Matta: $11.2 Million Tressel: $17.4 Million ; Ohio State Football, Hoops Coaches Among League Leaders in Pay Packages

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Gene Smith has three things on his checklist when negotiating a new contract with a coach. The Ohio State athletic director needs to know that the coach wants to be at the school, what interests the coach most and that the relationship between the two is strong. "After we do that and decide the business principles," Smith said, "we turn it over to the attorneys and get out of the way." The process has been good to Ohio State coaches lately, not to mention their boss. A Dayton Daily News review of contracts for athletic directors and football and men's basketball coaches in the Big Ten Conference shows that not only do Jim Tressel and Thad Matta have favorable money figures in their deals, but the structures -- with raises already defined -- are unique. Tressel, OSU's football coach, received a seven-year extension last spring until January 2013 that will bring him at least $17.4 million through the life of the contract. Men's basketball coach Matta will earn at least $9.2 million on the six remaining years of his deal until June 2012. His eight-year contract will pay him at least $11.2 million. Smith earns $450,000 in base salary as part of a deal that runs until April 2012, and he's eligible for a three-year extension in April. Of the nine Big Ten schools subject to public records laws (Northwestern and Penn State are excluded), only Wisconsin has an athletic director, Barry Alvarez, who has a larger base salary ($500,000). Tressel ($450,000 base salary) makes more than the conference average for football coaches ($326,000), but Matta ($245,000) trails the average for men's basketball coaches ($303,000). Both have other compensation built in to make their contracts two of the best in the Big Ten. Smith said the coaches have earned their large compensation with successes -- a national championship for Tressel and an NCAA tournament appearance for Matta. "Those two have great integrity, and they run programs that you know will be run the right way," Smith said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@Dayton DailyNews.com Thad Matta, OSU basketball coach 2006-07 base salary: $245,000 2011-12 base salary: $390,000 2006-07 TV, radio, PR, apparel and camp money: $645,000 2011-12 TV, radio, PR, apparel and camp money: $950,000 Total compensation for remaining years: $9.2 million Sample perk: 30 men's basketball season tickets and 12

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Matta: $11.2 Million Tressel: $17.4 Million ; Ohio State Football, Hoops Coaches Among League Leaders in Pay Packages

football season tickets. Assist...

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