Oregon State AD says keeping coach Jonathan Smith is top priority

By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

With Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith’s name being bandied about in connection with coaching vacancies, Beavers athletic director Scott Barnes said his top priority is retaining him.

Barnes released a statement on Wednesday as speculation grew about Smith’s future with the Beavers. The speculation coincides with uncertainty about the Pac-12 going forward.

Oregon State and Washington State are the lone remaining teams in the conference after the other 10 teams bolted in realignment. Together the Beavers and the Cougars have filed a lawsuit to retain the Pac-12’s assets.

The No. 15 Beavers were preparing for Friday’s game at No. 6 Oregon, possibly the final meeting in the storied rivalry between the schools for the foreseeable future. The Ducks are headed to the Big Ten next season.

“Coach Smith and I have had ongoing conversations for more than a month regarding his future at Oregon State and our path forward for football specifically and our athletic department generally,” Barnes said in the statement. “He has embraced our short and long term plans. My No. 1 priority is providing him with a new contract and guaranteed compensation that will help continue the success of the football program that has benefitted Oregon State University and Beavers’ athletics.”

Among the schools with vacancies are Michigan State and Texas A&M.

Smith said that he was focused on the Beavers following last weekend’s 22-20 loss to No. 4 Washington. Oregon State is bowl eligible at 8-3 overall.

Smith was a former quarterback for the Beavers, leading the team when they played in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. He returned to Oregon State as head coach in late 2017 and is 34-34 overall as the team’s head coach.

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