Open-records report | What it'd cost Big Ten football coaches to buy out their contracts

Sign up for our daily Illini football newsletter here Right around this time a year ago, Indiana University made the kind of history you wont find in any official record book, agreeing to spend more money to buy a losing football coach out of his contract than any Big Ten school ever had.

These days, fans of the fifth-ranked, 10-0 Hoosiers will tell you, it was worth every penny of the $15.5 million needed to show Tom Allen the door, paving the way for the hiring of 63-year-old Curt Cignetti from James Madison.

But this being college football, Indiana being the Big Tens losingest program of all-time and the head Hoosier being 15th on the conferences coaching-compensation chart, what if one of the traditional powers comes calling in the weeks ahead, offering the architect of college footballs most surprising story double the pay? The question thats been asked in sports columns and call-in shows is the topic for the latest installment in Editor Jeff DAlessios series digging into the details of Big Ten employment agreements obtained via open-records request: How much would it cost current conference coaches to get out of their mostly long-term deals should they choose to move on sometime after the season? Dan Lanning It doesnt matter if its next week or six years from now: Thats the cost of Dan Lannings buyout at Oregon should he choose to leave his burgeoning Duck dynasty at any point in the seven-year life of the contract he signed in the summer of 2023.

We cant say for certain that its the biggest buyout in the Big Ten USC and Northwestern, being private schools, arent obligated to share those kinds of details but its twice as rich as the next-closest coachs among the conferences 15 other public schools.

At Oregon, it works both ways: Should the Ducks decide to cut ties with their third-year head coach before Lannings deal is up, theyd be on the hook for close to $55 million.

Jedd Fisch How much Washington would command if first-year coach Jedd Fisch took another job prior to Jan.

8, 2026.

One reason for the high rate: The Huskies just spent $5.5 million to buy Fisch out of his contract at Arizona.

Luke Fickell What Luke Fickell may be required to pay the University (of Wisconsin), at universitys sole discretion, in lieu of any and all other legal remedies, damages of any type or equitable relief available to the university, and without regard to actions by the university to mitigate its damages, in the event Coach resigns between Nov.

30, 2022, and March 31, 2027, per the legalese-heavy language in the Badgers coachs contract.

Fickell would have 120 days to make the payment in full.

Bret Bielema What Bret Bielema or, more likely in each of these hypotheticals, the employers that woo them away would have to come up with if he left Illinois anytime between the end of the 2024 Big Ten championship game and kickoff of the 2025 conference final.

And its due in one lump sum within 60 days of his departure.

The rate drops to $4 million the following year, $2 million the year after that.

But Bielemas deal comes with more caveats than most.

The amount owed would be cut in half if: 1) Josh Whitman is no longer Illinois athletic director or 2) Bielema leaves to become head coach of an NFL team.

Illinois fourth-year coach is contractually forbidden from accepting another Big Ten head coaching job, per the language of an extension he signed on April 23, 2023.

Of course, Bielema doesnt have the same financial motivation as Cignetti to look elsewhere.

Hes paid handsomely as is $6.65 million this year before performance bonuses that could include $50,000 to $100,000 for an appearance in a second- or third-tier bowl and another $50,000 for home paid attendance being 10 percent higher than a year ago.

DeShaun Foster The price UCLA first-year coach DeShaun Foster would have to pay to get out of his deal before next New Years Eve, given that leaving now could lead to significant and substantial administrative, recruiting and resettlement costs and the loss of ticket revenue for the Bruins.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti celebrates beating Northwestern last month in Evanston.

What Cignetti would owe Indiana and Michigan State would have coming from Jonathan Smith should either rookie coach skedaddle before the end of their second season.

Both coaches contracts run through 2029.

And both Big Ten schools had to pay extra to get them to campus Michigan State covered Smiths $3 million buyout at Oregon State (plus any associated taxes) and Indiana picked up Cignettis $1.2 million tab at James Madison.

Jonathan Smith As Cignettis contract reads now and hes certain to be offered a revised version in the coming months his buyout drops to $4 million for the time period of Dec.

1, 2025 through Nov.

30, 2026, $2 million the following year and $1 million for each of the final two years.

Moore What first-year Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, second-year Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, second-year Purdue coach Ryan Walters, fifth-year Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and eighth-year Minnesota coach P.J.

Fleck would each owe their employers should they take another job in 2025 as unlikely as that would be in the first four cases, given the sideways seasons theyre having.

Walters Its been particularly treacherous terrain for Walters, Bielemas former defensive coordinator, whos 5-16 in West Lafayette and 3-12 in league play.

At least Purdue got him on the cheap, spending just $20,000 to buy out his contract at Illinois.

To put that in Big Ten football budget perspective, thats $15,792.75 less than Nebraska spent last year in Champaign for lodging at the Holiday Inn, movies at Savoy 16 and food from Olive Garden, Chick-fil-A, Mia Zas and Panera.

Ryan Day How much the Big Tens highest-paid coach $10.2 million man Ryan Day would owe Ohio State if he terminates his employment before Jan.

31, 2025.

The rate falls to $3 million for the one-year period that starts a day later.

James Franklin What James Franklin would owe Penn State for taking another gig before the end of next season.

Thats chump change compared to the $56 million-plus the Nittany Lions would owe Franklin for terminating his contract before it expires.

Locksley Mike Locksleys bill for leaving Maryland any time in 2025, payable in full within one year of his departure.

Among football coaches at Big Ten public universities, only Iowas Kirk Ferentz would have to pay less.

Theres no mention of a coachs buyout at all in the 69-year-old head Hawkeyes employment agreement, but if Iowa were to get rid of him after the season, it would have to write a check in the amount of $31 million..

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