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Mike Yurcich was among highest-paid Penn State employees during season he was fired; athletics dominates Lions' list of 2023-2024 earners

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•06/02/25•

GregPickel

NCAA Football: Penn State Spring Game
Penn State Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, left, talks on the sideline with wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) during the second quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The Blue team defeated the White team 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Former Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich was among the school’s highest-paid employees during the fiscal year in which he was fired before the regular season ended, new right-to-know documents from the university show. The current Youngstown State assistant was let go by the Lions in November of 2023 before sitting out the 2024 season. According to the documents, between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, Yurcich made $1,274,881, which made him the sixth-highest paid employee at the school on a list that is dominated by the athletic department at the top. Per On3’s coaches salary database, that would have made the play caller the 12th highest paid offensive coordinator that year.

Yurcich was brought in by head coach James Franklin following the 2020 season to replace Kirk Ciarrocca. Penn State was 90th in scoring offense during his first season in 2021. It was 20th a year later, and 12th in his final season. His total offenses ranked 55th, 34th, and 82nd between 2023 and 2021, respectively. Yurcich was the first assistant to be fired in season during the Franklin era in State College.

“I think you guys have heard me come in and talk about whether it’s openers, whether it’s third downs, whether it’s starting fast, all those things are things that led to lengthy discussions about and (we) had a plan for, but a lot of times when we got to the games either we did not call the games that way or we did not execute the games that way,” Franklin said in November 2023 after making the decision.

Penn State athletics leads top earners list

Penn State is required to report information about its highest-paid employees annually. Athletics leads the list. James Franklin earned the most money during the 2023-2024 fiscal year with a total compensation of $8,628,807, the documents show.

Head basketball coach Mike Rhoades is second after earning $4,229,999 between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Penn State Health CEO Stephen Massini was the third-highest earner with a reported income of $1,669,310 during that time period. School president Neeli Bendapudi is behind him at $1,434,827. And, Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft rounds out the top five at $1,403,395. Yurcich then holds the sixth spot behind him, of course. Legendary wrestling coach Cael Sanderson comes in at No. 7 with a reported compensation of $1,017,300.

It’s worth noting that, due to a new Pennsylvania law, the university also had to report its top 200 salaries for the first time. No athletic department members besides the one listed above made that list. It is filled up mostly with Penn State Health employees.


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