USA TODAY International Edition
5 bonuses in play for coaches
No matter how much money majorcollege athletics coaches make in basic compensation, there’s almost always an opportunity for them to make more through bonuses.
Here is a look at some of the incentives available to men’s basketball coaches this season, as detailed in contracts obtained by USA TODAY.
Triple play
Kevin Keatts, in his first season at North Carolina State, has one set of goals that can trigger a contract extension, another that can trigger increases in future annual pay and still another that offers one-time payouts this season. Certain achievements have a triple impact. For instance, an NCAA tournament appearance this season would result in a oneyear contract extension, a $100,000 pay increase beginning next season and a $10,000 or $25,000 payment in June depending on whether the Wolfpack open in the First Four or in the Round of 64.
There are a variety of other combinations also involving Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament play, plus better outcomes for advancing in the NCAA tournament, although he can’t gain a contract extension of more than two years in any one season.
Good basketball; good citizens
Colorado’s Tad Boyle can cumulatively pick up bonuses for hitting any, or all, of a series of four regular-season win bench marks: 15, basically a winning season ($30,000); 17 ($20,000); 19 ($30,000) and 21 ($30,000).
If the Buffaloes don’t make the NCAA tournament, Boyle can get $30,000 if they play in the NIT and another $75,000 if they win the NIT.
In non-basketball matters, Boyle can get up to $75,000 a year, based on the athletics director’s determination of success in three areas (the evaluations are made over two separate six-month periods, with Boyle able to get up to $25,000 a year in each area):
Players’ academic progress toward graduation.
Players’ “welfare and development … including citizenship and support for the Basketball Program engendered” from school’s students.
Development of the program’s “outreach, culture and reputation on campus; integration and support of campus communities; community involvement and development of community support for the … Program; national leadership in athletics; and coach and staff citizenship.”
Beat Missouri or Indiana
Illinois’ Brad Underwood can get $15,000 for any victory against Missouri or Indiana, up to $45,000 a season. (Illinois beat Missouri but lost to Indiana this season.)
$5,000 richer
New Mexico State’s Chris Jans can get $2,500 for each regular-season win against New Mexico or Texas-El Paso. (The Aggies went 2-0 against both of those teams this season).
Purdue payday
It’s not often that a university president will have to make a contemporaneous decision about a coach’s bonus, but that would be the case for Mitch Daniels if Purdue advances to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight. According to coach Matt Painter’s contract, if the Boilermakers get that far, the school will pay him “an amount determined by the University’s President in consultation with the Athletic Director,” provided that the payment must be at least $94,896.
Painter also can get a bonus that is based on a combination of the team’s cumulative grade-point average, its finish in the Big Ten Conference regularseason standings and how many games it wins in the NCAA tournament.