said Malzahn is mulling Vanderbilt’s offer and would make a decision either late Sunday or early Monday.

Vanderbilt vice chancellor David Williams told the Associated Press that the school expects to announce its new coach within days. He declined to comment on if the Commodores had offered the job to anyone.

If Malzahn does not take the job, Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin is expected to be offered the job, according to ESPN.

Efforts to reach Malzahn on Sunday were unsuccessful. The coordinator was in New York on Saturday night as Tigers quarterback Cam Newton received the Heisman Trophy.

Auburn officials did not respond to phone calls Sunday.

Auburn Athletics director Jay Jacobs said Friday that the school will do whatever it can to keep Malzahn as coordinator.

“No doubt about it. That's what we're going to do,” he said. “That's certainly Gene (Chizik's) decision, but you get to a point where if you have an opportunity to be a head coach at a BCS college, it's a tough thing not to do sometimes. But we'll certainly do what we think is right, certainly for what Gus has done and means to this program.”

The 45-year-old Malzahn, who has been at Auburn two years, is a hot coaching commodity after guiding the Tigers to a record-setting offensive year in which they led the SEC in total offense, rushing yards and scoring.

Earlier this month, he won the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Vanderbilt, which went 2-10 also season, showed immediate interest in Malzahn after deciding not to retain the services of Robbie Caldwell, who the school viewed as a stop-gap solution after longtime coach Bobby Johnson abruptly resigned last summer.

A report by The Tennessean late Thursday night said the school had put together an offer in the neighborhood of $3 million per year, which would put Malzahn in the top half of the SEC in terms of salary.

Malzahn received a 43 percent raise last winter to bring his annual salary up to $500,000.

If Malzahn takes the job, it is unclear whether he would stay with Auburn through the BCS title game against Oregon in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10.

NEW YORK — Athletics director Jay Jacobs said Friday that Auburn will do everything it can to keep offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn with the Tigers next season.

"No doubt about it," he said. "That's what we're going to do."

But Jacobs acknowledged that an opportunity might be too good for Malzahn to pass up. A report late Thursday night by the Tennessean said Malzahn has met with Vanderbilt about its vacant head coaching position and that the Commodores are willing to go as high as $3 million a year to get his services.

"You get to a point where if you have an opportunity to be a head coach at a BCS college, it's a tough thing not to do sometimes," Jacobs said. "But we'll certainly do what we think is right, certainly for what Gus has done and means to this program."

Jacobs said he didn't know how many schools have inquired about Malzahn's interest in being their head coach. He said it was something that usually goes through the head coach, in this case Gene Chizik.

Jacobs said Auburn has prepared its coaches for this situation, though, putting them through mock interviews this summer.

"Historically we haven't had a lot of guys become head football coaches," Jacobs said. "And we've done some things to promote them. So we're happy for the opportunity he is getting and others. But if it's not the right fit for him at this time, then we'll do what we can to keep him at Auburn. If it's close we want to do what's right."

Chizik and Malzahn were not available for comment Friday, although both are expected to be in attendance for the Heisman Trophy ceremony tomorrow.

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According to this report in The Tennessean, yes. Jeff Lockridge reported last night that Vanderbilt has made an offer around $3 million a year for Gus Malzahn to be the Commodores' new coach.

Vanderbilt is also interested in Maryland offensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting James Franklin and Stanford assistant head coach Greg Roman. The Washington Post reported that Franklin and Roman are the two finalists for the job.

But Malzahn apparently continues to pique Vandy's interest. Here's the passage in today's Tennessean article:

Auburn coor­di­na­tor Gus Mal­zahn, who was in town Wed­nes­day, is thought to have recei­ved another offer from Van­der­bilt that approaches the ball­park of $3 million per year.

But if he con­ti­nues to pass, look for Van­der­bilt to move on to Fran­klin or perhaps Roman in the very, very near future (and save some money in the process).

Malzahn's name popped up early in the search but he reportedly had no interest in the job. Neither Auburn nor Malzahn have commented publicly about any job rumors.

One thing's for sure: if the report is true, the offer would be substantially more money for Malzahn, who received a 43 percent raise last winter to bring his annual compensation to $500,000. He is one of the top paid assistants in the SEC.

The $3 million price tag would be a departure for the Commodores, who rank near the bottom of the SEC in coaching salaries. Vanderbilt is a private institution, and therefore does not have to release its salaries to public records requests, but former coach Bobby Johnson was believed to make in the neighborhood of $1 million per season. This year's coach, Robbie Caldwell, made less than that.

This reported offer would make Malzahn the third-highest paid coach in the SEC, behind Nick Saban, Les Miles and Mark Richt. (Although Florida figures to offer someone a hefty contract now that Urban Meyer has resigned.)

I'm headed to New York today for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, so I'll be incommunicado for part of the day. I don't think there's much to this report, but you can never tell.