LSU made two key hires at the top of the new look Brian Kelly staff. Mike Denbrock comes over from Cincinnati to run the offense while Matt House leaves the NFL to run the defense. According to Koki Riley of The Daily Advertiser, we know what the contracts look like.
New LSU offensive coordinator Michael Denbrock will make $4.2 million across three years before incentives, and new defensive coordinator Matt House has signed a three-year contract worth $5.7 million.
LSU released Denbrock’s contract information to the USA TODAY Network on Friday after a public records request. House’s contract was received Thursday.
Mike Denbrock rejoined his former boss Brian Kelly after four seasons with Cincinnati. He wasn’t part of Kelly’s Bearcat staff but was hired onto the initial Notre Dame staff. He also spent time with the new LSU head coach at Grand Valley State. Denbrock’s predecessor, Jake Peetz was paid $1.35 million for 2021 and he will be on a similar pay structure for the Tigers. Based on the contract information, Denbrock would be a top 20 paid assistant. He made $475,000 with the Bearcats according to the USA TODAY Sports assistant salary database.
Denbrock, the former offensive coordinator at Cincinnati, will make $1.3 million in the first year, $1.4 million in the second, and $1.5 million in the third. If LSU qualifies for a bowl game, Denbrock will make an additional $15,000 and another $100,000 if the Tigers win the national championship.
House doesn’t have previous ties to Brian Kelly but he does have SEC ties from his time with the Kentucky Wildcats. He left Lexington for the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 2019 season and was part of the defensive turnaround that led to a Super Bowl victory. House is tasked with rebuilding a defense that has seen a mass exodus following the 2021 regular season.
House will see a significant pay raise from his predecessor Daronte Jones. Jones was the No. 12 highest-paid assistant last season at $1.45 million. House’s pay will rise to $2 million by year three.
House, who was the Kansas City Chiefs’ linebackers coach before joining Brian Kelly’s staff at LSU, will earn $1.8 million in Year One, $1.9 million in Year Two, and $2 million through the remainder of the contract. House would receive the same bowl game and national championship bonuses as Denbrock.
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