COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a successful first year as Ohio State's head coach, Ryan Day is in for a raise after leading the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Championship and into the College Football Playoff in 2019.
On Tuesday morning it was announced that the reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year is in line for a three-year extension that will have him under contract through the 2026 season. The Ohio State Board of Trustees is expected to vote this deal into effect later this week.
Of course, everyone wants to know what the dollar figures are and there will be a steady increase for Day as the deal goes on. The years of 2023 through 2026 (all compensation beyond 2/1/23) will be determined by the Director of Athletics and the Board of Trustees.
Day initially signed a deal with Ohio State for $4.5-million and the Ohio State head coach will continue to be paid at that rate until July 1st, 2020. After that date his annual rate will move up to $6-million per year through 1/31/21.
“Ryan Day’s management of this football program, from mentoring and leading our student-athletes in their academic pursuits and off-field endeavors to coaching them on the playing field, has been exceptional,” Director of Athletics, Gene Smith said via a press release. “I am appreciative of his work. And I want to thank President Michael V. Drake for his leadership and the Board of Trustees for its work with this extension.”
As head coach, the Buckeyes went 13-1 last season and there were three additional wins where Day was at the helm during the Urban Meyer-era, moving Day's record to 16-1 as a head coach. Off the field, Ohio State had a 987 Academic Progress Rate (APR) score, which was not only good for No. 2 overall in the Big Ten but also saw the Buckeyes earning a national public recognition award, just one of 14 Division I-FBS programs to do so.
At this time there is no work on any adjustments to potential bonuses that Day could be in line for, be it for on-field or off-field success of the team. In 2019 there was a maximum bonus of $800-thousand available.
The slated $5.375-million still would have Day behind Big Ten counterparts Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Jeff Brohm (Purdue) and James Franklin (Penn State) in terms of compensation based on their 2019 reported salaries as part of the USA Today coaching salary database, not taking the retirement contribution into account.
But Day's salary will fall more in lines as the years go on, and once we get to 2023 and beyond, the belief is that Day should be at the top of the conference in terms of total compensation.
We will update this story as more details become available.
