Land Of 10 Reports Mike Riley to Earn Just $50k as Oregon State Assistant Coach

Erin Sorensen of Land of 10 obtained a copy of Mike Riley’s contract with Oregon State and found that the deal will barely make a dent into the severance owed by Nebraska:

“Former Nebraska coach Mike Riley will make $50,004 per year as Oregon State’s assistant head coach, according to documents obtained by Land of 10.”

Sorensen went on to compare the total with the severance package that Nebraska owes Riley:

“Despite finding new employment, Riley’s new contract with Oregon State breaks down to only $4,167 per month. That means Nebraska still owes $165,833 per month to the former coach.”

According to the terms of Riley’s severance, this package calls into question whether the deal complies with the terms of his Nebraska agreement. According to the World-Herald,

Riley’s contract also states that “within a reasonably brief period following termination, Coach shall use his or her best efforts to seek and secure substantially comparable employment including the customary and reasonable terms and conditions of compensation at the new employment, without structuring or timing compensation to avoid mitigation.”

$50,004 would hardly appear to be the “customary” or “reasonable” salary for an assistant coach at a Power 5 conference school. Note that Barrett Ruud, with no paid coaching experience, will earn $200,000 with his first Nebraska contract.

Whether Nebraska would want to pursue the matter further or simply just dismiss it and move onto a better future would remain to be seen. But clearly, Nebraska probably has a case to press the case further.