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Football coach fired for relationship with student sues Ohio University
TL;DR
Ohio University football coach Brian Smith has filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination after being fired for an affair with a student. The lawsuit claims the university breached his employment contract and seeks damages equivalent to his remaining salary.
Key points
- Brian Smith was fired for having an affair with a student.
- He filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination.
- The lawsuit claims breach of employment agreement.
- Smith's base salary was $615,000 plus bonuses.
- He seeks damages equal to his remaining contract.
Mentioned in this story
Brian SmithOhio University
Fired Ohio University football coach Brian Smith has sued the school for wrongful termination.
Smith was fired in December after the university said he admitted to having an affair with an undergraduate student. He filed the lawsuit May 8 in the Ohio Court of Claims, accusing the university of breaching his employment agreement. The complaint alleges that the university rushed to judgment, failed to conduct a meaningful investigation and ignored contractual protections, according to a press release from the law firm representing Smith.
The lawsuit seeks damages equal to the remainder of Smith's terminated contract at OU along with interest and attorneys fees.
Smith's base salary was $615,000, with $135,000 in supplemental income and a twice-a-year bonus of $50,000 for every year he would be employed, according to his contract. If Smith had been fired without cause, his contract would have required Ohio University to pay his salary through 2029.
Head coach Brian Smith of the Ohio Bobcats arrives at Ohio Stadium prior to the game again against the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 13, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
“This case is about accountability," Smith's attorney Rex Elliott said in a press release. "OU’s actions have irreparably harmed Coach Smith’s coaching career, and he is owed the full balance of his contractually agreed-upon compensation.”
The Dispatch reached out to OU for comment on Smith's lawsuit.
The university terminated Smith's contract on Dec. 17 for what it described as "with cause." Smith had been placed on leave Dec. 1, and vowed to fight his termination after just one season leading the Bobcats.
In a letter dated Dec. 12 to Smith, OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez accused him of carrying on the relationship with the student on campus at the Ohio University Inn. In the letter, the university president also wrote that Smith participated in a public appearance where he smelled strongly of alcohol and appeared intoxicated.
Q&A
What were the reasons for Brian Smith's termination from Ohio University?
Brian Smith was terminated for admitting to having an affair with an undergraduate student.
What damages is Brian Smith seeking in his lawsuit against Ohio University?
Smith is seeking damages equal to the remainder of his terminated contract, along with interest and attorney's fees.
How much was Brian Smith's salary at Ohio University?
Brian Smith's base salary was $615,000, with additional income and bonuses potentially increasing his total compensation.
What does Brian Smith's lawsuit claim about the university's investigation?
The lawsuit alleges that Ohio University rushed to judgment and failed to conduct a meaningful investigation into the circumstances of his termination.