Even with two former NCAA head coaches and two NFL position coaches on staff, Ohio State assistant coaches will make over $200,000 less than they did in 2016.

Zach Smith also received a raise in his new contract with Ohio State and is set to make $300,000 in 2017 as part of a 1-year deal.

Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford is set to earn $450,000 in 2017 on a 1-year deal, a $50,000 raise from last season.

It probably can't get a whole lot worse for Thad Matta at this point, but unless Gene Smith makes a dramatic reversal, we'll have another season to find out if it does.

New Ohio State linebackers coach Bill Davis is set to earn a base salary of $500,000 as part of a one-year deal, according to his contract obtained by Eleven Warriors.

The Cincinnati area produces some of the top prep talent in the country. It's hardly a surprise Ohio State recruits the Queen City so hard every single year.