John Hauser was named Ohio University’s football coach on Friday, replacing Brian Smith, who was fired this month after one season. Hauser previously served as the Bobcats’ associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Hauser was the team’s interim coach for Ohio’s 17-10 win over UNLV in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl. He joined the program in 2022 following eight seasons as co-defensive coordinator at Miami (Ohio). It will be the 45-year-old’s first head coaching job.

Ohio players publicly backed Hauser after the team’s bowl win, chanting “hire Hauser” on camera and dousing him with a tub of iced coffee. Former and current players also advocated for him to get the job on social media. His hiring should provide roster continuity and help unify the program following the firing of Smith.

“This is a special place for my family and me, and we are proud to be part of a community that cares so deeply about Ohio University and its football program. I look forward to hitting the ground running with the team as we look to build on the program’s tradition of success in 2026 and beyond,” Hauser said in a statement.

Ohio fired Smith for cause following a romantic relationship with an undergraduate student and an allegation that he was intoxicated during a public appearance, according to the school. The school claimed Smith’s relationship with the student violated his contract by bringing “disrepute, scandal and ridicule” to the university and the athletic department.

Representatives for Smith intend to pursue wrongful termination litigation against Ohio.

Smith was previously reprimanded in late November for drinking and storing alcohol in his office, according to The Athletic. During that investigation, Smith claimed he periodically had a single drink of bourbon with assistant coaches after normal business hours.

Hauser did not address Smith’s firing at the bowl press conference, only talking about his team and the matchup against UNLV.

The Bobcats went 9-4 and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference in Smith’s lone season. Ohio has undergone multiple coaching changes in the last several years after former coach Frank Solich spent 16 years at the school. Smith, who spent three seasons on the Bobcats’ staff before being named head coach, replaced Tim Albin, who left for the head coaching job at Charlotte after Ohio’s first conference championship since 1968.

Ohio chose another internal hire in Hauser, whose defense surrendered 21.9 points per game this season, good for third in the conference. In the 2024 regular season, Hauser’s unit led the MAC and ranked fifth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 94.3 yards per game. Ohio allowed 17.46 points per game in 2024 — 11th nationally and best in the MAC — and ranked eighth in the nation in total defense at 295.2 yards allowed per game.

Hauser’s four seasons in Athens have coincided with the winningest four-year stretch in program history. The Bobcats have won 40 games in that stretch. Only two other Group of 5 programs have won 40-plus games over that same span: Tulane (43) and JMU (40). Ohio have had just one losing season since 2009.

“John is committed to developing our team while continuing to build on the strong foundation. The success is evident since he arrived on campus in 2022,” Ohio athletic director Slade Larscheid said in a statement. “John is a key piece in all that goes into our winning program. Additionally, he’s a proven leader, and his focus will be on the student-athlete experience, both on and off the field.”