OSU staff gets raises

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has always wanted his staff well compensated for what it does. On Monday, Gundy’s appreciation was reflected with a financial bump for several key members of the football program.

STILLWATER — Among the concerns for Oklahoma State football coach Mike

Gundy through the negotiation of his eventual five-year contract extension was pay for his assistant coaches and support staff.

“They work the same hours we do,” he told The

Oklahoman in April. Now, Gundy’s appreciation is being reflected with a financial bump for several key members of the OSU football program.

It has been allotted an increase of more than $330,000 in assistant coaching pay, a university spokesman confirmed. The changes are as follows for seven of OSU’s nine fulltime assistant coaches:

•Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich: $500,000 to $600,000 — $100,000 increase •Defensive coordinator

Glenn Spencer: $600,000 to 675,000 — $75,000 increase •Safeties coach Dan

Hammerschmidt: $275,000 to $325,000 — $50,000 increase •Cowboy backs coach

Jason McEndoo: $225,000 to $275,000 — $50,000 increase •Defensive line coach Joe

Bob Clements: $364,652 to $400,000 — $35,348 increase •Receivers coach Kasey

Dunn: $325,000 to $360,000 — $35,000 increase •Cornerbacks coach Tim

Duffie: $339,347 to $356,314 — $16,967 increase

•Two OSU assistant coaches are on first-year contracts: Running backs coach John Wozniak ($250,000) and offensive line coach Josh Henson ($400,000).

In all, OSU is set to spend $3,641,314 on assistant salaries in 2017 — up $332,315 from a year ago ($3,308,999).

That doesn’t include financial bumps for several support staff members, including strength and conditioning coach Rob Glass, whose salary increased from $395,000 to $425,000. Team analysts Bill Clay, Brian

VanGorder and A.J. Ricker will each bring in $50,000.

Six team employees — assistant director of football recruiting Mike

Groce, director of recruiting Johnny Barr, assistant director of operations Rod

Johnson, player development coach Beni Tonga, video coordinator Zack

Ramsey, and director of creative services Chris Deal — received salary increases ranging from 6.7 percent to 16.9 percent, according to financial records provided by university spokesman

Gary Shutt.

“I’m responsible for the people that work here,” Gundy said in April. “If we’re not providing the resources to the best of our ability, then I feel like we’re getting cheated. Not me. All these people out here. There’s about 200 people in this organization; 135 players, and there’s about 60 or staff or so. They’re all relying on me trying to do everything I can to give us the best opportunity to do what we want to do. And I know what’s important. If I can’t keep these coaches here, I’m not as good a coach.”

It matches the sentiment expressed by OSU President Burns Hargis in June when asked about the need for competitive compensation within the football program to compete with the rest of the Big 12.

“Gundy deserves that,” Hargis said. “He’s the second-winningest coach in the Big 12 over the last several years. He certainly deserves that recognition and compensation. As far as recruiting budget, I think we’ve always wanted to be competitive on that. You’re shooting yourself in the foot if you’re not competitive in recruiting. I think we’ve always been on that page. As far as getting Coach Gundy’s salary more competitive in the league and in the country, I think we’ve done that.”

Rudolph, Washington named to Maxwell Award watch list

OSU quarterback Mason Rudolph and receiver James

Washington have been named to the watch list for the 2017 Maxwell Award, given annually to the college football’s Player of the Year regardless of position, it was announced Monday.

The senior OSU duo makes up two of a dozen Big 12 representatives on the list among 85 players nationally. The Cowboys are just one of 17 programs nationally with multiple players on the list.

Rudolph currently boasts a 22-6 career record as a starter following a 2016 season where he led the country in touchdown-tointerception ratio (28:4). He owns 11 program records.

Washington is one of just three OSU players in history with 10 or more receiving touchdowns in multiple years, in addition to Justin

Blackmon and Rashaun Woods. His 26 career receiving touchdowns are most among active FBS players entering 2017.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award are set to be announced Oct. 30. The winner will be named Dec. 7.