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Former Ohio football coach Brian Smith has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Ohio University, claiming the school breached his employment contract when it fired him for cause in December and damaged his reputation through what his complaint calls a rushed and unfair process.
The complaint, filed in the Ohio Court of Claims and obtained by CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson, is asking for the remaining balance of Smith’s contract. It argues the university fired him based on allegations that were never proven or properly investigated.
“This case arises from Ohio University’s decision to destroy the career and reputation of its head football coach first and justify it later.”
Ohio pushed back on that characterization. In a statement provided to CBS Sports, the university maintained Smith was fired for legitimate contract violations.
“As the university stated in December 2025, Brian Smith’s termination for cause was based on violations of the established terms within his employment agreement. This lawsuit is unfounded, and the university will strongly defend itself in court.”
Ohio announced on Dec. 17 that Smith had been fired following an administrative review into what it described as “serious professional misconduct.” He had been placed on leave earlier that month, with defensive coordinator John Hauser stepping in as interim coach.
Records obtained by The Associated Press at the time showed the university cited alleged extramarital affairs, including one with a graduate student, along with alcohol-related conduct. Those claims included accusations that Smith appeared intoxicated at a public event and regularly used alcohol in his office. University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez wrote in a notice of intent to terminate that Smith had brought “disrepute, scandal and ridicule” to the school.
Smith’s lawsuit disputes all of it.
The complaint argues Ohio terminated Smith “in a matter of days” without completing any meaningful investigation, and that the university failed to follow the standards required under his contract before pulling the trigger. It further alleges Ohio publicly linked Smith to accusations of sexual misconduct, moral turpitude and professional unfitness even though those allegations were “never adjudicated, never proven, and never subjected to the fair and contractual process OU promised.”
The lawsuit also contends the university improperly used a prior corrective reprimand and a consensual adult relationship as grounds for the firing.
Smith’s attorney Rex Elliott has been direct about what his client is owed.
“OU’s actions have irreparably harmed coach Smith’s coaching career, and he is owed the full balance of his contractually agreed-upon compensation.”
Elliott had previously challenged the university’s reasoning, arguing that Smith’s divorce proceedings were already underway when he began dating and that the school had no written policy prohibiting employees from dating students outside the athletic department.
Smith, 45, was promoted to head coach in December 2024 after Tim Albin left for Charlotte. He had come up through the Ohio program as running backs coach, then associate head coach and offensive coordinator after joining in 2022. The Bobcats went 9-4 in his one season leading the program, capping it with a Cure Bowl win over Jacksonville State.
Hauser went on to coach Ohio to a Frisco Bowl victory over UNLV after taking over and was later named full-time head coach for the 2026 season.
