Coaching salaries have shot through the roof in recent years.

But, if you have a good head coach and don’t want him to leave for a bigger program with deeper pockets, you have to be willing to pony up some serious dough.

That’s what Michigan State did with Mel Tucker this week, inking the coach to a 10-year, $9.5 million contract.

For those of you keeping score at home, that’s $9.5 million per year for Tucker, who is in only his second year at the helm of the Spartans.

SEC Network host Peter Burns made an interesting point on Twitter after news of the extension broke. He compared Nick Saban’s $9.7 million per year salary to Tucker’s new deal:

That’s certainly an eye-popping tweet, but that’s the price of keeping a good coach around these days.

Perhaps another raise is due for Saban, too?