Ryan Day could make up to $1.55 million in bonuses this season if Ohio State wins the national championship.
The Board of Trustees’ Talent, Governance and Compensation Committee approved a contract amendment on Wednesday that updated the bonus structure in Day’s contract to reflect the College Football Playoff’s expansion to 12 teams.
Per the contract amendment, which still must be approved by the full Board of Trustees on Thursday, Day would receive a $1 million bonus if Ohio State wins the national championship. Just making the CFP would net Day a $100,000 bonus; that bonus increases to $250,000 if Ohio State makes it to the second round of the CFP, $350,000 if OSU makes the CFP semifinals and $500,000 if the Buckeyes make the national championship game, doubling from there if OSU wins it all.
Day would receive an additional $250,000 bonus if the Buckeyes win the Big Ten Championship Game. Making it to the Big Ten Championship Game but losing in Indianapolis would award Day a $50,000 bonus.
Ohio State’s sixth-year head coach is also eligible for a $50,000 bonus if he wins Big Ten coach of the year honors and a $100,000 bonus if he wins national coach of the year honors. He is also eligible to receive a bonus for the team’s academic performance; a $50,000 bonus for a team GPA of 3.0 increases to $100,000 if the team earns a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better or $150,000 if the team earns a GPA of 3.5 or better.
Day’s contract amendment does not include a salary increase. His pay was increased to $9.96 million last year, while he also received a $250,000 retention bonus at the end of January that increased his total compensation to more than $10 million.
Four other Ohio State athletics coaches did receive new contracts on Wednesday.
Ohio State women’s basketball coach Kevin McGuff received a two-year contract extension through 2028 and a 3.25% merit increase, bringing his salary to $1,111,383.
Men’s tennis coach Ty Tucker received a three-year contract extension through 2029 and a 14.85% increase in base salary to $390,000.
Women’s volleyball coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg received a two-year contract extension through 2027 and a 32.48% increase in base salary to $400,000.
Wrestling coach Tom Ryan received a two-year contract extension through 2027 and a 5% base salary increase to $446,500.
