NCAA football is a huge money maker for universities, especially those at the Division I level. On top of being a steady source of revenue, good football teams even can help a school attract prospective students.
Football is essentially a major investment for colleges, and their board members are willing to shell out big bucks to hire and retain football coaches who can win and provide the maximum return on that investment. While football might not be as big in Illinois as it is in the South, particularly the Southeastern Conference — where University of Alabama Head Coach, Nick Saban, made $5.4 million last year — coaches at Illinois’ public universities are still earning six-figure salaries.
Of Illinois’ 12 public universities, six have football squads that compete in either the Division I-A (FBS) or I-AA (FCS) level. Since taxpayer dollars are on the hook for these salaries, take a look at what each coach is making, along with any additional compensation and bonus incentives. Contract details were obtained from each university through Freedom of Information Act Requests.
[Note: The NCAA changed its college football playoff rules, eliminating the Bowl Champion Series (BCS) system, which determined the top 25 rankings through a complex computer algorithm, and replaced it with selection committee consisting of experts responsible for issuing ranks. The Bleacher Report has more on these changes.]
1. University of Illinois (FBS)
Coach Tim Beckman
- Contract term: Dec. 9, 2011-Jan. 31, 2017
- Base salary: $400,000
- Guaranteed additional compensation (Feb. 1, 2014-Jan. 31, 2015): $1,400,000
- Increases by $100,000 each contract year
- Conference: Big Ten
- 2013 season record: 4-8 (1-7 in Big Ten)
Bonus incentives (percent of base salary):
- *Non-BCS Bowl Game: 8 percent ($32,000)
- *Big Ten Championship appearance plus non-BCS Bowl Game: 12 percent ($48,000)
- *BCS Bowl Game: 16 percent ($64,000)
- *Big Ten Championship appearance plus BCS Bowl Game: 20 percent ($80,000)
*Contract did not include how bonuses might change with the elimination of BCS.
Retention bonus: $150,000 if employed continuously through Jan. 2015; $350,000 through Jan. 2017.
2. Northern Illinois University (FBS)
Coach Rod Carey
- Contract term: Dec. 2, 2012-June 30, 2019
- Base salary: $400,000
- Conference: Mid-American Conference
- 2013 season record: 12-2 (8-0 in MAC)
Bonus Incentives:
- Mid-American Conference West champions or co-champions: $10,000
- Mid-American Conference Championship: $25,000
- Post-Season Bowl Game participation: $25,000
- Bowl Championship Series (“BCS”) post-season game participation: $100,000
- Graduation Success Rate
- Greater than or equal to 70 percent: $5,000
- Greater than or equal to 75 percent: $7,500
- Greater than or equal to 80 percent: $10,000
- Academic Progress Rate
- Greater than or equal to 960: $5,000
- Greater than or equal to 970: $7,500
- Greater than or equal to 980: $10,000
3. Illinois State University (FCS)
Coach Brock Spack
- Contract term: Jan. 1, 2014-Dec. 31, 2014
- Base salary: $268,080
- Additional compensation: $500 monthly automobile stipend
- Conference: Missouri Valley Football Conference
- 2013 season record: 5-6 (4-4 in MVFC)
Bonus incentives:
- MVFC champions: $5,000
- Each FCS playoff game played through preliminary rounds: $10,000
- Wins FCS National Championship: $25,000
4. Southern Illinois University – Carbondale (FCS)
Coach Dale Lennon
- Contract term: Jan. 1, 2014-Dec. 31, 2016
- Base salary: $220,788
- Additional compensation: $4,000 per year for each year Lennon’s son is enrolled full-time at SIUC.
- Conference: Missouri Valley Football Conference
- 2013 season record: 7-5 (5-3 in MVFC)
Bonus incentives:
- MVFC champions: $10,000
- Top 10 final poll ranking in FCS Coach’s Poll: $5,000
- NCAA playoff games: $5,000 for each game played
- NCAA FCS Championship: $25,000
- Coach of the Year
- MVFC Coach of the Year award: $2,500
- National Coach of the Year (AFCA) or Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award: $10,000
- Conference season record
- 6-2 or better: $2,500
- 8 wins or more: additional $2,500
5. Western Illinois University (FCS)
Coach Bob Nielson
- Contract term: July 1, 2014-Dec. 31, 2017
- Base salary: $206,892
- Conference: Missouri Valley Football Conference
- 2013 season record: 4-8 (2-6 in MVFC)
Bonus incentives (percent of base salary):
- Competes in NCAA FCS playoffs: 5 percent ($10,344.60)
- Each FCS playoff game won: 10 percent ($20,689.20)
- FCS national champions: 35 percent ($72,412.20)
- At the end of season, WIU will pay additional bonus if ranked:
- Number 1: $15,000
- Top 5: $7,500
- Top 10: $5,000
- Top 25: $2,500
- Wins MVFC championship: $5,000
- MVFC Coach of the Year: $5,000
- Eddie Robinson, National Coach of the Year: $10,000
- Beats NCAA Division I FBS team: $5,000 for each win (additional $10,000 if two Division I opponents beaten).
- Football program shows: $12,000 for one contract year
- GPA bonuses:
- Team semester GPA highest of all men’s sports: $3,500
- Team semester GPA second-highest of all men’s sports: $3,000
- Team semester GPA third-highest of all men’s sports: $2,500
- Team semester GPA fourth-highest of all men’s sports: $2,000
- Team GPA is 2.9 or higher in a semester: $2,000
- Team’s single year NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR):
- Increase of 5 points from previous year – $2,000
- Increase of 10 points from previous year – $5,000
- $5,000 bonus any year the football team has the highest APR in MVFC
- $5,000 bonus each year team maintains APR of at least 975
- Sponsorship fee of $5,000 payable to the Coach if achieves required attendance levels for overnight summer football camps.
6. Eastern Illinois University (FCS)
Coach Kim Dameron
- Contract term: Jan. 11, 2014-Dec. 31, 2018
- Base salary: $170,000
- Additional compensation:
- $500 automobile stipend
- Base salary increase of $15,000 if employed through Sept. 1, 2017
- Conference: Ohio Valley Conference
- 2013 season record: 12-2 (8-0 in OVC)
Bonus incentives:
- Team GPA 2.8 or higher at end of Spring semester beginning in the Fall of 2014: $2,000
- Finishes with 7 or more wins over NCAA Division I opponents: $1,500
- 9 or more victories: $3,000
- Wins OVC Championship: $2,000 ($1,000 if co-champions)
- OVC Coach of the Year: $1,500
- Competes in NCAA Division I FCS playoffs: $1,000
- Additional $2,000 for each game played beyond the first round
- Additional $5,000 if team plays in NCAA FCS Championship game
- Additional $10,000 for winning NCAA FCS National Championship
- If nationally ranked at the end of the season:
- Number 1 – $5,000
- Top 5 – $2,500
- Top 25 – $1,000
- Receives Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year: $5,000
- Defeats NCAA Division I Football Bowl Sub-Division (FBS) team: $2,500 for each victory
- $2,500 sponsorship fee if overnight summer football camp attendance levels are met
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Kevin Hoffman is a Reboot Illinois staff writer who graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism, political science and international studies. He believes keeping citizens informed and politicians in check is the best way to improve Illinois and bring about common sense reform. Follow us on Facebook.