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Topic: Contract

Topic: Contract

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Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
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Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 7:16:40 PM

As a basketball player, Jeff Boals was the guy who held a team together by doing all the little things that often get overlooked, and under-appreciated.

But now Boals will be front and center as one of the highest-paid employees at Ohio University, and the highest-paid basketball coach in Bobcat history.

According to Ohio Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Michael Ashcraft, Boals has agreed in principle to a five-year contract with a base guarantee salary of $581,100. The base salary doesn’t include any potential bonuses that could be earned, or supplemental income streams (car stipend, broadcast obligations, camps, etc.) that are part-and-parcel for Division I head coaching contracts.

Ohio declined to offer those details, or details associated with buyout clauses, as of Wednesday afternoon.

Boals was making $365,000 per year at his last coaching stop — Stony Brook — and Ohio is presumably on the hook for the $50,000 buyout clause that was part of Boals’ deal there.

The outline of Boals’ contract follows a similar format to the ones used over the previous three men’s basketball hires made by Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus, with the exception of the level of investment.

In 2008, Ohio hired then OSU assistant John Groce to an initial contract of five years with a yearly base salary of $250,000.

In 2012, after Groce left for Illinois following completion of four years of his contract, Ohio hired then TCU head coach Jim Christian to an initial contract of five years at $425,000 per season.

When Christian left for Boston College two years later, Schaus hired North Dakota State’s Saul Phillips with a five-year contract worth $550,000 per year.

In the case of Christian, and Phillips, the new hires were immediately the highest-paid coaches in program history and the top-paid coaches in the Mid-American Conference.

Boals will continue the trend of Schaus preferring candidates with head coaching experience and rewarding that by making them the highest-paid coach in program history. However, Boals will not be the highest paid head coach in the MAC.

Buffalo’s Nate Oats, with a contract extension announced last week, will be making a base guarantee of $837,000 per year with the Bulls (excluding add-ons and bonuses).

In addition, at Akron, Groce is set to see a major bump is his pay scale beginning on July 1. After that, Groce will be entitled to a quarterly bonus of $62,500. Over the course of a full year that bonus means Groce’s yearly base guarantee will now hit $650,000.

TWT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:23:07 PM

Looks real good Alan but do you have a link?

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:34:52 PM

As many figured a month or so ago, Ohio's Administration continues to pay the next guy more money. The trend continues. No surprises! Evidently the budget crunch in Athens is just fake news. If Groce does not improve at Akron in a year or two he will be overpaid and just like Terry Bowden, will get dismissed. Unless Akron's budget problems are fake news also.

Last Edited: 3/20/2019 8:38:56 PM by Bobcat1996

TWT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:38:52 PM

My prediction is Boals will someday be the first 1 million dollar coach at Ohio.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:42:40 PM

Uncle Wes, I am hoping you are wrong. Nothing against Boals, but that type of salary at the MAC level is crazy.

ts1227
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Location: Tallmadge, OH
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:45:19 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

Akron just announced they're offering buyouts to half of their faculty, that's one hell of a front if it's fake news there
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/03/university-of-akro...

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:52:13 PM

As I mentioned above, Groce will soon be overpaid and Akron will be looking to dump his salary if they are offering buyouts to faculty.

TWT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 8:52:26 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

Uncle Wes, I am hoping you are wrong. Nothing against Boals, but that type of salary at the MAC level is crazy.

Oats is making $837k. My prediction for Boals is he's going to win consistently and have a big year where he gets that million dollar extension. I also expect he's going to be a long term guy like Solich is given that he'll be 47 before next season begins, is from Ohio and an alum. He's wanted this Ohio job badly for 10 years.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 9:05:53 PM

If your prediction is correct Wes, then Solich would have already been paid a million per season. Frank has been in Athens going on 15 seasons and is still being paid less than the basketball coach, whether that is Saul or Boals.

IceCat76
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 9:11:40 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

It’s always been my understanding that Solich’s salary has been somewhat depressed to account for two well paid coordinators

TWT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 9:21:50 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

I'm talking 4-8 years here on Boals before he crosses that line. Ohio I believe is shifting its coaching investment from football to basketball because there is potential to keep a guy in Athens longer. Solich is an unusual case, normally coaches are gone after their first 10 win season. He stayed and during his time 25 million in facilities were fundraised for. In basketball MAC coaches if they are successful tend to hang around a while. Groce and JC quickly bolting is uncommon and it doesn't require as much $$$ to keep a good basketball staff in place than what it does in football where its not just the HC but also 10 assistants that can be highly paid. Solich has been willing to hang in there without a raise because of retirement. Toledo is already paying its head football coach over 1 million.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

TWT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/20/2019 9:33:51 PM

IceCat76 wrote:

Bobcat1996 wrote:

It’s always been my understanding that Solich’s salary has been somewhat depressed to account for two well paid coordinators

To have a mid tier FBS staff these days you are talking 2 million for the HC, another 500k for each coordinator, 150k-300k for the other 7 assistants. That is 4.5 to 5 million dollars in salary right there. For a top mid major D1 basketball job (MAC/A10/MVC) total salary HC and assistants included is about 1 mill which nationally is quite respectable for D1. Big East level is 2.5 mill which is still reachable if donors go crazy. SEC level football staff is 10 mill+. That's not worth chasing.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 7:14:28 AM

Take a look at Ohio's OC/DC pay and you will find it doesn't approach what other assistants in the MAC are making. According to USA Today salary list Burrow/Albin earned less than $144,000 last season. If you look at some of the other Bobcat football coaches, they are way less than that figure. Ball St, BG, Eastern, Central, Western, Miami and others have assistants making more than the above figure.

Alan Swank
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 8:01:44 AM

Uncle Wes wrote:

Bobcat1996 wrote:

He stayed and during his time 25 million in facilities were fundraised for.

How did you come up with $25 million?

Andrew Ruck
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Location: Columbus, OH
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 8:27:23 AM

I was hoping we were going to maybe save a few bucks or at least stay flat. Happy for coach Boals but don't like seeing the number rise.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

Kevin Finnegan
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 9:06:11 AM

I would think this has to silence the crowd saying that President Nellis is anti-sports or something of the matter. He was willing to spend to get the guy OHIO wanted. This bodes well for the athletic department going forward. What it means for the rest of the university, I'm not too certain.

OhioCatFan
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 10:10:13 AM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

Not sure what you are seeing is the total package. I remember hearing a number of years ago that Solich had set up some kind of fund to pay assistant coaches additional monies. Not sure any details, or the total accuracy of that. But, I did hear about something along those lines, but it was third-hand, so who knows the accuracy.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

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Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 3:06:29 PM

OCF -Don't bank on the third hand news. This info is coming from USA Today assistant coaches salaries. The last two OL coaches left for huge pay raises. Coaches stay in Athens because they are loyal to Frank. Dave Johnson is earning more than $225,000 at Col. State and Bart Miller probably doubled his salary to head west to Wyoming. Frank's assistants would get more money coaching at some other MAC institutions and comparable conferences. For instance Marshall paid one asst. $210,000 last season and two others $175,000. Numerous CUSA coaches are paid more than $200,000. UMASS paid an assistant $220,000. Ohio can't touch that.

Last Edited: 3/21/2019 3:17:40 PM by Bobcat1996

BillyTheCat
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/21/2019 6:01:50 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

Bobcat1996 wrote:

I can tell you that 3rd hand information is probably from the same person who told you the shuttle would pick you up out front of the hotel for the game.

Last Edited: 3/21/2019 6:02:35 PM by BillyTheCat

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/22/2019 3:07:42 PM

"I was hoping we were going to maybe save a few bucks or at least stay flat. Happy for coach Boals but don't like seeing the number rise."

Andrew, I agree with your statement above. Does anyone on BobcatAttack know if the media or press has asked Ohio's AD why the new coach always is paid much more than the last guy? Groce moves on and Christian is paid way more than Groce, although at the time Christian had been a head coach at Kent and TCU for several years. That one is somewhat understandable. Christian leaves and Saul's contract is more than Christian's. It didn't occur to Ohio's AD that Saul was making roughly $175,000 annually at ND State? Why the need to offer $550,000? Boals who wanted this job five years ago was making $365,000 at Stony Brook and now will approach $600,000 with only 3 years of head coaching experience. Saul had seven years of head coaching experience. Boals is a Bobcat and I am happy for him, but just reiterating what Andrew mentioned above. Makes one wonder if Boals had been offered the position five seasons ago what would have happened? It baffles me why nobody questions Ohio's administration when a budget crisis is supposedly ongoing. Oh well! It will probably be a matter of days before a few disgruntled faculty members chime in.

.
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/22/2019 3:18:24 PM

I was really, really wrong in what they'd be willing to pay. I figured they'd spend equal or less than what Saul made. I do think letting Saul's contract run out rather than pay two coaches simultaneously allowed them to spend more.

I also wonder how long this Boals to Ohio thing has been in the works. A year ago? Am I being crazy or conspiratorial to think they just played this year's string out while both sides knew this was, barring something weird, a fait accompli?

Bobcat1996
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/23/2019 1:50:25 PM

Brian you have a good point as I am guessing Boals and Ohio's AD knew this was in the works for some time now.

Buck.Cat
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/23/2019 9:19:59 PM

For the people that are angered by Boals getting more money, you do realize that Saul would have gotten a raise if he had signed an extension.

GraffZ06
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/23/2019 9:49:15 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

Brian you have a good point as I am guessing Boals and Ohio's AD knew this was in the works for some time now.

If we're going full blown conspiracy theory here, I'll play.

I'm not 100% sold that Schaus didn't tell Jeff back in 2014 when he hired Saul - "Hey you're my guy, but you just HAVE to get some head coaching experience before I can hire you. Go find somewhere. Anywhere. Get a couple years under your belt - and as long as you're above .500 without any extra-curricular issues - you're my guy the minute this thing opens back up."

If that's the case, well then this has been in the works for the last 3-4 years. Both sides just biding the time to make it official.

Or, I could be crazy. :).

Last Edited: 3/23/2019 9:50:01 PM by GraffZ06

71 BOBCAT
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RE: Contract

Posted: 3/24/2019 9:44:35 AM

I seriously doubt that this hire was "in the works" for a few years due to lack of head coaching experience. I say this because if Jeff did not have success @ Stony Brook he more than likely would not have been offered the position. Additionally there could have been another candidate that was not on the radar 3 years ago but really "came on the scene" to be a more attractive opportunity for us.
I am of the belief that Jeff was 1 of 2-3 coaches that Schaus had on a short list. Once Saul was notified about not being retained Schaus made the 2-3 calls. After those calls he was able to narrow the selection down to Jeff for the final contract offer and subsequent agreement.
I am excited and 100% in favor of this selection, for many reasons. I have always believed that having an alumni as head coach improves the the recruiting and commitment to the university that shows up every day in his approach to the position.
I also think that we need to have a contract that protects the university as well. I am all for incentives as well as a good buy out clause. In today's world the buy out clause has become a reality, and a good one.This is real important to help fund the next coaches salary and save the university some big money. Stony Brook was not a good negotiator when it came to a buy out with Jeff. In today's world $50k is peanuts.

GO BOBCATS

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