The coaching carousel is alive and well, and the rumor mill is already firing on all cylinders. Could Tim Polasek be your team’s next head coach? Let’s take a look at his background, contract details, and buyout information.
Tim Polasek, one of the latest branches of the North Dakota State coaching tree, has continued the Bison’s dominance. His base salary at NDSU is $330,000, but with appearance fees and easy-to-hit incentives, he’s realistically earning closer to $400,000 per year. His contract runs through Jan. 15, 2029, with a buyout starting at $330,000* and dropping to $150,000 after the 2025 season.
There’s also a unique clause that could automatically extend his deal another year if both NDSU’s president and athletic director leave. However, that clause has not been triggered as both the president and AD are still in Fargo.
Tim Polasek Contract & Buyout
- Base Salary: $330,000 annually
- Term: December 20, 2023 – January 15, 2029
- Buyout:
- $330,000* if Polasek resigns and accepts another NCAA job before NDSU’s final game of the 2025 season (including postseason)
- $150,000 if he departs after the 2025 season but before contract expiration
- $0 if he leaves for a Mountain West or MAC head coaching position
- Appearance Fees:
- $25,000 annually for university, foundation, and booster events
- $50,000 media appearance fee in Year 1, increasing by $5,000 each subsequent year
- Realistic Annual Total: Around $400,000 when including appearance fees and incentives
- Automatic Extension: If both President David Cook and AD Matt Larsen leave NDSU within 12 months of each other before January 15, 2029, the deal automatically extends to January 15, 2030.
- Termination Clauses:
- NDSU may terminate “without cause” but must pay the remaining base salary (subject to mitigation)
- Polasek must make reasonable efforts to find comparable employment if terminated without cause
* “If the resignation and acceptance of such new position occurs prior to the football team’s final game of the 2025 season (which may include post-season game(s) in January 2026), then the amount owed by Coach to NDSU shall equal Coach’s then-current annual salary excluding all fees and bonuses. If the resignation occurs after such date, but prior to the football team’s final game of the 2028 season (which may include post-season game(s) in January 2029), then the amount owed by Coach to NDSU shall equal $150,000.”
Tim Polasek Bio
The Bison coaching lineage continues to be one of the most successful pipelines in college football. Craig Bohl, Chris Klieman, Matt Entz—all left Fargo for bigger jobs and won at their next stops. Tim Polasek might just be next.
Named head coach on December 17, 2023, Polasek guided NDSU to a 14–2 record, an 11th Missouri Valley Football Conference title, and a 10th FCS national championship in his first season. The former Iowa offensive line coach and Wyoming offensive coordinator returned home to a program he helped build, and he quickly maintained its national standing. The Bison are currently ranked No. 1 in the country.
Before taking over in Fargo, Polasek spent time at nearly every level of the sport, from Division III to the Big Ten. He was the offensive line coach at Iowa, offensive coordinator at Wyoming, and offensive coordinator during multiple national championship runs at NDSU. He also coached at Northern Illinois and Wisconsin–Stevens Point and was once an all-conference quarterback at Concordia (Wisconsin), where he still holds multiple passing records. That long résumé across regions and levels makes him one of the more seasoned head coaches in the FCS ranks despite being just a few years into his tenure.
So the question remains, does Polasek remain a Bison or is he going to look for greener pastures in 2026?
