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Ohio University announced Wednesday that it has terminated head coach Brian Smith for cause.
“The termination follows an administrative review of allegations that Smith violated the terms of his employment agreement by engaging in serious professional misconduct and engaging in activities that reflect negatively on the university,” the school said in a statement.
The Bobcats named defensive coordinator John Hauser as interim head coach for the team, scheduled to face the UNLV Rebels in the 2025 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl on Dec. 23.
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Ohio Bobcats head coach Brian Smith arrives at Ohio Stadium prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 13, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
“A search for a permanent head coach for Ohio football will begin immediately,” the statement concluded.
It is unknown what “serious professional misconduct” Smith allegedly engaged in, but his attorney, Rex Elliott, denied any wrongdoing.
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“We strongly dispute Ohio University’s rationale for the termination for coach Brian Smith’s case,” Elliott said in a statement to ESPN. “He is shocked and appalled by this development and we plan to fight this wrongful dismissal to protect his good name.
“Coach Smith is an ethical man who has done exemplary work for the university. He wants nothing but the best for the players, coaches and the entire Bobcat community.”
Ohio Bobcats head coach Brian Smith watches a third quarter replay against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Smith and the Bobcats went 8-4 in his first regular season as Ohio’s head coach. He was placed on leave on December 1 for undisclosed reasons.
Smith was the team’s offensive coordinator last season before being promoted to interim head coach following Tim Albin’s decision to go to Charlotte. The 45-year-old Smith received a five-year contract to remain the Bobcats’ head coach through the 2029 season.
But after being fired by the university for cause, Smith is not owed about $2.5 million in back pay.
Brian Smith of the Ohio Bobcats during the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on August 28, 2025 at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
Smith’s coaching career before Ohio involved stops with Washington State and Hawaii. He also played at Hawai’i as an offensive lineman and long snapper.
