Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Football coaches have long earned more when their team did well on the gridiron. In the 1980s, stung by charges that athletic stars were ill-educated, colleges began paying extra for grades and graduation as well.

Yet these so-called academic bonuses of as much as $300,000 aren't buying colleges much. On-field performance rewards that reach the hundreds of thousands, and salaries in the millions, dwarf even the largest educational payouts. The latest available four-year average graduation rates show football players still trail peer athletes and overall student graduation rates.

Coaches say even substantially more money won't overcome the reality of the game they play.

``The bottom line is, if you don't win, you are going to get fired,'' says University of Georgia coach Mark Richt, who will earn a salary of $2 million this season with a potential $200,000 in on-field bonuses and $50,000 in academic incentives.

Richt says if half his salary was based on academic performance, ``you'd recruit guys you know would get 4.0s. They might not be able to play, and then you'll get canned because you can't play on the field.''

Data published last year by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the college sports governing body, show that from 2001 to 2006, the four-year average graduation rate for top-division football players rose to 55 percent from 52 percent. The graduation rate for all student athletes at those schools, including football players, increased to 63 percent from 58 percent, and the rate for all students, athletes and non-athletes, advanced to 63 percent from 59 percent.

`Shell Game'

``It's public relations; a shell game,'' says Phil Hughes, associate athletic director at Kansas State University, which doesn't offer academic bonuses. ``It's a feel-good story that suggests we somehow care about this.''

David Graham, 38, Ohio State University's director of student-athlete support services, says the academic bonus isn't a motivator.

``A $50,000 bonus on a $2 million contract isn't what gets them moving in the morning,'' he says.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel earns a salary of $2.2 million, and has an academic bonus of as much as $300,000.

An examination of the 2007 coaching contracts at 81 of the biggest football programs at public universities shows that 29 of the 81 don't offer academic bonuses. The contracts are public records under state laws.

Top coaches often earn at least $1 million in salary.

University of Alabama coach Nick Saban, 55, earns a minimum $3.52 million. His academic bonus is as much as $100,000, or less than 3 percent of his salary.

Tedford's $3.3 Million

Jeff Tedford, 45, coach at the University of California at Berkeley, makes $3.3 million, and a maximum academic bonus of $25,000, or less than 1 percent.

Greg Schiano, 41, coach at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, will earn at least $1.6 million and could get an academic bonus of as much as $45,000, 2.8 percent of his salary.

The four-year average graduation rate published last year for the football team at Cal-Berkeley was 37 percent, trailing the school's overall average of 86 percent.

Rutgers graduated 50 percent of its football players, according to last year's report, compared with the student body average of 72 percent.

Gerald Gurney, 56, the University of Oklahoma's senior associate athletic director for academics and student life, says the academic bonuses are hypocritical and should be eliminated.

The Defenders

``The size of these incentives compared to those for going to bowl games or winning games are miniscule,'' says Gurney. ``So the incentives really aren't meaningful at all in terms of changing behavior.''

The bonuses have their defenders.

University of Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds, 70, increased the maximum academic incentive in football coach Mack Brown's contract earlier this year to $150,000 from $100,000. His salary is a minimum of $2.9 million.

``I think it's a reminder to coaches that there is more to this than winning,'' Dodds said in an interview. ``It means a lot to the university and Board of Regents.''

University of Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow said academic bonuses go beyond pleasing a university's board.

``It's a personal value for me,'' Yow said in an interview. ``So it's in there for that reason.''

On-Field Bonuses

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, 60, will receive $110,250 out of potential academic incentives of $231,525 for achieving a 71 percent graduation rate last year, according to Yow. His salary for this season is $1.75 million, with a potential on- field bonus of $347,288.

Bonuses for a winning record, bowl invitations, ticket sales and coach-of-the-year honors often are many times the size of an academic bonus, according to the contracts.

Arizona State's Dennis Erickson can earn $1.1 million in on-field bonuses and an academic bonus of as much as $45,000. His salary is at least $625,000 this year and will increase to more than $1.4 million next year.

The University of Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, whose minimum salary is $2.84 million, could earn $700,000 in on-field incentives and as much as $75,000 in an academic bonus.

Athletic directors say academic incentives first appeared in contracts in the 1980s when the NCAA began setting academic standards for athletic participation. The Indianapolis-based NCAA has no say in how coaches' contracts are written and doesn't keep data on salaries or bonuses.

No-Bonus Schools

Academic bonuses are given for reaching a specific graduation rate, meeting a goal for the team's overall grade- point average, matching an NCAA academic progress rate or some combination of the three.

Among the schools that don't offer academic bonuses are the University of Nebraska, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University and the University of Virginia.

``We think academics and graduating players is a part of what any coach or administrator is hired to do,'' Virginia Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said. ``We don't think this is an extra part of one's responsibility.''

Cal-Berkeley's Tedford and Rutgers's Schiano said they don't know how much their academic bonuses are, and even if they did, it wouldn't force them to change how they recruit players or support their athletes' academic pursuits.

`Recruit and Develop'

``Our saying around here is `Recruit and develop,''' Schiano said. ``It's not always the guy with the best high school grades or the best SAT score that's successful in college. It's the guy who is willing to pay the price because they love what they get to do at college.''

Tedford agreed.

``To recruit good students is a priority,'' he said. ``But also, if the marginal students have the will to work, and the will to take advantage of resources that are here, that's what we focus on.''

Maryland's Friedgen says that when he's recruiting, ``I ask the kids, `How much do you study today in high school?' They say half an hour, and I warn them it's going to be two hours a night in study hall plus tutors. `

``I'm looking for kids who not only want to be successful players, but want to be successful in life,'' he said. ``Low maintenance, high productivity.''

`PR Messages'

Hughes, of Kansas State, says academic bonuses are window dressing.

``I'm fascinated by the efforts to put these PR messages into contracts,'' says Hughes, who is also president of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics, a non- profit organization that includes college faculty, counselors and athletic administrators who support academic achievement for student athletes.

``The enemy is us,'' says Gurney of the University of Oklahoma. ``As a society, we view winning as so ultimately important -- it is the nature of Americans -- that we are willing to pay whatever it takes to ensure a winning program.''

                      NCAA COACHES' SALARIES AND BONUSES

===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
Akron           J.D. Brookhart      $207,500   $161,224   $5,000   $166,224
Alabama         Nick Saban        $3,516,935   $400,000 $100,000   $500,000
Alabama-Birm.   Neil Callaway       $360,000   $215,000  $40,000   $255,000
Arizona         Mike Stoops         $663,717   $605,000  $25,000   $630,000
Arizona State   Dennis Erickson     $625,000 $1,105,000  $45,000 $1,150,000
Auburn          Tommy Tuberville  $2,800,000   $300,000  $17,500   $317,500
Ball State      Brady Hoke          $164,289    $62,500      TBD    $62,500
Boise State     Chris Petersen      $950,000   $195,833  $20,000   $215,833
Bowling Green   Gregg Brandon       $183,909    $47,000   $6,000    $53,000
Buffalo         Turner Gill         $189,200   $160,500   $5,000   $165,500
Cal-Berkeley    Jeff Tedford      $3,300,000   $175,000  $25,000   $200,000
Cent. Michigan  Butch Jones         $260,000   $175,000       $0   $175,000
Cincinnati      Brian Kelly         $800,000   $350,000  $30,000   $380,000
===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
Clemson         Tommy Bowden      $1,201,831   $172,278       $0   $172,278
Colorado        Dan Hawkins         $906,400   $300,000  $50,000   $350,000
Colorado State  Sonny Lubick        $549,500   $150,000       $0   $150,000
Connecticut     Randy Edsall        $920,000    $68,750       $0    $68,750
East Carolina   Skip Holtz          $500,000   $185,060       $0   $185,060
East. Michigan  Jeff Genyk          $151,442    $72,148       $0    $72,148
Florida         Urban Meyer       $1,938,702   $350,000      TBD   $350,000
Florida Intl.   Mario Cristobal     $360,000    $30,000  $20,000    $50,000
Florida State   Bobby Bowden      $1,639,016   $158,504  $27,000   $185,504
Georgia         Mark Richt        $2,008,100   $200,000  $50,000   $250,000
Georgia Tech    Chan Gailey       $1,039,347   $110,000  $25,000   $135,000
Houston         Art Briles          $950,000   $285,000  $40,000   $325,000
Idaho           Robb Akey           $240,002    $28,846   $5,000    $33,846
Illinois        Ron Zook          $1,068,000    $26,650       $0    $26,650
Indiana         Bill Lynch          $273,519   $100,000       $0   $100,000
Iowa            Kirk Ferentz      $2,840,000   $700,000  $75,000   $775,000
===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
Iowa State      Gene Chizik       $1,000,000   $800,000       $0   $800,000
Kansas          Mark Mangino      $1,509,900   $325,000       $0   $325,000
Kansas State    Ron Prince          $754,100   $380,000       $0   $380,000
Kent State      Doug Martin         $170,000    $67,000  $22,000    $89,000
Kentucky        Rich Brooks       $1,000,000   $550,000  $55,000   $605,000
La. Lafayette   Rickey Bustle       $414,250    $79,042       $0    $79,042
La. Monroe      Charlie Weatherbie  $150,000    $25,000   $5,000    $30,000
Louisiana State Les Miles         $1,800,000   $400,000 $125,000   $525,000
Louisiana Tech  Derek Dooley        $350,000   $100,000       $0   $100,000
Louisville      Steve Kragthorpe  $1,100,000   $341,667 $200,000   $541,667
Marshall        Mark Snyder         $276,403   $380,000       $0   $380,000
Maryland        Ralph Friedgen    $1,750,206   $347,288 $231,525   $578,813
Miami of Ohio   Shane Montgomery    $141,325    $93,026   $7,880   $100,906
Michigan        Lloyd Carr        $1,477,884    $64,647       $0    $64,647
Michigan State  Mark Dantonio     $1,150,000   $470,000 $100,000   $570,000
Minnesota       Tim Brewster      $1,000,000   $500,000 $150,000   $650,000
===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
Missouri        Gary Pinkel       $1,300,000   $323,750  $50,000   $373,750
N.C. State      Tom O'Brien         $600,000   $600,000  $50,000   $650,000
Nebraska        Bill Callahan     $1,751,250   $225,000       $0   $225,000
Nevada-Reno     Chris Ault          $368,093    $40,000       $0    $40,000
New Mexico      Rocky Long          $334,513    $25,000       $0    $25,000
N. Mexico State Hal Mumme           $282,000   $105,000  $20,000   $125,000
North Texas     Todd Dodge          $260,000    $82,000      TBD    $82,000
Ohio State      Jim Tressel       $2,200,000   $200,000 $300,000   $500,000
Ohio University Frank Solich        $267,162   $164,290  $25,716   $190,006
Oklahoma        Bob Stoops        $2,950,000   $395,000 $100,000   $495,000
Oklahoma State  Mike Gundy          $950,000   $154,000       $0   $154,000
Oregon State    Mike Riley          $850,000   $225,000  $35,000   $260,000
Rutgers         Greg Schiano      $1,600,000   $435,000  $45,000   $480,000
San Diego State Chuck Long          $700,000   $300,000       $0   $300,000
San Jose State  Dick Tomey          $406,004   $118,335       $0   $118,335
South Carolina  Steve Spurrier    $1,750,000   $650,000       $0   $650,000
===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
South Florida   Jim Leavitt         $975,000   $200,000       $0   $200,000
Southern Miss.  Jeff Bower          $267,717   $240,079  $10,000   $250,079
Tennessee       Phillip Fulmer    $2,005,000   $150,000       $0   $150,000
Texas           Mack Brown        $2,900,000   $350,000 $150,000   $500,000
Texas A&M       Dennis Franchione $2,015,000   $250,000       $0   $250,000
Texas El-Paso   Mike Price          $310,000   $173,336  $21,667   $195,003
Texas Tech      Mike Leach        $1,850,000   $200,000  $25,000   $225,000
Toledo          Tom Amstutz         $315,000   $242,000  $50,000   $292,000
UCLA            Karl Dorrell        $850,000   $255,000  $50,000   $305,000
UNLV            Mike Sanford        $425,000    $67,500       $0    $67,500
Utah            Kyle Whittingham    $653,120   $250,000  $30,000   $280,000
Utah State      Brent Guy           $241,044    $29,833       $0    $29,833
Virginia        Al Groh           $1,724,600   $841,000       $0   $841,000
Virginia Tech   Frank Beamer      $2,008,000   $532,500  $25,000   $557,500
Washington      Tyrone Willingham $1,287,764   $270,000 $107,500   $377,500
Washington St.  Bill Doba           $640,000   $315,000  $30,000   $345,000
===========================================================================
                                    Minimum    Maximum  Maximum      Total
                Head             Guaranteed   Football Academic    Maximum
University      Coach                 Money      Bonus    Bonus      Bonus
===========================================================================
West Virginia   Rich Rodriquez    $1,150,000   $235,000  $30,000   $265,000
West. Michigan  Bill Cubit          $266,000   $311,000  $17,000   $328,000
Wisconsin       Bret Bielema      $1,300,000         $0       $0         $0
Wyoming         Joe Glenn           $474,100    $37,581  $25,000    $62,581
===========================================================================

NOTE: Figures reflect contracts examined before Oct. 15
and assume coaches will complete the terms of their contracts.
     Private universities, such as University of Southern California and
Notre Dame, aren't included because open-records laws don't apply.
     Universities in Pennsylvania, including Penn State and the University of
Pittsburgh, are ``state-related'' institutions and aren't subject to
open-records laws.
     Guaranteed money is base salary, defined income from radio and
television appearances, apparel and shoe deals made with the school, and
deferred compensation among other items. The on-field and academic bonuses
that are also listed are paid to a coach when he achieves goals defined in
his contract.
     The figures don't account for country club memberships, benefits or
vehicles provided by the schools for the coach or his immediate family.
On-field, or football-related, bonuses don't count money paid for winning
the national championship. They do include money for participation in the
Bowl Championship Series championship game.

To contact the reporters on this story: Curtis Eichelberger in Washington at ceichelberge@bloomberg.netMason Levinson in New York at mlevinson@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 29, 2007 00:01 EDT