Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After Ohio University suddenly dismissed head football coach Brian Smith in December without offering up any explanation, rumors quickly began to swirl.
Records obtained by The Associated Press showed that the university cited alleged extramarital affairs — including one with a graduate student — and alcohol-related conduct, including claims he appeared intoxicated at a public event and repeatedly used alcohol in his office.
However, the university never publicly stated its reason for firing Smith. What it did do, however, was fire Smith for cause, meaning that he did not collect any of the money remaining on his contract.
By doing so, the university also stoked the flames of those rumors. Now, Smith is fighting back.
Brian Smith Files Suit Against Ohio For Wrongful Termination
On Friday morning, Smith filed a lawsuit against the university that accused it of wrongfully terminating him, and sought to recoup the $2.5 million buyout that the school would have owed him had he not been fired for cause.
Notably, Smith went 8-4 in his first full season in charge of the Bobcats, making his firing even more eye-opening.
Former Ohio University football coach Brian Smith filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university. Smith was fired for cause in December over allegations of a romantic relationship with an Ohio U. undergrad & public intoxication.
A statement from Smith’s attorney. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/9fImoKPZl7
— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) May 8, 2026
“This case arises from Ohio University’s decision to destroy the career and reputation of its head football coach first and justify it later,” the complaint states.
The suit disputes the claims of an inappropriate relationship and public intoxication, and argues that the university failed to follow the standards required under his contract before firing him. It claims that the school terminated Smith “in a matter of days” and without completing any meaningful investigation.
Additionally, Smith alleges Ohio linked him 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.”
Where things go from here is up to the courts. But it’s clear that Smith believes that he’s entitled to some sort of recompense after being unceremoniously booted from the job.