Report: Former DC Derek Mason took a $400K pay cut for a lateral move
As of late, the Auburn Tigers football program has been in the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
On Jan. 22 it was reported that defensive coordinator Derek Mason would step down from his post with Auburn. He would then head west to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he would take on the same role with the Cowboys under head coach Mike Gundy.
Gundy was looking to replace his defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles who left for the same position with the Ohio State Buckeyes. It was odd to see Mason leave for the same position at a Big 12 school. You can argue that it was a step down given the trajectory of the conference, especially since they will be losing the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns to the SEC in the near future.
Regardless of how one feels about the move, it didn’t come as a surprise given the volatility of the staff under Bryan Harsin in his first year on the job. Mason was the fourth coordinator to leave the job in the 14 months under Harsin, this time of his own volition. We didn’t know that he wouldn’t be the last prior to National Signing Day on Feb. 3. Recently hired offensive coordinator Austin Davis would step down from his post just over a week later.
Since that day, it has become a whirlwind on the plains. Harsin opted to promote Jeff Schmedding to defensive coordinator and then begin the search for his new offensive coordinator, his fifth replacement early on in his tenure.
On Monday it was reported that Derek Mason’s new contract would pay him $1.1 million per year over the next two seasons. According to the coaching salary database provided by USA TODAY Sports, Mason took a pay cut of $400,000 to leave Auburn. In 2021 his contract paid him $1.5 million.
Why would a very well-respected defensive coach take that sort of pay cut to leave for Oklahoma State? Plain and simple, that is how mad he was. At least that is one opinion being provided.
Derek Mason took a $400,000 pay cut to go from Auburn to Oklahoma State. https://t.co/vRxmyDaZN9
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) February 7, 2022
It takes a lot to make Derek Mason angry. He took a $400,000 pay cut to leave Auburn and take the same role at Oklahoma State.
That says a lot.
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) February 7, 2022
Just another day at Auburn it appears.
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