By Matt Cohen
Auburn released copies of the contracts for recent hires Charles Kelly as co-defensive coordinator and Derrick Nix as offensive coordinator on Monday through a public records request made by AL.com.
Both hires were made in January after the firing of former offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and the departure of former defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. Montgomery also served the role of quarterbacks coach.
Former running backs coach Cadillac Williams resigned from Auburn in January as well. He has not yet been hired elsewhere. Former Auburn defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge resigned as well and took a defensive backs coach job with Houston.
The contacts do not state official titles for any of the hires. Titles listed in this story are from previous press releases. Auburn still has one available on-field coaching spot to hire for.
Below is a breakdown of each new coach’s contract.
Co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly
Kelly’s contract, which runs through Jan. 31, 2027, has a total starting salary of $875,000 annually. That breaks down into a $250,000 base salary paid in monthly installments as well as $312,500 in an endorsement rights payment and $312,500 in a personal appearance payment.
On Feb. 1, 2026, Kelly’s first contracted pay raise comes with a $75,000 increase on Feb. 1, 2026, to bring his total salary to $950,000.
Auburn will provide Kelly with a university vehicle.
Roberts received a $1.4 million salary for his one year at Auburn before his January departure. It is still unclear if Auburn will make Kelly the full-time defensive coordinator or hire a co-coordinator.
Kelly’s contract includes the following bonuses which are in in line with Auburn’s other assistant coaches.
- A $218,750 bonus should Auburn win the national championship (25% of his salary)
- A $175,000 bonus should Auburn finish as the national runner-up (20% of his salary)
- A $140,000 bonus should Auburn make a national semifinal game (16% of his salary)
- A $105,000 bonus should Auburn make the 12-team College Football Playoff (12% of his salary)
- A $70,000 bonus should Auburn make the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, ReliaQuest Bowl or the Citrus Bowl (8% of his salary)
- A $52,500 bonus should Auburn make the Music City Bowl, Texas Bowl or the Mayo/Las Vegas Bowl(6% of his salary)
- A $35,000 bonus should Auburn make the Birmingham Bowl, Liberty Bowl or Independence Bowl (4% of his salary)
- A $30,000 bonus should Auburn win the SEC Championship Game
- A $15,000 bonus should Auburn play in, but lose the SEC Championship Game
Should Kelly be fired, Auburn owes him a 100% buy-out for the remainder of his contract at that point in time.
Should Kelly seek to break his contract he will owe 100% of his salary if he does so before the final regular season game of the 2024 season, 50% if he does it before the final regular season game of the 2025 season and 25% of his salary if he does it before the final regular season of the 2026 season.
Kelly will not owe Auburn a buy-out if he leaves Auburn if he accepts a Divison I head coach position, play-calling coordinator position or NFL coaching position.
Offensive coordinator Derrick Nix
Nix’s contract, which runs through Jan. 31, 2027, has a total starting salary of $800,000 annually. That breaks down into a $250,000 base salary paid in monthly installments as well as $275,00 in an endorsement rights payment and $275,000 in a personal appearance payment.
Nix will receive a $100,000 raise on both Feb. 1, 2025, and Feb. 1, 2026. Nix will also receive a $100,000 retention bonus on July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, should he remain employed by Auburn.
His total salary could reach $1.2 million by the 2026 season.
Auburn will provide Nix with a university vehicle.
Montgomery received a $1 million salary for his one year at Auburn before his January firing.
Nix’s contract includes the following bonuses which are in in line with Auburn’s other assistant coaches.
- A bonus equal to 25% of his current salary should Auburn win the national championship
- A bonus equal to 20% of his current salary should Auburn finish as the national runner-up
- A bonus equal to 16% of his current salary should Auburn make a national semifinal game
- A bonus equal to 12% of his current salary should Auburn make the 12-team College Football Playoff
- A bonus equal to 8% of his current salary should Auburn make the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, ReliaQuest Bowl or Citrus Bowl
- A bonus equal to 6% of his current salary should Auburn make the Music City Bowl, Texas Bowl or the Mayo/Las Vegas Bowl
- A bonus equal to 4% of his current salary should Auburn make the Birmingham Bowl, Liberty Bowl or Independence Bowl
- A $30,000 bonus should Auburn win the SEC Championship Game
- A $15,000 bonus should Auburn play in, but lose the SEC Championship Game
Should Nix be fired, Auburn owes him a 100% buy-out for the remainder of his contract at that point in time.
Should Nix seek to break his contract before Dec. 20, 2024, he will owe Auburn $2 million. He will owe $1 million if he breaks his contract before Dec. 20, 2025. He will owe $500,000 if he breaks his contract before the last regular season game or conference championship game during the 2026 season.
Nix will not owe Auburn a buy-out if he leaves Auburn if he accepts a Divison I head coach position, play-calling coordinator position or NFL coaching position.
