Ohio State assistant football coaches get big bonuses
![Ohio State defensive assistant coaches Al Washington, right, and Greg Mattison. [Adam Cairns]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/2020/01/06/NBUX/ghows-OH-181497ca-7ae5-44a0-a50a-962433eee317-3eb5ab7f.jpeg?width=660&height=548&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Ohio State’s 10 on-field assistant football coaches are eligible to receive nearly $2.5 million in combined performance bonuses after the Buckeyes reached the College Football Playoff last month.
Defensive co-coordinator Greg Mattison is due $374,000 in bonuses, the most among the group, according to copies of their contracts obtained by The Dispatch through a public-records request. With a base salary worth $1.1 million, Mattison is the Buckeyes’ highest-paid assistant.
Jeff Hafley, who coordinated the defense with Mattison and coached defensive backs, as well as offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich are each to receive $323,000 in bonuses.
In the aftermath of the loss to Clemson in the playoff semifinals, Hafley and Yurcich are no longer on the coaching staff, leaving for other jobs. Hafley is the head coach at Boston College, and Yurcich was hired Texas’ offensive coordinator a day after the season-ending defeat.
The bonuses for the assistants equaled 34 percent of their annual base compensation, with 21.25 percent of the amount tied to a semifinal appearance, plus 8.5 percent given for a Big Ten East title and 4.25 percent awarded for a win in the conference championship game.
Their combined total in bonuses is $2,463,300.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson is to receive $306,000 in bonuses, while running backs coach Tony Alford and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa see $204,000.
Among the rest of the staff, linebackers coach Al Washington Jr. is owed $170,000, with $119,000 set for special teams coordinator Matt Barnes and $117,300 for wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day ended the season with $450,000 in bonuses. His annual salary, including base compensation and supplemental compensation, is worth $4.5 million.
Had Ohio State reached the national championship game on Jan. 13, Day was eligible to receive another $100,000 in bonuses, while the assistants were up to receive another 4.25 percent of their base salary.
According to USA Today’s database of assistant coaches salaries, Ohio State had the third-highest paid staff in the nation at $7.2 million, trailing Alabama ($7.5 million) and Clemson ($7.4 million).
jkaufman@dispatch.com
@joeyrkaufman