Brian Smith firing: Ohio President Lori Stewart Gonzalez issues new accusations against former Bobcats coach

Ohio University president Lori Stewart Gonzalez reportedly sent a letter to recently-fired Bobcats head football coach Brian Smith and his attorney. In it, she cited the coach’s “extramarital affairs, including one with an undergraduate student,” as reason for his firing for cause on Wednesday, according to Ohio’s independent student paper, The Post.

Ohio University formally announced Smith’s dismissal on Wednesday. The school cited “allegations that Smith violated terms of his employment agreement by engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University” in a statement. Smith was still serving out a previously announced leave of absence at the time of his firing.

BREAKING: The Post has obtained the letter sent by Ohio President Lori Stewart Gonzalez to former head coach Brian Smith and his attorney. In it, she claims that Smith had extramarital affairs, one with an undergraduate student at Ohio.

Story to follow. pic.twitter.com/7djEQWuIBa

— The Post (@ThePost) December 18, 2025

Smith’s attorney, Rex Elliott, responded with his own statement later Wednesday. In it, he pushed back on the university’s decision and adding Smith “is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events.”

“We vigorously dispute Ohio University’s grounds for the termination for cause of Coach Brian Smith,” Elliott’s statement read, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “He is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events, and we plan to fight this wrongful termination to protect his good name. Coach Smith is an ethical man who has done an exemplary job for the University. He wants nothing but the best for the players, coaches and the entire Bobcat community.”

This letter follows a report from The Athletic’s Justin Williams late Wednesday. That report suggested Smith allegedly violated school policy related to alcohol and “other drugs” last month.

Smith’s file showed he admitted “on occasion, a few assistant coaches, all over the age of 21, joined him privately in his office after games for a single drink of bourbon” and he received a reprimand Nov. 25, according to The Athletic. Ohio’s school policy states employees cannot be in possession of alcohol and/or drugs in the workplace.

Smith recently went through a divorce, according to a public filing on December 3rd. His ex-wife’s attorney made it clear “nothing [she] has alleged is the cause of [Smith’s] current situation at Ohio University,” and she “does not know what the specific issues are.”

Smith and his ex-wife finalized their divorce on Tuesday, per FOS. The Athens Police Department, Ohio University Campus Police and the university did not answer questions nor provide additional information on the seemingly bizarre situation.

Smith has been at Ohio University since 2022, serving as an assistant coach before his promotion to head coach prior to this season. The Bobcats went 8-4 and qualified for a bowl game.

— On3’s Nick Kosko and Nick Schultz contributed to this report.