When it comes to Vanderbilt basketball, the numbers on the paycheck don't always match the time spent on the sidelines. In 2024, former Commodores head coach Jerry Stackhouse earned over $4.7 million—despite being fired just three months into the season. Meanwhile, his successor, Mark Byington, took home more than $2.7 million for a partial year, according to tax records obtained by The Tennessean.

Since Vanderbilt is a private university, full coaching contracts aren't available through public records requests. However, the school is required to file a 990 tax form detailing compensation for its five highest-paid employees within 18 months of each calendar year's end. The 2024 records, the most recent available, shed light on a notable pay disparity.

Stackhouse, who led the Commodores to a 9-23 record before being let go in March 2024, was listed as one of the university's top earners. His reported base salary came in at $1,223,740, with an additional $3,495,761 in "other reportable compensation" and $60,000 in bonuses and incentives. While the university isn't required to specify what that "other compensation" covers, it's widely seen as the first clear indication of Stackhouse's buyout terms.

For context, Vanderbilt is no stranger to big payouts. Former football coach Derek Mason received $2,166,660 annually in 2021, 2022, and 2023 after his departure—though he didn't appear on the 2024 forms.

Byington, who took over the program in 2024, made just over $2.7 million in his partial year, reflecting a fresh start for Vanderbilt basketball. As the Commodores look to rebuild, the salary gap between a fired coach and a new hire highlights the financial realities of college sports—where buyouts and big contracts are part of the game.