Though athletic director Dan Radakovich said the raises for the Clemson football coaches had nothing to do with who was or wasn’t courting Dabo Swinney’s assistant coaches for head coaching vacancies, it was obvious they want defensive coordinator Brent Venables to stay at Clemson as long as he wants to.

Venables, who was rumored to be courted by Arkansas’ and Mississippi State’s head coach jobs back in December, became the second $2 million dollar assistant coach in college football on Thursday when the Board of Trustees Compensation Committee approved his new three-year $6 million contract at the Madren Center in Clemson.

The BOT approved contracts for all of Clemson’s 10 assistant coaches, who will make $6.585 million in 2018. Venables received a $300,000 raise, making his total compensation $2.0 million, up from $1.7 million he made in 2017.

Venables’ new salary ranks second nationally among assistant coaches behind LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, who will reportedly make $2.5 million.

“There was a little part of that associated with (Venables’ raise) for sure,” Radakovich said.  “Obviously, Brent has done an incredible job as our defensive coordinator and the results on the field show it.”

Venables’ deal stands out this year because it is a three-year deal, after he signed a one-year contract last year at this time.

“There is (a level of commitment on both sides) and I think as we move ahead, we do the things that are necessary to make sure that he stays here,” Radakovich said.

Aranda and Venables are the only two football assistant coaches in the country to make $2 million or more.

Venables’ new contract details that if Clemson is a Top-10 relative defense, Venables will receive a $50,000 bonus or a $100,000 for a Top-5 relative defense. In addition, he will receive a $50,000 bonus for a defense ranking in the Top-10 for total defense or $100,000 for a Top-5 total defense.

Those metrics will be determined by the Sports Source Analytics on the Monday following the ACC Championship Game.

Last year, Venables helped lead the Tigers to a third straight ACC Championship after fielding a defensive unit that led the conference in scoring, total, rushing and passing defense for the first time in the program’s history.

Clemson finished second in the nation in scoring defense, fourth in total defense and fourth in passing defense in 2017.

Venables can make up to $315,000 in bonuses, according to the terms in his new contract.