Brian Smith, a former University of Hawaii center and associate head coach, was named head coach at Ohio on Wednesday.
He received a five-year contract.
Smith had been the offensive coordinator and interim head coach after Tim Albin, the coach for the past four years, recently took a head coaching position at Charlotte. The Bobcats previously promoted Albin to replace Frank Solich. Under Albin and Smith, Ohio won the MAC this season for the first time since 1968. The Bobcats have had three consecutive 10-win seasons and will play Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl on Friday.
“Ohio Bobcat Football has been on a historic run in recent years, and Brian Smith has been a significant part of not only our MAC Championship team, but also our established culture of winning,” athletic director Julie Cromer said in a statement. “During the course of a national search that attracted several outstanding candidates, Coach Smith ultimately stood out above the rest. He presented a plan for not only sustaining our culture and foundation but also building upon it in the evolving landscape of college football.”
Smith joined Ohio in 2022 as running backs coach, added the associate head coach title in 2023, became offensive coordinator in 2024 and has been the interim head coach since Albin left.
Despite losing star quarterback Kurtis Rourke to Indiana and running back Sieh Bangura to Minnesota in the transfer portal last year, Smith’s offense led the MAC in scoring, yards per game and rushing yards per game this season.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Ohio University football program,” Smith said in a statement. “Coach Solich and Albin laid the foundation for our success brick-by-brick, developing a culture that is second to none. Our culture and values will be protected and will continue to thrive, producing tremendous young men who are champions on the field and in our communities.”
Smith played for UH from 1998 to 2001. He was a student assistant under June Jones in 2004 before becoming a graduate assistant at Oregon State in 2006 and an offensive line coach at Portland State in 2007.
He returned to his alma mater and was an assistant (offensive line, 2008; running backs 2009-11) under coach Greg McMackin from 2008 to 2011. He then coached at Cal Lutheran and Occidental after not being retained by new UH coach Norm Chow.
He returned to UH and was associate head coach/offensive coordinator from 2016 to 2019 under Nick Rolovich, his former UH teammate and housemate. When Rolovich was named Washington State’s head coach in 2020, Smith also joined the Cougars as offensive coordinator. Smith was given the added title of WSU’s associate head coach in 2021. In October 2021, Rolovich was fired after refusing to comply with a mandate that required all state employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Smith, who was vaccinated, remained on staff and led the Cougars’ offense the rest of the 2021 season.
He became passing game coordinator/RB assistant at Ohio in 2022.
