Lane Kiffin took a massive pay cut to become FAU’s head coach

Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin must have really wanted to become a head coach again.

According to reports, Kiffin took a massive pay cut when he agreed to become Florida Atlantic’s new head coach:

Lane Kiffin’s Alabama salary was $1.4 million. His FAU salary will average in the $1 million range a year sources told @ESPN

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 12, 2016

Compare that to what he likely could have earned by becoming LSU’s offensive coordinator and Kiffin’s decision becomes even more baffling from a financial standpoint:

#LSU just signed Dave Aranda to a new deal that averages $1.85M a year.

Kiffin basically turned down $1 mill more a year to be a head coach https://t.co/AyvajsTNe5

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 12, 2016

Still, Kiffin is gambling on himself. If he can make FAU into a respectable Conference USA program, bigger schools will come calling in a couple of years.

However, if his previous stints at Tennessee and USC are any sign, success won’t be easy for Kiffin at a larger program.