USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is the nation’s highest-paid assistant football coach at an estimated $1.5 million. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

NCAA football Bowl Subdivision coaches will earn about $200,000 on average in 2012, according to a USA Today Sports analysis released on Tuesday. That represents a 10-percent increase over last season and a 29-percent increase since the newspaper began its survey in 2009.

USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is the nation’s highest-paid assistant coach at more than $1.5 million, while Clemson employs the highest-paid assistant coaching staff in the survey’s 102-school sample at $4.2 million (there are 124 total FBS schools).

If Kiffin leaves USC as expected, Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris would likely become the nation’s highest-paid assistant at $1.3 million. “Morris is making more than half of the FBS head coaches this season. He also is making more than 41 entire assistant-coaching staffs,” the report states.

Other findings of the analysis include:

• After Kiffin and Morris, the next four highest-paid coaches are all from the SEC: Alabama’s Kirby Smart ($950,000), LSU’s John Chavis ($911,250), Auburn’s Brian VanGorder ($875,000) and Georgia’s Todd Grantham ($825,000).
• Seven schools have assistants totaling more than $3 million in compensation: Texas, Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Oregon, Florida State and Oklahoma State.
• Eighteen assistants will make at least $600,000 this season, almost quadruple the total in 2009.
• SEC assistants average the highest 2012 salary at $315,000, followed by the Big 12 at about $290,000.

Georgia Tech atheltic director Dan Radakovich will be hired as Clemson’s new athletic director, according to Greenville News writer Bart Wright via Twitter:

#Clemson BoT seems to want to bring in #GeorgiaTech AD #Dan Radakovich—
Bart Wright (@bartwriter) October 28, 2012

Wright also tweeted that Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney and basketball coach Brad Brownwell were not happy to hear that senior associate athletic director Bill D’Andrea was not promoted.

Hearing that Swinney, Brownell were not happy when Barker told them they passed over #BillD for job. #SomebodyElesOpinionCountedMore—
Bart Wright (@bartwriter) October 29, 2012

Two requests by the Atlanta Journal Constitution for comment from Radakovich left Sunday evening were not returned as of Monday morning.

While Radakovich has been lauded for several Tech athletic facility projects including a new indoor football practice center, he was also overseeing the athletic department that had its 2009 ACC football title stripped after the NCAA found that Tech failed to cooperate and meet obligations in an investigation into improper benefits to two football players.

Clemson University will get a new athletic director next year. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Clemson University athletic director Terry Don Phillips confirmed he will retire when his contract ends in July 2013, according to an e-mail sent from the University to its employees.

The school’s president James F. Barker confirmed that a search to replace Phillips will be underway this fall. Barker said he’d like to ideally have someone in place before Phillips’ contract is up so that there’s no need for an interim athletic director.

Barker and Clemson’s board of trustees were the first to hear from Phillips about his plans:

“As I am now in the final year of my contract, I have decided to publicly announce my retirement plans, so that President Barker can have as much time and flexibility as isneeded to conduct a search and ensure a smooth transition in leadership,” Phillips said.

His tenure as athletic director was highlighted by 57 finishes in the top 25 and 13
ACC championships. Clemson also had 77 winning seasons and was eligible for the bowl every year under Phillips. His student-athletes had a 2.99 GPA for spring semester 2012. The University e-mail to announce his retirement also read:

In an environment where high profile college teams have faced severe NCAA compliance issues and penalties, Clemson has not received one letter of inquiry.

Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has told ESPN.com that he will not return to the team next season.

The third year coach claims that he has been fired by the university; however school officials are adamant that Steele was not fired, but that he left on his own to pursue other coaching opportunities.

The Tigers finished No. 71 in the nation in total defense and allowed 29 points per game. The club’s defense was their undoing in their 70-33 Orange Bowl loss to West Virginia.

Steele served as the head coach of Baylor from 1999-2002. He also served as the Alabama defensive coordinator from 2007-08 before joining Clemson’s coaching ranks.

Clemson Tigers receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been injured in a car accident and may miss the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2 against West Virginia, according to CollegeFootballTalk.

“First of all, we are relieved that DeAndre is going to be all right,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said in a statement. “He is lucky. We are told he does not have any serious injuries and we hope to have him join us soon. Obviously, DeAndre is one of the main parts of our offense and this would be a big loss if he is not able to play.

Hopkins reportedly suffered a mild concussion in the accident, and did not accompany the team to Miami this morning. According to CollegeFootballTalk, he was on his way to meet the team for their flight when the accident occurred.

The sophomore wide receiver is second on the Tigers in receiving this season, hauling in 62 passes for 871 yards and four touchdowns. Last season as a freshman he caught 51 passes for 626 yards.