Auburn announces salaries for DC Ellis Johnson, OC Rhett Lashlee

Auburn announced the salaries for defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee on Friday, according to al.com's Joel A. Erickson. The two are the first members of head coach Gus Malzahn's staff.

Johnson will make $800,000 per season, $50,000 fewer than former defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was making under Gene Chizik. Lashlee is making $350,000 per year, which is a discount from the $500,000 Scot Loeffler made in 2012 and nearly $1 million per year fewer than Malzahn's $1.3 million in 2011.

Malzahn's contract is $2.3 million per year over for five seasons, relatively cheap for an SEC head coach. Hopefully, the leftover money will be used to bring on a top-notch support system. If Malzahn's first two hires are any indication, the head coach is on his way to building a solid staff.

Malzahn said he would take his time in hiring coordinators, but just 48 hours after his own hiring, he's ready to move on to assistants.