Ohio State and Urban Meyer agree to 7-year deal

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Ohio State and new head coach Urban Meyer have agreed to a 7-year deal worth $4 million a year. This is more than Jim Tressel was making, $3.8 million, at the end of his career.

Meyer’s deal includes significant bonuses through camps and other compensations. Also included in the new deal are golf club memberships, car stipends, tickets, a suite for home football games, and use of private jets for recruiting AND personal trips.

“Given the circumstances we had, we felt it was important to put provisions in there to make sure the right safeguards are in place on both sides,” said athletic director Gene Smith in a phone interview. “That’s been strengthened and beefed up.”

Meyer and his son attended a Cincinnati Reds game last week. Before the game he told reports he doesn’t really look at the contracts.

“I really don’t look at the contract. I had my attorney look at it. I just don’t deal with that or how it compares to other contracts across the country, so I never looked at it. We talked through it and I’m OK with it.”

What say you Florida?

Here’s more from SI on the specifics of Meyer’s contract

The deal includes employment bonuses of $450,000 in 2014, $750,000 in 2016 and $1.2 million when the deal ends after the 2018 season.

The contract includes a $50,000 bonus if Ohio State wins its Big Ten division title, and an additional $100,000 if it wins the league championship. Meyer will get $150,000 for reaching a BCS bowl – and, since the Buckeyes are banned this season, he can get that amount by having Ohio State finish in the top 10 of the BCS final rankings.

Meyer gets $250,000 for reaching a national championship game. He gets that amount this season if Ohio State finishes in the top two in the BCS rankings.

Meyer also gets bonuses if his players do well academically – $50,000 if the team has a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average; $100,000 for a 3.3 average; $150,000 for a 3.5 average. The team’s grade-point average last school year was roughly 2.8.

[SI]