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Report: Oregon State Beavers and Jonathan Smith to reach new 6-year contract through 2025

January 7, 2020 12:22PM PST
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Report: Oregon State Beavers and Jonathan Smith to reach new 6-year contract through 2025
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Jonathan Smith has finally got Oregon State football back on track and on the rise, and it looks like OSU brass is ready to reward the effort.

Per a report from SI’s Pete Thamel, the Beavers are offering a new six-year contract to their head coach that will run through the 2025 season.

Smith took the head coaching job with the Beavers in 2018 after the program parted ways with Gary Andersen.  Smith has took the Beavers from the bottom of the Pac-12 in both the standings and recruiting rankings, to tying for a second-place finish in the Pac-12 North in 2019 and a solid recruiting performance for the early signing period, ranking seventh in the conference.

 

Update:  Oregon State University officially announces three-year contract extension for Jonathan Smith that runs through 2025.

From OSU press release:

 

Head Coach Jonathan Smith Receives Three-Year Contract Extension

CORVALLIS – Oregon State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Tuesday that Beaver Football Head Coach Jonathan Smith has received a three-year contract extension. Smith, one of the most accomplished student-athletes in the history of the OSU program, is now under contract through the 2025 season.

“Coach Smith has been groomed to lead the Beaver football program,” Barnes said. “His impact has been significant and there is no one better suited to continue to build the foundation to a level of sustained success. What we saw in Jonathan when we brought him home two years ago continues to be reaffirmed with the progress shown in all aspects of the program.

“There is still work to be done, but I’m excited Coach Smith will be leading our football program for the foreseeable future. Simply put, he’s our guy!”

“I want to thank Scott Barnes, the OSU administration, and Beaver Nation for having the confidence and commitment in this coaching staff to continue the trajectory of this program,” Smith said. “I’m excited about the momentum on and off the field, recruiting, academics and the support we have from Beaver Nation.”

Smith’s OSU Accomplishments:

  • Football student-athletes have combined for six straight terms of 3.00-plus cumulative GPA, including a record 3.22 for Fall Term 2019.
  • Football student-athletes have earned Pac-12 Conference Academic honors 43 times over the past two years.
  • Hamilcar Rashed, Jr. earned All-America honors last season – the first for a Beaver since 2013.
  • Omar Speights was selected Freshman All-American last season – the second consecutive freshman to be selected to the prestigious honor, joining Jermar Jefferson in 2018.
  • The team made a three-win improvement from 2018 to 2019; tied for the best escalation in the Pac-12.
  • The Beavers finished tied for second in the Pac-12 North; the best since the league split into two divisions.
  • The team won three Pac-12 road games in 2019 for the first time since 2013.
  • OSU’s 2020 recruiting class is ranked the best since 2013 by 247Sports.
  • Seven Beavers were selected to the 2019 Pac-12 team; the most since 2013.
  • OSU returns 15 starters from the 2019 team and 71 players who have appeared in a Division I game.
  • The 2019 team averaged a school record 6.0 yards per play.
  • OSU led the country in 2019 for fewest turnovers with six.
  • The defense allowed 13.2 points fewer per game in 2019 compared to 2018.
  • The defense allowed 158 fewer points in 2019 compared to 2018; the best improvement in the program’s modern history over the course of two seasons.
  • The defense had the most tackles-for-loss (86) and quarterback sacks (32) since 2008.

“In addition to Coach Smith’s three-year contract extension, we have made a sizeable financial commitment to our assistant coaches,” Barnes said. “Coaching continuity is one of our four pillars and is a vital investment, as are the other three pillars (recruiting, scheduling, facilities), for the long-term growth of Beaver Football.”

Smith’s coaching career includes eight bowl games, including a College Football Playoff appearance and Fiesta Bowl contest in back-to-back years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington (2014-17). Prior to his tenure at Washington, he served as the quarterbacks coach at Boise State (2012-13), offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Montana (2010-11) and quarterbacks coach at Idaho (2004-09). He began his professional career immediately upon conclusion of his playing days as a graduate assistant coach at OSU beginning in 2002.

Smith became the first OSU graduate to lead the football program when he was announced to Beaver Nation Nov. 29, 2017. The former quarterback, who led OSU to a pair of bowl games, including defeating Notre Dame in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, left the school as the then-career leader for passing yards (9,680).

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