Ohio State football's assistant coaches net more than $798K in bonuses for Leaders Division title

Urban Meyer isn’t the only Ohio State coach who will benefit financially from the team’s accomplishments this season.

The leader of the Buckeyes’ 12-0 squad received a $150,000 bonus for OSU’s No. 3 ranking in the final Associated Press top 25 poll of the season, but The Lantern has learned that each of Meyer’s assistant coaches will be rewarded as well.

In an email to The Lantern, OSU athletics spokesman Jerry Emig confirmed that all of Meyer’s assistant coaches received a bonus equal to three months of their salary as a result of the Buckeyes winning the Big Ten’s Leaders Division, as stated in their respective contracts.

Meyer gets a $50,000 bonus for the team’s Leaders Division title as well, Emig said. In total, Meyer was paid $4.2 million this season ($4 million salary, $200,000 in bonuses).

OSU co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Luke Fickell received the biggest bonus among the assistants, taking home $187,500 (he makes $750,000 annually). Fellow co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Everett Withers was next in line with $112,500 (he makes $450,000 anually). Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tom Herman followed with $105,000 (he makes $420,000 annually).

Offensive line coach Ed Warinner got $87,500 (annual salary of $350,000), running backs coach Stan Drayton, defensive line coach Mike Vrabel and defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, each received $68,750 (Drayton, Vrabel and Coombs make $275,000 annually), fullbacks and tight ends coach Tim Hinton got $62,500 (annual salary of $250,000) and wide receivers coach Zach Smith got $37,500 (annual salary of $150,000).

Emig could not immediately confirm if the Buckeye football team’s support staff also received bonuses.

In all, OSU shelled out $798,750 to its football team’s assistant coaches in bonuses for winning the Leaders Division, and $998,750 in bonuses including Meyer’s rewards.

The OSU coaching staff (Meyer and his nine assistants) was paid $8.2 million in salary and bonuses for the 2012 season.

Meyer would have received a $200,000 bonus if OSU finished No. 1 or No. 2 in the final AP poll of the season, as stated in his contract, which was revised after OSU learned the football program was ineligible for a bowl due to NCAA sanctions resulting from the “Tattoo-Gate” scandal.

OSU ended its year with a 26-21 victory against Michigan Nov. 24.

Michael Periatt contributed to this story