For the first time ever, an Ohio State assistant coach will make more than $1 million in annual salary.
In fact, two Ohio State assistant coaches will make at least that much in 2018, as returning defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and recently promoted offensive coordinator Ryan Day – who both turned down potential opportunities to become an NFL assistant or a college head coach this offseason – will now be the highest-paid assistant coaches in Ohio State history.
Schiano's new contract is for one year worth $1.5 million, while Day's new contract is a three-year deal that will pay him $1 million in 2018.
Day's contract also includes bonuses that will pay him an additional $200,000 if he is still working at Ohio State on Jan. 31, 2019, an additional $300,000 if still at Ohio State on Jan. 31, 2020 and an additional $350,000 if he is still at Ohio State on Jan. 31, 2021.
All 10 Ohio State assistant coaches have signed new contracts for the 2018 season, with new assistants Alex Grinch and Taver Johnson, running backs coach Tony Alford and defensive line coach Larry Johnson each signing two-year deals and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, linebackers coach Bill Davis, offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and wide receivers coach Zach Smith each signing one-year deals.
Wilson and Grinch will each make $800,000 in 2018. Larry Johnson will make $750,000. Alford will make $525,000, while Davis and Studrawa will each make $500,000. Taver Johnson will make $345,000 while Smith will make $340,000.
Schiano's salary has been increased by $800,000 from 2017 to 2018, while Day's salary increases by $600,000. Larry Johnson receives a salary increase of $174,775, while Wilson receives a $150,000 increase. Studrawa's salary has been raised by $90,000, Alford's salary is up $75,000 and Smith's salary increase is $40,000. Davis is the only assistant coach (not including new hires) whose salary has not been increased for 2018.
| Coach | Title | 2017 Salary | 2018 Salary | Increase | Contract Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREG SCHIANO | DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR | $700,000 | $1,500,000 | $800,000 | 1 YEAR |
| RYAN DAY | OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR | $400,000 | $1,000,000 | $600,000 | 3 YEARS |
| KEVIN WILSON | OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR | $650,000 | $800,000 | $150,000 | 1 YEAR |
| ALEX GRINCH | TBD | NEW HIRE | $800,000 | NEW HIRE | 2 YEARS |
| LARRY JOHNSON | DEFENSIVE LINE COACH | $575,225 | $750,000 | $174,775 | 2 YEARS |
| TONY ALFORD | RUNNING BACKS COACH | $450,000 | $525,000 | $75,000 | 2 YEARS |
| BILL DAVIS | LINEBACKERS COACH | $500,000 | $500,000 | NONE | 1 YEAR |
| GREG STUDRAWA | OFFENSIVE LINE COACH | $410,000 | $500,000 | $90,000 | 1 YEAR |
| TAVER JOHNSON | CORNERBACKS COACH | NEW HIRE | $345,000 | NEW HIRE | 2 YEARS |
| ZACH SMITH | WIDE RECEIVERS COACH | $300,000 | $340,000 | $40,000 | 1 YEAR |
All 10 assistant coaches are expected to rank within the top three in salaries at their respective positions within the Big Ten in 2018.
"The reality is we have to compensate people consistent with the expectations and their performance," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said last week. "I am incredibly pleased with the performance of these coaches, year after year, and I’m certain Buckeye Nation is, as well."
Under the terms of the two-year contracts they signed when they were initially hired by Ohio State last year, Day was originally set to make $800,000 in 2018 while Wilson was originally set to make $750,000. The previous contracts of Schiano, Alford, Davis and Smith all expired in January, while Johnson and Studrawa's previous contracts were set to expire in April.
As announced last week during Ohio State's National Signing Day press conference, a two-year contract extension for Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is also in the works that will have him under contract through 2022. That extension has not yet been finalized, however, as the Board of Trustees will vote on it in April.
In total, Ohio State's assistant coaches – which ranked 13th in total salary ($4.485 million) last year – will make $7.06 million in 2018. No school paid its assistant coaches more than $5.995 million last year (Alabama), according to USA TODAY's assistant coach salary database, but other schools' assistant coach payrolls should rise significantly as well with the addition of a 10th assistant coach for all Football Bowl Subdivision schools.
The contracts of Day, Schiano, Larry Johnson, Alford, Davis, Studrawa, Taver Johnson and Smith each include a $100,000 buyout that the coach would be required to pay if the coach chooses to leave Ohio State for any position other than a head coaching position. Wilson's contract has a $50,000 buyout with the same stipulation, while Grinch's does not include a buyout.
As is standard for an Ohio State assistant coach, each coach will also receive a 4.25 percent bonus if the Buckeyes win the Big Ten Championship game; an 8.5 percent bonus if the Buckeyes win the Big Ten East; and a 17 percent bonus if the Buckeyes participate in a New Year's Six bowl game that would become a 21.25 percent bonus if the Buckeyes make the College Football Playoff semifinals or a 25.5 percent bonus if the Buckeyes make the national championship game.
You can see the full term sheets, as obtained by Eleven Warriors through a public records request, for all 10 Ohio State assistant coaches below.
