South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier added to the SEC's legion of highly paid coaches on Thursday when the school announced his raise from $3.3 million annual to $4 million even, ESPN reported.

Spurrier is now the ninth highest paid coach in the NCAA (according to a USA Today report compiled last November), adding himself to a top ten filled with four other SEC coaches: 1. Steve Spurrier, Alabama ($5.5 million); 3. Bret Bielema, Arkansas ($5.1 million, includes nearly $2 million from a previous buyout); 4. Butch Jones, Tennessee ($4.8 million); and 7. Les Miles, LSU ($4.3 million). With previous number two Mack Brown ($5.4 million) fired, replacement coach Chuck Strong is expected to make "between $5 million and $6 million, according to Dallas News.

The former national championship winning coach at Florida and failed head man for Redskins from 2002-2003 has led the Gamecocks for nine seasons. He wasn't too successful over his first five seasons (never finsihing with more than eight wins), but was better than previous head coach Lou Holt's teams over his last three seasons (no more than six wins). Finally, in 2010, the Cocks broke through with 9 wins, and then 11 in each of their last three (against two losses per season). They've won their last three bowl games, though have yet to appear in a BCS event (and now never will, after the rule changes). Even so, they finished this year fourth overall in the polls.

"With three straight top-10 finishes, South Carolina is as good as any program in the country," athletic director Ray Tanner said in the release. "The contract raises and extensions for Coach Spurrier and his staff are a reflection of that success and are well-deserved."

Almost certainly, this will be the final head coaching job for Spurrier, 68. As part of his contract, he's obligated to serve as the special assistant to both the university's president and athletic director, according to ESPN. He'll never get to retire!