After going 38-3 in three seasons and winning the 2014 national championship, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was rewarded with a lucrative contract extension on Monday.
According to the university, Meyer’s contract has been extended through 2020 and will pay him an average of $6.5 million per year over the next six years. Those figures make him the highest-paid head coach in the Big Ten.
"Urban Meyer has done an excellent job strengthening our culture of commitment to academics, career development and winning championships," athletic director Gene Smith said.
"Our young men continue to thrive under his leadership, whether on the playing field where they are national champions, through life skills pursuits like Real Life Wednesdays, internships and job fairs, and academically through program-wide efforts to monitor the progress of every student-athlete which has helped the team achieve its highest graduation success rate at 78 percent. Additionally, he continues to develop his coaches and attract talented leaders when needed."
Meyer would have made $4.9 million in 2015 on his old deal, but that has been bumped up to $5.8 million. Meyer’s contract calls for annual raises in each of the following years.
“I am honored to serve as football coach at The Ohio State University and to represent this great university,” Meyer said. “It is a privilege to coach and mentor the young men in this program, and I want to thank President Drake and Mr. Smith for their support and trust in me.”
Meyer has a 142-26 overall record (including a perfect 24-0 in Big Ten regular season play) in his 13 seasons as a head coach at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State.
His .845 winning percentage makes him the winningest coach in college football among active FBS coaches with at least 10 years of experience at the Division I level.
The Buckeyes will play their spring game on Saturday.
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