Editor's Note: This is the first part in a two-part series examining the details of Ohio football coach Frank Solich's contract and the events that preceded his hiring.
Ohio football coach Frank Solich is already the university's second-highest paid employee behind President Roderick McDavis, but bonuses and incentives could send him to No. 1.
According to the term sheet agreed upon by Solich and Director of Athletics Thomas Boeh on Dec. 16, Solich could make as much $434,000 annually should he and his team reach various on-and off-field achievements. Solich will earn a base salary of $240,000 during each of the next five years, though Boeh can adjust it at his discretion, according to the terms sheet.
Solich would earn $12,000 for winning the Mid-American Conference East Division and $24,000 for winning the MAC Championship. A bowl game victory would equate to $24,000, while selection to a Bowl Championship Series game would net Solich $100,000.
Away from the field, Solich would earn $12,000 for graduating between 75 and 85 percent of his players, or $24,000 for graduating 86 percent or more.
He also is slated to make $10,000 annually for a personal services contract for an Ohio Sports Network radio show, with the possibility of a future OSN television show. Solich also can earn additional income from sports camps and an apparel contract, provided it is consistent with Ohio's adidas contract, among other opportunities.
The contract is not yet finalized -details still are being worked out, Boeh said -and there is no projected date of completion. Solich's contract might not be finished until the summer, though. Four years ago, former Ohio football coach Brian Knorr's contract was not finished until six months after his hiring.
Solich, who makes more than any university employee, could easily surpass McDavis' annual $275,000 base salary. Within the athletics department, he earns $78,477 more than men's basketball coach Tim O'Shea. O'Shea's salary for 2004-05 was listed at $161,522.
Is it justified that a football coach on the college level makes more money than whoever? Solich asked. I don't know that I can say you can justify that. All I know is that's how it is
and if the program is successful there can be paybacks.
While Solich is among the highest-paid football coaches within the MAC -Northern Illinois University's Joe Novak earns more than $200,000 before incentives -his salary pales in comparison to some of college football's bigger names.
Oklahoma University's Bob Stoops earns about $2.4 million annually with incentives, and former Louisiana State University coach Nick Saban would have made the same amount next season had he not left to coach the Miami Dolphins. University of Texas' Mack Brown -who, like Solich, was placed by coaching consultant Chuck Neinas -recently signed a 10-year, $25 million contract.
It can be looked at from a lot of different angles Solich said of his salary. There are some things that get done to a program that can bring recognition to a university
and if things are done and your football program is really successful
it can bring money into the (university)
it can bring attention in a positive or in a negative way.
During the 2003 season, Solich's final year at University of Nebraska, he earned a reported $295,010 base salary. He also had a television and radio deal that netted him $345,000. After firing him, Nebraska bought out his contract for $796,693.
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