Jonathan Smith agrees to new contract terms with Oregon State

As Oregon State aims for its 10th win of the 2022 season, head coach Jonathan Smith inked a new deal with the University to reward his efforts with the program through five seasons.

OSU announced on Saturday afternoon that Smith and the University agreed to terms on a new contract, which will pay Smith a guaranteed annual salary of $4.85 Million starting March 1, 2023.  The new contract runs through Feb. 28, 2029.

The Beavers (9-3) are double-digit favorites against the SEC’s Florida Gators (6-6) this Saturday in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m., televised on ESPN.

More from the OSU press release:

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State Head Football Coach Jonathan Smith has agreed to terms for a new contract, Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Barnes announced Sunday.

“Coach Smith has taken the Oregon State football program to new heights, and we knew it was important to reward him and his staff to keep the momentum moving forward,” Barnes said. “The success they’ve achieved on the football field has been evident, and Coach’s Smith leadership and the work of his staff also has changed the culture of the program in the classroom, the weight room and the community.”

Smith’s new annual guaranteed compensation will be $4.85 million beginning March 1, 2023 with a contract that runs through Feb. 28, 2029. His contract will increase $100,000 each year with a total compensation of $30.6 million over the next six years.

The team’s assistant coaching salary pool will increase to $4.85 million and the team’s support staff pool will increase to $2.5 million with annual increases of $100,000 to both pools.

Current salaries and raises for Coach Smith, assistant coaches and football staff do not include use of any state funds or student tuition.

Smith led Oregon State to a 9-3 regular season record and a trip to the SDS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against the University of Florida on Dec. 17. The Beavers, ranked No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings, have a chance to win 10 games in a season for just the third time in program history.

“I want to thank Scott Barnes and the Oregon State administration for continuing to support this football program and everyone who works tirelessly for our student-athletes and all of Beaver Nation,” Smith said. “We are proud of what has been accomplished, but the work is not done and we’ll continue to put in the effort and do it the right way.”

Oregon State’s accomplishments since Coach Smith was hired on Nov. 29, 2017

·        Oregon State enters Saturday’s game with nine victories, the team’s most since 2012. Oregon State is bowl eligible for the second consecutive season.

·        Smith was named the Co-Head Coach of the Year in the Pac-12 in 2022. He also was named the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year. He is the first OSU coach recognized by the conference since 2008 and the first in the region since 2012.

·        The Beavers are 11-1 at home over the last two seasons, which included a 6-0 record at Reser Stadium in 2021. The 2021 Beavers became the second OSU team to do so, joining the 2000 Fiesta Bowl team. The Beavers also won six games at home for the fifth time in school history.

·        OSU also finished with a 6-3 record in Pac-12 play in 2022, the team’s most wins since 2012 also tallied six. The Beavers have had back-to-back winning seasons in conference play for the first time since 2008 and 2009.

·        Five All-Pac-12 First Team selections were awarded in 2022, the most since the 2009 Beavers tallied seven.

·        Oregon State picked up 19 All-Pac-12 honors in 2022, the most in school history.

·        Fifty-nine total all-Pac-12 selections have been made in Smith’s first five seasons.

·        The 2022 Beavers have been one of the most dominating defenses in the Pac-12 and the nation in 2022. OSU is ranked second for total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense and third in passing defense. OSU leads the Pac-12 and is 10^th nationally for passes defended.

·        Anthony Gould and Taliese Fuaga have both been named All-Americans in 2022. Damien Martinez, who was the Pac-12’s Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, has been named a Freshman All-American multiple times. Jack Velling has also been a Freshman All-American by Pro Football Focus.

·        Overall, seven Beavers have been named All-Americans during Smith’s tenure, which also includes running backs Jermar Jefferson and B.J. Baylor, linebackers Avery and Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and offensive lineman Nathan Eldridge. Damien Martinez (2022) and Jermar Jefferson (2018) named the Pac-12’s Offensive Freshman of the Year. Jefferson also named the Pac-12’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2020.

·        Oregon State is among the nation’s leaders in fewest turnovers during Smith’s tenure.

·        A total of 123 Pac-12 academic selections have been awarded Beaver players during Smith’s first four seasons.

Smith has been a part of 10 bowl games during his coaching career, including trips to the Peach Bowl (College Football Playoff) and Fiesta Bowl in back-to-back seasons during his time as University of Washington offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

As a student-athlete at Oregon State, Smith was a four-year letterman quarterback from 1998-2001 and ended his career as the then-career OSU leader in passing yards (9,680). The two-time team captain led the Beavers to the 1999 Oahu Bowl and the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, where OSU capped an 11-1 season with a dominating 41-9 victory over Notre Dame and a No. 4 final Associated Press ranking.

He was the Fiesta Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player, earned Pac-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week multiple times and was a two-time member of the league’s Honorable Mention team.