LSU made new defensive coordinator Blake Baker the highest-paid assistant coach in the country when it hired him away from Missouri.
Baker signed a three-year deal Friday night that will pay him $2.5 million per year, according to a copy of the contract obtained by The Advocate. It is a flat fee that does not escalate annually over the life of the contract.
The highest-paid assistant coaches in the country this season were Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, according to a USA Today database. They both made just over $2 million.
Baker earned $1.4 million this season at Missouri, according to a copy of his contract obtained through public records. He then received an extension and raise in December.
Though terms of the new deal were never released, Baker would have earned $1.9 million per year, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. LSU agreed to cover his $950,000 buyout.
Baker's contract topped what LSU gave former defensive coordinator Matt House, who was fired Wednesday along with three other defensive assistants.
House earned $1.9 million in his last season, making him the sixth-highest paid assistant in the country. His salary would have rose to $2 million next season and $2.1 in the final year of his deal. House's buyout was $3.69 million, according to his contract.
Baker also received a $25,000 relocation incentive, and he's eligible for up to $125,000 in postseason bonuses. Similar to LSU's other assistant coaches, Baker would earn $25,000 for a Southeastern Conference championship and $100,000 for a national title.