Bonuses for Ferentz, staff exceed $2 million
Record season boosts Iowa coaches' pay 14 percent
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz pumps his fist after a made field goal during the fourth quarter of their NCAA football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)
Scott Dochterman
The Gazette
More stories from Scott
Jan 12, 2016 at 3:07 pm
IOWA CITY — Iowa’s No. 9 finish in the final Associated Press football poll means big money to Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz and his coaching staff.
Ferentz picked up $1 million in bonuses for his team reaching both on-field and academic goals this season. He earned $250,000 for finishing in the top 10, $250,000 for reaching a New Year’s Six bowl game and $250,000 for an unbeaten regular season. By claiming national coach of the year honors (two different awards), Ferentz earned $100,000. He also obtained $50,000 for winning the Big Ten’s coach of the year award and $100,000 for his team producing a graduation rate exceeding 70 percent.
Iowa ended the season with a school-record 12 wins and advanced to its first Rose Bowl since 1990.
Ferentz’s assistant coaches also gained financially from Iowa’s 12-2 season. Ferentz’s nine assistants, top two strength coaches, director of football operations and quality control director each received a one-month salary bonus for the Big Ten title game berth plus a bonus 2.5 times their monthly salary for the Rose Bowl nod. Those bonuses total nearly $1.15 million.
Additionally, Ferentz’s eight remaining assistants — linebackers coach Jim Reid left Iowa for Boston College — plus strength coach Chris Doyle and director of football operations Paul Federici all receive 14 percent raises, per Ferentz’s contract. That adds another $474,237 in salary increases, not counting Reid’s replacement.
According to figures provided to The Gazette via an open-records request, Doyle, defensive coordinator Phil Parker and offensive coordinator Greg Davis made $515,036 last season. At 14 percent, their salaries boost to $587,141 next fall. Offensive line coach Brian Ferentz and defensive line coach Reese Morgan each made $317,500. Iowa’s four other assistants had salaries ranging from $305,000 to $200,000. Reid, who has more than 40 years of coaching experience, was third at $335,000.
Iowa also disperses a bonus pool of $175,000 for assistants and other football personnel at Ferentz’s discretion. The team’s trainer, video coordinator, equipment manager and travel coordinator are eligible for payment in that pool.
Ferentz’s contract expires after the 2019 season. Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said he has not yet discussed an extension with Ferentz.
“He has a great contract. I think that’s been proven to be the case over the years,” Barta told The Gazette on Tuesday. “He’s the coach we’ve wanted over the years and still want, but we haven’t talked anything specific. I think we had some conversations, but now they’re going into recruiting. It’s one of those topics that’s important but not urgent.
“We’ll get through our recruiting process and not just in terms of contracts, but Kirk and I will always sit down and say, ‘What is it that this program needs to continue to be successful?’ Some of it might be contracts, some of it might be facilities, some of it might be other recruiting resources. Whatever it is, we have a conversation holistically.”
Iowa ended the season ranked in the top 10 for the fifth time under Ferentz.
l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com
Record season boosts Iowa coaches' pay 14 percent
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz pumps his fist after a made field goal during the fourth quarter of their NCAA football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)
Scott Dochterman
The Gazette
More stories from Scott
Jan 12, 2016 at 3:07 pm
IOWA CITY — Iowa’s No. 9 finish in the final Associated Press football poll means big money to Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz and his coaching staff.
Ferentz picked up $1 million in bonuses for his team reaching both on-field and academic goals this season. He earned $250,000 for finishing in the top 10, $250,000 for reaching a New Year’s Six bowl game and $250,000 for an unbeaten regular season. By claiming national coach of the year honors (two different awards), Ferentz earned $100,000. He also obtained $50,000 for winning the Big Ten’s coach of the year award and $100,000 for his team producing a graduation rate exceeding 70 percent.
Iowa ended the season with a school-record 12 wins and advanced to its first Rose Bowl since 1990.
Ferentz’s assistant coaches also gained financially from Iowa’s 12-2 season. Ferentz’s nine assistants, top two strength coaches, director of football operations and quality control director each received a one-month salary bonus for the Big Ten title game berth plus a bonus 2.5 times their monthly salary for the Rose Bowl nod. Those bonuses total nearly $1.15 million.
Additionally, Ferentz’s eight remaining assistants — linebackers coach Jim Reid left Iowa for Boston College — plus strength coach Chris Doyle and director of football operations Paul Federici all receive 14 percent raises, per Ferentz’s contract. That adds another $474,237 in salary increases, not counting Reid’s replacement.
According to figures provided to The Gazette via an open-records request, Doyle, defensive coordinator Phil Parker and offensive coordinator Greg Davis made $515,036 last season. At 14 percent, their salaries boost to $587,141 next fall. Offensive line coach Brian Ferentz and defensive line coach Reese Morgan each made $317,500. Iowa’s four other assistants had salaries ranging from $305,000 to $200,000. Reid, who has more than 40 years of coaching experience, was third at $335,000.
Iowa also disperses a bonus pool of $175,000 for assistants and other football personnel at Ferentz’s discretion. The team’s trainer, video coordinator, equipment manager and travel coordinator are eligible for payment in that pool.
Ferentz’s contract expires after the 2019 season. Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said he has not yet discussed an extension with Ferentz.
“He has a great contract. I think that’s been proven to be the case over the years,” Barta told The Gazette on Tuesday. “He’s the coach we’ve wanted over the years and still want, but we haven’t talked anything specific. I think we had some conversations, but now they’re going into recruiting. It’s one of those topics that’s important but not urgent.
“We’ll get through our recruiting process and not just in terms of contracts, but Kirk and I will always sit down and say, ‘What is it that this program needs to continue to be successful?’ Some of it might be contracts, some of it might be facilities, some of it might be other recruiting resources. Whatever it is, we have a conversation holistically.”
Iowa ended the season ranked in the top 10 for the fifth time under Ferentz.
l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com
