COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio University football team didn’t have to look very far to name its new head coach.
The Bobcats announced Wednesday morning that Brian Smith, who was serving as the team’s interim head coach, will be promoted to serve as Ohio’s 30th head coach in program history.
Smith joined the team in 2022 as the team’s running backs coach and passing coordinator, quickly ascending to associate head coach in 2023 and offensive coordinator in 2024.
He was named interim head coach after Tim Albin announced he was taking the head coaching position at Charlotte. Albin finished 33-19 with the Bobcats, including three consecutive 10-win seasons.
“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,” Ohio University Director of Athletics Julie Cromer said. “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 has played a role in each of those seasons, guiding the OU offense to lead the conference in points per game (29.2), total yards and yards per game (5,198/399.8), and rushing yards (2,758). The team amassed 467 yards in the 2024 MAC Championship to defeat Miami, Ohio, earning its first conference title since 1967. As well, running back Anthony Tyus III led the MAC with 1,111 rushing yards.
The Bobcats, winners of the Arizona Bowl and Myrtle Beach Bowl the last two seasons, also produced 11 All-MAC offensive honorees, an offensive MAC Player of the Year (QB Kurtis Roarke) and a MAC Freshman of the Year (RB Sieh Bangura). OU’s Ricky Hunt Jr. set a program record and tied an NCAA record for most touchdowns in a bowl game (5 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl).
The Bobcats (10-3) take on Jacksonville State (9-4) in the Cure Bowl on Friday.