Ohio State’s return to the Big Ten football championship game triggers bonus pay for the coaches and staff.
Coach Ryan Day and top assistants and staff personnel are set to receive more than $1 million for reaching the title game, according to contract information reviewed by The Dispatch.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDay is due $50,000 for an appearance, while members of his staff, which encompasses strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti, general manager Mark Pantoni and chief of staff Quinn Tempel in addition to the 10 countable assistant coaches, are owed amounts equal to 8% of their base salaries, totaling $1.18 million in incentives.
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9.The Buckeyes clinched a berth in the conference title game with their 27-9 win at Michigan on Nov. 29.
Matt Patricia, who replaced Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator last offseason and is the Buckeyes’ highest-paid assistant, picks up the largest bonus at $200,000.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThree other assistants are due six-figure bonuses, with offensive coordinator and wide receivers Brian Hartline at $160,000, co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Tim Walton at $144,000 and defensive line coach Larry Johnson at $112,000.
Among the rest of the assistant coaches, offensive line coach Tyler Bowen and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri earn $72,000, co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and running backs Carlos Locklyn $52,000, linebackers coach James Laurinaitis $40,000 and quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler $38,000. Marotti adds $80,000, Pantoni $72,000 and Tempel $36,000.
The bonuses, which are due within 60 days of the title game, are in addition to base salaries that are some of the highest in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Day is the second-highest paid coach behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart after an extension last February raised his annual base compensation to $12.5 million.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Buckeyes face fellow unbeaten Indiana in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 6, their first appearance since 2020. If they win, the coaches are eligible to claim additional bonuses.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at [email protected] and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football coaches to see bonuses for Big Ten title berth
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