Brian Smith was fired as the head coach of Ohio University’s football program for multiple violations of his contract, including an extramarital affair with an undergraduate student, according to records obtained Thursday by The Associated Press through a public records request.
The university had said Wednesday that it terminated Smith’s contract for cause after an administrative review that found him “engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably” on the school. It did not provide specifics at the time.
The details were contained in a copy of the school’s notice of intent to terminate obtained by the AP. The records also included the response by Smith’s attorney to the school.
Lori Stewart Gonzalez, the president of Ohio University, sent Smith, 45, and his attorney, Rex Elliott, the notice of intent to terminate Smith’s contract on Dec. 12. Smith had been placed on indefinite leave on Dec. 1.
The reasons outlined in the notice included “participation in extramarital affairs” and “alcohol-related conduct,” including participating in a public event during which Smith smelled strongly of alcohol and “were intoxicated in your demeanor,” according to the records.
The school said the extramarital affairs were cause for termination because they brought the coach into “public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule.”
Elliott responded to Gonzalez on Dec. 16 that “divorce proceedings were well underway before he began dating anyone. Coach Smith did not hide the relationship, and even his now ex-wife didn’t accuse him of engaging in an extramarital affair.” Smith and his ex-wife separated earlier this year.
The attorney’s response said Smith didn’t know the woman was a university student at the time they met at an Athens establishment, and that they dated for nearly four months. The student also was not a staff member in the football program or athletic department, according to the attorney.
“No one at OU expressed any concern or input into who Coach Smith was permitted to date but he nonetheless ended the relationship in early November,” Elliott wrote.
The attorney also disputed the characterization that an affair was being carried out at an on-campus inn because Smith was living there at the time while he was looking for another home after his divorce.
Elliott argued that the school has no written policy preventing any employee from dating a student and that “this was a perfectly appropriate consensual adult relationship that did not violate any OU rule or policy.”
The school’s letter also said Smith was reprimanded for “repeated use of alcohol in your office.”
Smith’s attorney said the reprimand was related to coaches having a victory toast in Smith’s office after home victories. Elliott said the bourbon was provided by Gonzalez’s husband and that “taking a single drink toasting a victory with his staff comes nowhere close to justifying a “for cause” termination.”
In a statement released Wednesday night, Elliott said: “We vigorously dispute Ohio University’s grounds for the termination for cause of Coach Brian Smith.”
However, Elliott did note in his letter to Gonzalez that they were open to avoiding a public battle and working toward a mutual departure that would “protect Coach Smith from undue harm as well as the University.”
Smith was named head coach of the Bobcats on Dec. 18, 2024, after Tim Albin left to become the coach at Charlotte. Smith came to Ohio as running backs coach and passing game coordinator in 2022, then was promoted to associate head coach in 2023 and offensive coordinator in 2024.
The Bobcats went 9-4 under Smith, including a win in last year’s Cure Bowl over Jacksonville State and a 17-10 victory over Big 12 member West Virginia this season. The Bobcats, who went 6-2 in Mid-American Conference play, have one game remaining this season as they will face Mountain West Conference member UNLV (10-3) in the Frisco (Texas) Bowl next Tuesday.
Defensive coordinator John Hauser is serving as interim coach for Ohio. The search for the program’s next head coach is underway.