What quirks are in college football coaches' contracts?

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

USA TODAY Sports reporters and editors analyzed thousands of documents in calculating salaries for the 124 FBS head coaches and nearly 1,000 assistants.

While combing through contract after contract – after contract after contract – we also came across a few interesting contractual "quirks." Some involve relationships with supermarket chains, golf clubs and gun shops. Others are bonuses that can be earned by reaching certain on- and off-field goals. Here are a few examples:

Texas coach Mack Brown:

Brown was paid $60,000 to serve as the chairman of the board for the University of Texas Golf Club. While it's a pittance compared to his football earnings, Brown's off-the-field benefits also included a $750 gift card to McBride's Guns in Austin.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer:

Meyer has $50,000 in outside income from a deal with the Kroger supermarket chain that involves the cash payment for him, a $60,000 donation to his foundation and a $55,000 discretionary fund "for use on mutually agreed upon events" with any unused funds being donated to the foundation. One of Meyer's "general responsibilities" under the arrangement is that "The Meyer family will consider Kroger their supermarket of choice."

LSU coach Les Miles:

If LSU fires Miles before Dec. 31, 2012, it will owe him $18.75 million. If LSU fires Miles at any point from Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2014, it will owe him $15 million. If Miles wins the national championship – he came close last year – in addition to a $200,000 bonus for appearing in any BCS game, his total annual compensation shall be adjusted to be no less than the highest salary of any coach in the SEC, plus $1,000.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel:

Pinkel contractually had been due $50,000 in increases this season for endorsements and TV, radio and public appearances, but his pay in those areas was frozen for one year by the university after his arrest in November 2011 for DWI. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with the incident, which also resulted in a one-week suspension by the school.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier:

Spurrier reported more than $10,000 in golf-related income, including $2,000 in golfing paraphernalia – clubs and balls, made by Wilson. Spurrier said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports that he also receives compensation for playing in a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. He played in a celebrity tournament there in July and finished 40th of 82 players, earning $3,260 in prize money.

California coach Jeff Tedford:

While his team underperformed this season, Tedford received two $150,000 bonuses: For being the head coach when the team fully occupied the Simpson High Performance Center and for being the coach when the team played its first home football game in renovated Memorial Stadium.

Oregon State coach Mike Riley:

Riley gets 25% of all revenue from season ticket sales over 23,000.

Kansas coach Charlie Weis:

In addition to the money he is receiving from Kansas, Weis continues to get huge termination payments from Notre Dame, which fired him as head coach in December 2009. He received $2,054,744 from Notre Dame during the 2010 calendar year "under a separation agreement that includes additional annual payments through December 2015," according to Notre Dame's most recent federal tax return.

Hawaii coach Norm Chow:

Chow can get $25,000 per home game win on national TV (two such games on 2012 schedule) and $40,000 per road game win on national TV (four such games on 2012 schedule). Unfortunately for Chow, Hawaii has only one win in 2012 – and it came against Lamar, a game that didn't fit into either of those two categories.

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen:

Holgorsen can get $25,000 if his team ranks between second and fifth in the FBS in total offense, or $50,000 if team ranks first in the FBS in total offense. Heading into Saturday, the Mountaineers are averaging 510.0 yards a game, the ninth-best average in the country.

Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn:

As a condition of his contract, Malzahn is required to live in a university-owned residence in Jonesboro, Ark., to "successfully conduct fund raising and recruiting activities." Arkansas State maintains the house and grounds and pays all utilities except Internet and cable/satellite TV charges, but Malzahn is responsible for furnishing the home and securing insurance for all personal property placed in the home.

Washington State coach Mike Leach:

As part of his deal with the Cougars, Leach will get an 18-seat family suite at Martin Stadium once construction of suite facility is complete. He also gets 20 tickets for each home football game and each postseason football game. Finally, Leach gets 150 tickets to each regular-season road game.

Army coach Rich Ellerson:

How much does Army value the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy? Ellerson gets $150,000 if his team beats Navy and Air Force in the same season; or $50,000 if the Cadets beat Navy; or $50,000 if the Cadets beats Air Force. Having beaten the Falcons this season, Ellerson is in line for a nice bonus should Army beat Navy to end the season.

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun:

Likewise at Air Force: Calhoun receives a bonus of 5% of his annual payment if Air Force wins or retains the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. Calhoun's payment this year is $825,000; 5% of that is $41,250.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham:

Whittingham gets an additional 25% tuition benefit for his college-eligible children (unmarried age 26 and younger) to attend Utah. When combined with the school's regular half-tuition benefit, Whittingham would receive 75% off the Utah's total tuition price.

Virginia coach Mike London:

Like basketball? London gets six tickets to the ACC men's basketball tournament for personal use.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder:

Snyder gets one car, comparable in make and model to one provided to the men's basketball, women's basketball and volleyball head coaches; a $10,000 annual vehicle stipend; and a $4,000 annual insurance stipend. He also gets a full membership in the Manhattan Country Club, including golfing privileges and use of a golf cart.

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian:

The university pays the cost of having Sarkisian's family travel to all away football games, all postseason events in which the football team participates and two additional business-related trips each fiscal year if he so elects.