Ohio to Promote Defensive Coordinator John Hauser to Head Coach

Hauser served as the school's interim for the Frisco Bowl win over UNLV following Brian Smith's firing.

Ohio is hiring defensive coordinator John Hauser as the school's new head coach. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ohio is promoting defensive coordinator John Hauser as the program's next head coach, according to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Hauser, who served in an interim capacity for the school's 17-10 Frisco Bowl win over UNLV, will take over for Brian Smith, who was fired for cause earlier this month for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with an undergraduate student.

Hauser has been with the Bobcats program since 2022, serving in multiple assistant coaching roles before taking over as defensive coordinator under Smith.

It will be the 45-year-old's first head coaching job.

Ohio finished this season 9-4, with a 6-2 record in the MAC.

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