Les Miles currently makes $4.4m per year. Here's a list of coaches that make more then him. Some are obvious, some are surprising considering that they've haven't accomplished much of anything either with their previous or current teams. Say what you want about Miles, but I'd rather have him then every coach on this list. 7. Miles (LSU) 4.4m 6. C.U.M. (Ohio St.) $4.6m - no surprise 5. Stoops (OU) $4.65m 4. Butch Jones (Tenn) $4.8m - really? 3. Brett Bielema (Ark) $5.1m - un-freakin-believable 2. Mack Brown (formely at Tex) $5.4m 1. You know who (Bama) $5.6m in 2013, but he's around 7m now Obviously the biggest surprises are Bielema and Jones. Every other coach on the list has won a national championship and they only have, well not much. It's hard for me to believe they're making that kind of money.
Butch Jones and Brett Bielema aren't making that much money. That number includes their buyout. Les Miles is currently the 4th highest paid head coach in college football.
Not saying I doubt you because Bielema at $5m makes no sense, but it's misleading if it includes their buyout. They weren't factored in for any of the other coaches listed.
Arky and Tennessee were desperate for a coach and had to hire coaches away from jobs they would have probably stayed at if they didnt get what they wanted. The jury is still out on if both universities made the right decision or not.
Seems about right, considering the analysis that @lsu-i-like put together on here not long ago. It said that LSU has been the 4th most successful program in the country the during the Les Miles era. http://www.tigerfan.com/threads/the-facts.107615/