Football: Tressel’s Contract Revised – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has agreed to contract revisions that will make him the highest-paid football coach in the Big Ten Conference, OSU director of athletics Gene Smith announced Friday morning.
Under the amended contract, Tressel’s compensation increase will be phased in during the current year and will be $3.5 million next year, more than $1 million annually than the previous agreement. He will receive annual increases of 3-4% over the remainder of the term. Tressel is under contract at Ohio State until January 31, 2013.
“Because of our overwhelming regard for Coach Tressel’s contributions to Ohio State and our football program, we made a commitment toward keeping him No. 1 in the Big Ten and among the top ranks of coaches nationally, and this revision achieves that goal,” said Smith. “Based upon known compensation figures, this agreement will place him in the Top 10 nationally among collegiate coaches.”
“It is incredible the commitment that Dr. Gee and Gene Smith have made to us,” said Tressel. “There is no place in the world we would rather be, and we will work very hard to serve Ohio State. The goal that Ellen and I have is to make sure these blessings make a difference to others.”
The new agreement also updates language in a number of other areas, including youth summer camps, termination for cause provisions, jet hours for recruiting and personal usage, and other items in conjunction with the amended compensation package. As head coach, Tressel is provided opportunities for additional compensation from sources outside the University. All coaching salaries are paid entirely through athletics department funds; no public funds are used.
Tressel begins his eighth season as head coach of the Buckeyes; he holds a 73-16 record at OSU, and is one of only four active coaches to have more than 200 career wins (208-73-2). His OSU teams have played in three national championship games, winning the 2002 national title, and his Buckeyes have earned four Big Ten titles. Eleven of his players have been first-round NFL draft picks, and Tressel has coached 44 first team all-Big Ten players and 153 Big Ten all-academic selections.
