Ohio State’s Cooper Signs Extension Through 2004

Ohio State Coach John Cooper agreed to a contract extension through the 2004 season Friday that will pay him at least $1.1 million annually.

Cooper also is eligible for $175,000 a year in academic performance bonuses and $172,000 annually in team performance bonuses, the school said.

“It is very gratifying to know that I’ll be able to finish my coaching career here at Ohio State,” Cooper said in a statement.

The 62-year-old Cooper will make a base salary of $200,000. Money that Ohio State receives from radio, television, Nike and camps raises the total package to $1.1 million per year. He has been working under a contract signed in 1995 that earned him about $750,000 a year.

“We have challenged for a national championship two out of the last three years and I want to keep the coaching team together that has done that,” Athletic Director Andy Geiger said.

Other college coaches thought to earn at least $1 million include Florida’s Steve Spurrier, Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Rick Neuheisel at Washington and R.C. Slocum at Texas A&M.; This week, Florida State’s Bobby Bowden agreed to a deal that will pay him $1.5 million a year.

Cooper, in his 12th year at Ohio State, is the second-winningest coach in school history with a 100-35-4 record.

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A lawyer for Peter Warrick, Florida State’s suspended star receiver, hopes to get a felony charge against his client resolved quickly so he can again play with the top-ranked Seminoles.

Warrick, 22, teammate Laveranues Coles, 21, and Rachel Myrtil, a 19-year-old Dillard’s department store clerk, were charged with grand theft Thursday. The clerk was accused of selling the two players $412.38 worth of clothing for $21.40.

A fourth person, Shedrick Jermaine Rhodes, 23, who is not a player, was arrested on a lesser charge of petty theft for allegedly buying $82 worth of clothing from Myrtil for $10.70. That closes the case and no further arrests are expected, police spokesman Scott Hunt said Friday.

Defense lawyer John Kenny said it was standard procedure to have cases delayed because that normally works in a defendant’s favor, but Warrick’s situation is different.

“In this case, Peter cannot afford to take too long,” Kenny said. “He has more interest in saying, ‘Let’s get it done.’ ”

Warrick was a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, but his arrest might have dashed those hopes.