After Pete Lembo resigned in 2015 following a 3-9 season, the Ball State Cardinals had both excitement and anxiety about their next hire. Mike Neu arrived and eventually led the Cardinals back to the top of the MAC.
A dive into Neu’s salary, contract, and the financial support he received to build the rest of his coaching staff, reveals the cost of returning the program to success.
Mike Neu’s Salary and Contract in 2024
Financial support has been one of the biggest challenges in the MAC, and Ball State has typically been a school that hasn’t matched the top-paying programs in the conference. While Neu’s salary isn’t among the highest in the MAC, it’s still a respectable amount given his time with the school.
The former Ball State Cardinal quarterback had ties to the school thanks to his 6,221 yards and 43 touchdowns thrown during his playing days. So, when the job opened, he was a natural fit to run the program.
When he signed his original contract, he was set to make $425,000 as a base salary. He’s received a retention bonus each year that he returns to be the head coach, raising his salary from the initial deal signed to be the Ball State head coach.
After leading the Cardinals to their only MAC Championship Game win, the administration rewarded their coach with an extension. Neu signed a five-year contract extension before the 2021 season, increasing his base salary to $453,000.
Neu also received additional compensation of $97,000 with a retention bonus of $125,000. The retention bonus increases by $25,000 every year. In 2023, Neu earned $680,000 with salary and incentives combined.
Neu’s Net Worth
In addition to his base salary, Neu has a plethora of performance-related incentives in his contract that help bolster his net worth. You can find the full list of incentives for the Ball State head coach below.
- MAC Coach of the Year: $15,000
- MAC West Division Title: $20,000
- MAC Championship Win: $35,000
- Beat a Power Five opponent: $30,000
- Bowl win: $60,000
- Top three in MAC total offense: $6,000
- Top three in MAC total defense: $6,000
- Offense GPA above 3.0: $6,000
- Defense GPA above 3.0: $6,000
Neu’s assistant coach pool has also been solid, with four assistants making six figures in 2022. Ball State has stepped up in support since Neu’s conference title in 2020, and now they’re hoping their coach can bring this team back to the top of the MAC.
KEEP READING: 2024 Ball State Football Roster
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