Ryan Day’s place among highest paid coaches in college football continues to rise
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We always look forward to the coaching salary database being released by USA TODAY, and we got our first peek at that on Thursday. It outlines all the head coaching salaries for public university schools and that of course includes Ohio State. It must be noted that private schools do not have to release the information, so places like Vanderbilt and Boston College don’t have to disclose coaching salaries.
Former Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer was always among the highest-paid in his profession, but Ryan Day had to kind of work his way up the list. He’s done exactly that with the results on and off the field (which aren’t talked about enough) and now sits among some of the elite when it comes to head coaching salaries among college football coaches.
In fact, according to the database, Day is at or near the top of the highest-paid Big Ten coaches, with a bit of a caveat. Last season, both James Franklin and Jim Harbaugh brought home more bacon, but that changed this past season. We all know that Mr. Khakis took a significant pay cut with his new contract, and Penn State did not release contract information on any cuts made because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Franklin’s original terms of a new contract are scheduled to pay him $7 Million per year that includes an annual $1 Million split life-insurance loan (it’s complicated).
In 2016, there were 7 college football head coaches making at least $5 million. This year, there are 21.
In 2016, there were 20 coaches making at least $4 million. This year, there are 38.https://t.co/DWT5hBOGkY pic.twitter.com/a5JRypDmfV
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) October 14, 2021
Regardless, Day’s $6,614,693* is the ninth-highest salary of any college football head coach that was appropriately reported. It makes him presumptively the second-highest paid in the Big Ten (see previous note about James Franklin).
To say that it is deserving is an understatement. Day’s leadership in times of trouble with the pandemic, his focus on mental health, the academics, and his results on the field are unquestioned. He’s one of the bright stars of the game and you could make a case very easily that he shouldn’t be behind Franklin (life insurance “loan” or not) when it comes to compensation or some of the others on the list ahead of him nationally.
Give it time, and that’s almost certain to change.
