SOONERS GIVE RILEY BIG RAISE
The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a raise and a contract extension for Lincoln Riley, paying him $25 million over five seasons.
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione isn’t waiting for other programs to seriously court Lincoln Riley before giving his head football coach a raise.
The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a raise and a contract extension for Riley, paying him $25 million over five seasons, through 2023. Riley's contract averages out to $5 million per year.
“I think all the superlatives have applied,” Castiglione said, describing Riley’s first season as head coach. “It’s a much more difficult transition for a new coach, especially a coach that’s a head coach for the first time. I don’t think that can ever be undervalued. It seems like he just fit, and we moved forward without any concerns.”
In his first year, Riley steered Oklahoma to another Big 12 conference title, as well as its second College Football Playoff berth.
Riley will make $4.8 million in his second year as OU’s head coach, up from $3.8 million in his first. His total compensation will increase $100,000 every year on Feb. 1.
Part of that compensation is a $500,000 annual stay bonus that Riley will receive on June 1 of each contract year that he's still employed at OU. He'll also get an additional $500,000 annually in supplemental retirement income.
The new raise will make him the fourth-highest paid head coach in the Big 12 behind Tom Herman, Mike Gundy and Gary Patterson. Riley’s salary will also make him one of the top-15 highest paid college coaches nationally.
The proactive approach with Riley’s contract is similar to the one Castiglione used to keep
Bob Stoops around for 18 years. Prior to his retirement, Stoops received a seven-year, $34.5-million deal in 2011. He received a two-year extension in 2013, and another in 2016 with a raise.
“I just think our blueprint is really good, but we don't ever sit still,” Castiglione said. “We're always looking at what it is that we need to do to get better."
Riley isn’t the only member of the OU football staff to receive a raise and an extension.
Defensive coordinator Mike Stoops received a $30,000 raise for $900,000 in annual total compensation. He'll also receive a $50,000 annual stay benefit on May 1, 2019 if he's still employed with the university.
Offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh was given $90,000 raise, pushing his total yearly compensation to $625,000. Fellow cooffensive coordinator Cale Gundy received a $70,000 raise for $500,000 in annual compensation.
Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Jay Boulware received a $35,000 raise, making his total compensation $435,000 annually.
Defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks got a $25,000 boost for a total annual compensation of $500,000, while assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach Ruffin McNeill got a $10,000 raise for a total annual compensation of $570,000.
Linebackers coach Tim Kish received a $30,000 raise. He'll make $400,000 for the 2018 season. With a raise of $50,000, wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons will also make $400,000 annually.
Defensive ends coach Calvin Thibodeaux will make $320,000 annually thanks to an increase of $50,000.
With the raises, Oklahoma is spending $5.135 million on the salaries of its 10 assistants in the upcoming year.
Stoops, Bedenbaugh, Gundy, Boulware, Cooks and McNeill all received contract extensions through Jan. 31, 2020. Kish, Simmons and Thibodeaux all received one-year extensions, good through Jan. 31, 2019.
“In our case,” Castiglione said, “we’ve tried to be as proactive in thinking about where Oklahoma should be in the marketplace — where we can afford to be, what we can support and what’s representative of our program; and realize that just the compensation to individuals is only part of the investment we make in our program. There’s a lot of other things that go along with it.”
Sooners add Stroud to replace McMillen in football operations
After holding a variety of positions at the university since 1992, Clarke Stroud is going to try something else.
Stroud, the current OU Vice President for Student Affairs, will take over as director of football operations on July 1.
“He served the university in an enormous way and has been by far, the most effective and popular Vice President of Student Affairs that I’ve ever been associated with,” Castiglione said. “His skill-set is ridiculous and off-the-charts. He’s been incredible. From the little bit that I can understand, he may be ready for something different.”
Stroud, who will make $155,000 annually, replaces longtime program aide Matt McMillen after his retirement on June 7. In his new role, Stroud will have many behind-the-scenes duties. McMillen was responsible for coordinating team travel and team meals, among other things.
“It’ll be fun to have him in the department,” Castiglione said, pausing and laughing. “Probably a lot of fun to have him in the department.”
Castiglione: No plans for general admission alcohol sales
Oklahoma won’t be selling alcohol to general admission fans at any of its stadiums anytime soon.
Though schools across the NCAA — including in the Big 12 — have expanded alcohol sales beyond premium ticket holders, OU is still restricting those sales to areas like the suites and club seats at Memorial Stadium.
“Outside of the premium areas, we don’t have any plans to offer alcohol at this time,” Castiglione said. “I certainly recognize what’s being discussed, planned and executed on campuses — even in the Big 12, even in our home state. I’m tracking all of that. At this moment, I don’t have any more of an answer.”
Castiglione also shot down the idea of beginning with alcohol sales at other on-campus venues like the baseball stadium or Lloyd Noble Center.
“We’ve looked at it all,” he said. “At this point, don’t have any plans to move forward to changing our approach.”