Ohio State assistant coaches Greg Schiano and Ryan Day were both at the center of job rumors this offseason, but both ended up choosing to stay with the Buckeyes. Today, they were richly rewarded for those decisions.
OSU announced Wednesday that Schiano’s pay was going to more than double from $700,000 to $1.5 million in 2018. He signed a one-year deal. Day has a new three-year contract that will give him a raise from $600,000 to $1 million per season.
This is the first time in program history that an assistant coach will make a million dollars or more per season. Eight of the Buckeyes’ 10 assistants will earn at least a half-million dollars in 2018.
New defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will earn $800,000 per year on his two-year contract. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who was the subject of retirement rumors last month, signed a new two-year deal as well.
Running backs coach Tony Alford also received a two-year contract. All of the other extensions were for just one year.
The only returning assistant who did not receive a raise this offseason was linebackers coach Billy Davis.
“The reality is we have to compensate people consistent with the expectations and their performance,” OSU 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.”
Last week, Smith announced that he was working on two-year contract extension for head coach Urban Meyer. That would keep him at Ohio State through the 2022 season.
The complete list of salaries for all assistant football coaches is below.
Ohio State Assistant Coaching Staff Salaries and Increases for 2018
- Greg Schiano – $700,000 in 2017 to $1,500,000 in 2018: $800,000 increase
- Ryan Day – $400,000 in 2017 to $1,000,000 in 2018: $600,000 increase
- Kevin Wilson – $650,000 in 2017 to $800,000 in 2018: $150,000 increase
- Alex Grinch – $800,000 in 2018
- Larry Johnson – $575,225 in 2017 to $750,000 in 2018; $174,775 increase
- Tony Alford – $450,000 in 2017 to $525,000 in 2018; $75,000 increase
- Bill Davis – $500,000 in 2017; $500,000 in 2018
- Greg Studrawa – $410,000 in 2017 to $500,000 in 2018; $90,000 increase
- Taver Johnson – $345,000 in 2018
- Zach Smith – $300,000 in 2017 to $340,000 in 2018; $40,000 increase
Defensive coordinator getting a raise after giving up 55 points to Iowa with a completely unprepared defensive squad and no halftime adjustments which essentially cost the Buckeyes a shot at the CFP? Most of us fans would be fired from our jobs for that kind of outcome. Hope the extra cash to coaches helps them take the game prep more seriously otherwise OSU may need to switch to pay for performance and structure pay scale based on outcomes
I’m a bit surprised that Day makes more than Wilson…also to date we are getting short changed with Day…he hasn’t earned that type of pay in my book.
Only LJ deserves that kind of money and he makes way less
I think L. Johnson is underpaid.
Zack Smith is dirt poor!
Insert “whistling” sound here- wow!