ATLANTA — Ohio State coach Ryan Day and members of his staff ended their postseason run with nearly $5 million in combined bonuses, according to The Dispatch’s review of contract information.
Day and his 10 primary assistant coaches are due to receive about $4.99 million in incentives from the Buckeyes’ win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff final on Monday night.
While Day is to pick up a $1 million bonus for the national championship, the assistants combine for $3.99 million, an amount equal to 35% of their base salaries.
With six of the 10 assistants earning seven-figures as their basic compensation, the postseason incentives add up.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly see bonuses worth as much as $770,000 and $700,000, respectively. Brian Hartline, the co-offensive coordinator who coaches the wide receivers, is to bring in $560,000.
Their bonus maximums had also risen last offseason, allowing them to receive incentives for winning a national title for the first time.
Prior to the new incentive structure added to their contracts, they had been eligible only for bonuses for reaching the championship game. The previous playoff maximum for assistants was an amount equal to 25.5% of their base salaries and $350,000 for Day.
The bonuses, which are worth at least six-figures, added to a staff that is already as highly compensated as any in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
No other FBS public school dedicated as much money toward its primary assistants this season, according to USA TODAY Sports’ annual survey of assistant coaching salaries, a salary pool that reached nearly $11.43 million in guaranteed compensation.
Ohio State was the only public school to retain two assistants making at least $2 million. The base salaries for Knowles and Kelly were worth $2.2 million and $2 million.
Day is also one of the highest-paid head coaches, among seven coaches earning at least $10 million. His total earnings for his contract years reached $10.02 million.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ryan Day, assistants add bonuses for Ohio State football CFP crown
