Football
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ATHENS, Ohio – Five Ohio football program assistant coaches will remain on the 2025 staff, as announced by Head Coach Brian Smith today (Dec. 23).
Current Defensive Coordinator John Hauser will take on the role of associate head coach, while Passing Game Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Scott Isphording will move into the offensive coordinator role. Additionally, Wide Receivers Coach Andre Allen, Running Game Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach Tremayne Scott, and Defensive Passing Game Coordinator, Cornerbacks Coach and Director of Player Development De’Angelo Smith will continue their current roles for the 2025 season.
"I am extremely excited to start announcing our 2025 coaching staff. Keeping these coaches on staff will help sustain the culture they have all contributed to building in their time in Athens," head coach Brian Smith said. "These are great coaches and even better leaders who care deeply about our student-athletes and Ohio University. I have no doubt they will help the program reach our goals for the 2025 season and beyond."
Smith will continue to be hands-on with the offense, continuing to call the plays in 2025.
Hauser joined Ohio in 2022 after serving as the co-defensive coordinator for Miami (Ohio) for eight seasons. Hauser was promoted to defensive passing game coordinator in 2023, defensive coordinator before the 2024 season and associate head coach prior to the 2024 StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Dec.20).
Under Hauser in 2024 during the regular season, Ohio led the Mid-American Conference and was fifth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 94.3 yards per game. Ohio allowed just 17.46 points per game this season, which was 11th in the nation and also led the MAC. In total defense, Ohio was eighth in the nation at 295.2 yards per game allowed.
In the 2024 MAC Championship, Hauser’s defense allowed just three points in Ohio’s 38-3 win over Miami, marking the first time a team had been held to no touchdowns in a MAC Championship game.
Previously, Hauser led Miami (Ohio)’s defense and spent two seasons at The Citadel as the safeties coach. Hauser has also spent time at Wayne State (2009-12), Northern Illinois (2003-08) and Wittenberg (2002).
Isphording wrapped up his 12th season as an assistant coach in 2024. Isphording began his second tour of duty in Athens and his first as the Bobcats’ quarterbacks coach in 2014.
Isphording is responsible for developing multiple of Ohio’s most prolific quarterbacks, including Parker Navarro, Kurtis Rourke and two-time Cornish Award recipient Nathan Rourke. Navarro’s 2024 regular season performance earned him MAC weekly accolades four times, highlighted by three consecutive weeks in November, as well as a Davey O’Brien “Great 8” following week 14, culminating in All-MAC Second Team Offense accolades. Additionally, he earned MAC Championship Offensive Player of the Game as well as 2024 StaffDNA Cure Bowl MVP accolades to cap off his postseason. Notably, Navarro is the first quarterback in program history to record over 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.
During the Bobcats’ final regular season game in 2023, Kurtis Rourke passed Nathan as the second leading passer in program history. In total, he threw for 7,650 yards during his time as a Bobcat. Following the 2022 season, Kurtis Rourke was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Vern Smith Leadership Award and First-Team All-MAC after playing in just 11 games.
Allen joined the Bobcats as their wide receivers coach prior to the 2024 season, quickly making an impact. Under his guidance, wide receiver Coleman Owen became the program’s leading single-season receiver (1,216 yds), passing LaVon Brazill and Donte’ Foster in single-season receiving yards and becoming one of three Bobcats in program history to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Allen has over 30 years of coaching experience, including stops at UC Davis, Washington State, Hawai’i and City College of San Francisco (CCSF). While in Pullman, the Cougars’ 2021 Apple Cup win marked the program’s largest margin of victory in the rivalry game’s history. Allen coached four wideouts to conference accolades in 2021, marking the first set of Cougar wideouts to earn all-conference first or second team since 2004.
Scott, a staple on Ohio’s defensive line from 2009-12, joined the Bobcats’ coaching staff in 2018 as the defensive tackles Coach. He was promoted to defensive line coach and assumed the responsibilities of the running game coordinator in spring 2024.
The Bobcats’ 2024 campaign capped off a historic run for the program as well as the defense, culminating in the program’s first 11-win season in program history. Notably, the defense held Jax State to 40 total rushing yards in the 2024 StaffDNA Cure Bowl. On the season, the Gamecocks averaged 267.3 on the ground. The 2023 season marked highs for the defense as well, with Ohio’s defense hitting No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference and No. 4 in FBS football.
Scott played in 35 games on the defensive line for the Bobcats from 2009-12, registering 71.5 tackles, 7.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and one interception. Scott was named the 2012 Advocare V100 Independence Bowl Defensive Player of the Game as the Bobcats rolled to 45-14 victory over ULM in his final game at Ohio.
Smith joined Ohio’s coaching staff in 2017 as the cornerbacks coach. Since then, Smith has added director of player development to his title and in 2024, he assumed the responsibility of the passing game coordinator.
Following his performance in the 2022 season, redshirt freshman cornerback Torrie Cox, Jr. earned College Football News Freshman All-American Team Third Team accolades. On the season, Cox recorded 50 total tackles and was second in interceptions (2), both of which he snagged in the Bobcats’ 33-14 victory over Western Michigan (Oct. 15, 2022).
Smith was a three-year letterwinner as both a cornerback and safety at Cincinnati (2006-08). As a senior in 2008, Smith was named the recipient of UC’s Brig Owens Award (outstanding back) after tallying 53 tackles, 10 pass break-ups and a pair of interceptions in helping the Bearcats win the Big East Championship and land a berth in the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. As a junior in 2007, Smith earned second-team All-BIG EAST honors and set a Bearcat single-season record with eight interceptions, which also tied for most in the NCAA FBS.
Smith was selected in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft (No. 143 overall) by the Dallas Cowboys. He played in seven games during the 2009 NFL season for the Detroit Lions, recording 16 tackles.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Smith earned first-team all-state honors as a senior while playing for Independence High School. He graduated from Cincinnati in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and earned a master’s degree in education at Michigan State.
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