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2w ago

Ohio Names John Hauser Interim After Placing Head Coach Brian Smith on Leave

The university did not disclose a reason for Smith's leave.

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Dec 20, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Ohio Bobcats head coach Brian Smith is given the Cure Bowl trophy after beating the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • Ohio said Smith is on leave effective Dec. 1 for an undetermined period.
  • Defensive coordinator and associate head coach John Hauser was elevated to interim head coach.
  • Hauser is expected to guide the Bobcats through bowl preparation, with the official bowl assignment due Dec. 7.
  • Ohio finished 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the MAC this season, missing the league title game on a three-way tiebreaker with Miami (OH).
  • Smith rose from assistant to offensive coordinator in 2024, when Ohio won the MAC and secured the program’s first 11-win season, and Hauser has not previously served as a head coach.