Report: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa assistants got hefty bonuses for historic season
Kirk Ferentz cashed in on Iowa recording its first 12-win season in school history.
Big time.
According to a report from the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Iowa coach earned $1 million in bonuses for leading the Hawkeyes to a historic 2015 campaign that ended with the team’s first Rose Bowl appearance in a quarter century.
The incentives Ferentz earned were: $250,000 for finishing in the top 10, $250,000 for reaching a New Year’s Six bowl game, $250,000 for an unbeaten regular season, $100,000 for winning two national coach of the year honors, $50,000 for earning B1G Coach of the Year honors and $100,000 for his team exceeding the 70-percent graduation mark.
Compare that to last year, when Ferentz only got $25,000 in postseason bonuses. Ferentz actually could’ve made an additional $100,000 had the Hawkeyes won the Rose Bowl and earned a top-five final ranking in the Associated Press poll.
RELATED: B1G coach bonuses for 2014-15
Ferentz wasn’t the only one that got a nice end-of-season bonus. According to the Gazette, nine of Ferentz’s assistants, top two strength coaches, director of football operations and quality control director received a combined $1.15 million in bonuses.
Iowa coordinators Greg Davis and Phil Parker had a base salary of $515,036 in 2015, which only put them at No. 67 and No. 68 among college football assistants. Iowa’s assistant salaries ranked No. 27 nationally in 2015.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer received $400,000 in bonuses after leading the Buckeyes to a national title in 2014-15. That was the largest bonus of any B1G coach last year. Missouri’s Gary Pinkel had the highest bonus of any coach in the country in 2014-15 at $900,000.
Ferentz is under contract through the 2019 season.