As Ohio State held its first spring practice on Tuesday, March 10, the numbers came out on the Buckeyes’ football staff salaries, and what’s being spent on coaches this season is eye-opening. The total figure appears to exceed $15 million, and that’s not even counting Ryan Day.
The biggest number on the staff belongs to defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. After inking an extension earlier this offseason, Patricia will reportedly earn $3.75 million in 2026, making him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football. To put that in perspective, that salary would also rank him among the top 60 highest-paid head coaches in the country. Ryan Day and Ohio State know exactly what they have in Patricia and what he did for that defense last year, and they paid top dollar to make sure he stayed.
The new three-year deal is worth $11.45 million in total, with an average annual value of $3.75 million in 2026 before jumping to $3.85 million in both 2027 and 2028. His original deal before last season paid $2.5 million per year over three years, so this is a significant and well-earned raise heading into what will be a demanding year on that side of the ball. Patricia now has to navigate considerable defensive roster turnover, with Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, Davison Igbinosun, Caden Curry, Lorenzo Styles Jr., Kayden McDonald, and Tywone Malone all moving on.
Bill Landis from Bill and Doug on Ohio State football did a thorough breakdown of the contract language, including buyout scenarios and any potential path back to the NFL. His explanation is worth reading in full:
“Neither Patricia nor Smith has prohibitive buyout language in their contracts should either choose to leave Ohio State before the end of their deals, presumably to return to the NFL. Smith would only owe OSU 30 percent of his then-current base salary if he left for another assistant job in college or the NFL. Patricia would owe 50 percent of his then-base salary if he left at any point for a college assistant job. He would owe 75 percent of his then-base salary if he left for an NFL assistant job before the end of the 2026 season, and 30 percent after that. Neither coach would owe Ohio State anything if he left for a head coaching job in college or the NFL.”
When you factor in the salary bump coming next season alongside what he’d owe to leave, the incentive to stick around looks pretty strong on paper.
It’s a massive investment, and losing four likely first-round draft picks from one defense is almost hard to believe. But Ohio State and Day are backing Patricia in a big way, betting that he can develop this incoming group and keep the Buckeye defense operating at an elite level in 2026 and beyond.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State makes Matt Patricia the highest-paid assistant in America
Reporting by Griffin Dreifaldt, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
