Four of Ohio State's returning assistant coaches received raises this offseason.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson will now be paid $1.4 million – which means he and defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs are now tied for the highest-paid assistant coaches on Ryan Day's staff – while wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, linebackers coach Al Washington and secondary coach Matt Barnes will each be paid $600,000 in 2021, per their new contracts obtained by Eleven Warriors through a public records request on Wednesday.
Wilson previously had a salary of $1.2 million in 2020, while Hartline made $550,000, Washington made $515,000 and and Barnes made $450,000 last season.
Notably, Washington's raise comes after he turned down an offer to become the defensive coordinator at Tennessee, which reportedly offered him more than a million dollars. Barnes' raise comes as he makes the move to a new role as secondary coach after previously serving as special teams coordinator.
New special teams coordinator Parker Fleming, who was previously a quality control coach, will make $300,000 in his first year as a full-time assistant coach. He and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis will be the lowest-paid full-time assistant coaches in 2021.
Coombs, Dennis, defensive line coach Larry Johnson, offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and running backs coach Tony Alford did not receive raises this offseason, though Alford is now under contract until 2023 after signing a two-year contract extension. Alford, Washington and Fleming are all now signed until 2023, while the rest of the assistant coaches’ contracts will expire next year.
| Coach | Title | 2020 Salary | 2021 Salary | Increase | Contract End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KERRY COOMBS | DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR | $1,400,000 | $1,400,000 | N/A | 2022 |
| KEVIN WILSON | OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/TIGHT ENDS COACH | $1,200,000 | $1,400,000 | $200,000 | 2022 |
| LARRY JOHNSON | ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE LINE COACH | $1,133,000 | $1,133,000 | N/A | 2022 |
| GREG STUDRAWA | OFFENSIVE LINE COACH | $700,000 | $700,000 | N/A | 2022 |
| TONY ALFORD | ASST. HEAD COACH FOR OFFENSE/RUNNING BACKS COACH | $618,000 | $618,000 | N/A | 2023 |
| BRIAN HARTLINE | WIDE RECEIVERS COACH | $550,000 | $600,000 | $50,000 | 2022 |
| AL WASHINGTON | LINEBACKERS COACH | $515,000 | $600,000 | $85,000 | 2023 |
| MATT BARNES | SECONDARY COACH | $450,000 | $600,000 | $150,000 | 2022 |
| COREY DENNIS | QUARTERBACKS COACH | $300,000 | $300,000 | N/A | 2022 |
| PARKER FLEMING | SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR | $68,958 | $300,000 | $231,042 | 2023 |
Altogether, Ohio State's 10 assistant coaches are set to make just over $7.65 million in 2021 – a slight decrease from 2020, when Ohio State's coaches were set to make $8 million. Former co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, who retired in February, made $1.133 million last year, and Fleming takes his place on staff at a significantly cheaper salary.
That said, all contracted employees in the football program took 5 percent pay cuts in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budget cuts within the athletic department. Ohio State's football coaches and staffers are expected to receive their full salaries in 2021.
Director of player personnel Mark Pantoni and general manager of football operations Brian Voltolini also signed new one-year contracts this offseason. Voltolini will be paid $244,715 while Pantoni will be paid $225,000 in 2021, which are unchanged salaries from 2020.
Day, who remains on the same contract extension he signed last year, will make $6.5 million in 2021.
