Ex-Ohio coach Brian Smith's attorney will fight firing by Bobcats, 'vigorously disputes' claims

An attorney for now-former Ohio head football coach Brian Smith released a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing they planned to “vigorously dispute” the Bobcats’ grounds for termination after Smith was fired for cause earlier in the day.

Ohio University formally announced Smith’s dismissal Wednesday, citing “allegations that Smith violated terms of his employment agreement by engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University” in a statement. Smith was still serving out a previously-announced leave of absence at the time of his firing.

Smith’s attorney, Rex Elliott, responded with his own statement decrying the university’s decision and adding Smith “is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events.”

“We vigorously dispute Ohio University’s grounds for the termination for cause of Coach Brian Smith,” Elliott’s statement read, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “He is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events, and we plan to fight this wrongful termination to protect his good name. Coach Smith is an ethical man who has done an exemplary job for the University. He wants nothing but the best for the players, coaches and the entire Bobcat community.”

In its statement announcing Smith’s dismissal, Ohio University revealed Bobcats assistant John Hauser will continue to serve as the interim head coach and lead the team into the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 23 against UNLV.

Ohio Bobcats place coach Brian Smith on leave, ‘staying silent on issue’

Smith’s attorney previously told the school’s public TV and radio station WOUB that Smith was asked to leave in the middle of the work day without any explanation when he was initially put on leave Dec. 2. No allegations or charges have been brought against Smith, per the report, and his attorney has denied any wrongdoing.

“Two days later, the attorney told WOUB that Smith still hadn’t been given a formal reason for the school’s decision, but was looking forward to returning to his players and staff as soon as possible,” the report from FOS read. “The coach was set to make about $850,000 for this season, according to USA Today. And, the contract said, Dec. 1 was a key deadline for his $2.5 million buyout.

“If the school had fired Smith without cause before Dec. 1, it would’ve owed him the entire base salary left on his deal, equal to $2,511,250. Starting Dec. 1, if Smith decided to leave, he or his new employer would’ve owed that amount back to the university.”

Smith recently went through a divorce, according to a public filing on December 3rd, though his ex-wife’s attorney made it clear “nothing [she] has alleged is the cause of [Smith’s] current situation at Ohio University,” and she “does not know what the specific issues are.”

Smith and his ex-wife finalized their divorce on Tuesday, per FOS. The Athens Police Department, Ohio University Campus Police and the university did not answer questions nor provide additional information on the seemingly bizarre situation.

Smith has been at Ohio University since 2022, serving as an assistant coach before his promotion to head coach prior to this season, when the Bobcats went 8-4 and qualifed for a bowl game.

— On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.