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sports16h ago
Ohio football coach Brian Smith mysteriously placed on leave before bowl game
Cbssports.com and 1 more
- Ohio head coach Brian Smith is on leave for an undetermined period, with defensive coordinator John Hauser named interim head coach to guide the program through the bowl season.
- Hauser has been with Ohio since 2022, rising from safeties coach to defensive coordinator and associate head coach, and is now entrusted with interim leadership.
- The Bobcats finished 8-4 this season and are preparing for a bowl game, with Hauser stepping in for the interim period.
- CBS Sports projected Ohio to play Penn State in the GameAbove Sports Bowl on December 26, positioning the team for a notable postseason matchup.
- Selection Sunday on December 7 will officially determine Ohio's bowl destination amid the coaching change.
- Smith previously served as interim head coach last year before being promoted to full-time head coach in 2022, marking a rapid rise through Ohio’s ranks.
- Ohio went 6-2 in MAC play but missed the MAC title game due to tiebreakers, shaping the season's conference narrative.
- Hauser will lead the program through the bowl game and the interim period while the school assesses Smith's status.
- Ohio Athletics has not disclosed the reason for Smith's leave, leaving timing and rationale undetermined at this stage.
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