Yurcich top-paid assistant in OSU history

When Mike Yurcich left Division II Shippensburg to become Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator, he was little known and relatively little paid.

He's now the highest-paid assistant in OSU history. Yurcich will make $800,000 in 2018, according to a report from the Tulsa World's Mark Cooper. Yurcich made $600,000 a season ago, more than 10 times the $52,500 he earned in 2012, his final season at Shippensburg.

An $800,000 salary would've tied Yurcich for the 29th-highest-paid assistant in college football in 2017, while he would've been the fourth-highest-paid assistant in the Big 12, per the USA Today coaches salary database.

The Oklahoman previously reported new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will earn $600,000 next season, while Greg Richmond, the added 10th assistant who will help coach defensive linemen, will receive $200,000.

Each of the Cowboys' seven other assistants also received pay increases, an arguing point for coach Mike Gundy in his previous contract negotiations. In all, OSU's 10 assistants will receive $4.15 million in 2018, per the Tulsa World. In 2017, nine assistants collectively made a bit over $3.6 million.

Defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements and offensive line coach Josh Henson saw their salaries increase by $20,000 to $420,000. Receivers coach Kasey Dunn received a $50,000 increase to $410,000. Cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie's compensation rose by $18,686 to

$375,000.

Safeties coach Dan Hammerschmidt, Cowboy backs coach Jason McEndoo and running backs coach John Wozniak received raises of $25,000 to bump their salaries to $350,000, $300,000 and $275,000, respectively.

Increases in assistant salaries have been a continuing trend in college and in Stillwater. When Yurcich joined the Cowboys in 2013, he made $400,000, as he did again in 2014 and 2015. He received raises

of $100,000 each of the next two seasons before being bumped up by double that this year.

Glenn Spencer, the Cowboys' defensive coordinator the previous five seasons, earned $462,000 in 2013, also his first year as coordinator. After receiving $550,000 the next two years, Spencer had salaries of $600,000 and $675,000 in his final two seasons with the Cowboys.

Spencer's contract was not renewed after last season and Gundy replaced him with Knowles, formerly Duke's defensive coordinator.

Gundy will be paid $5 million in 2018.