Temple assistant hired by Ohio State

TEMPLE'S FOOTBALL coaching staff lost one member and retained another yesterday.

Zach Smith, the Owls' wide receivers coach and special-teams coordinator, was named the wide receivers coach at Ohio State.

Offensive coordinator Scot Loefler, who seemed to be a favorite for the head-coaching job at Akron, reportedly told the Zips he couldn't accept the job, and they instead selected former Auburn coach Terry Bowden.

Smith spent the 2010 season at Marshall as the wide receivers and special teams coach. Before that, he spent five seasons at Florida, where he was on the staff of Urban Meyer, now the Buckeyes coach.

"Zach has done a terrific job as wide receivers coach at both Marshall and this past year at Temple," Meyer said. "Ohio State is going to benefit from his coaching and his abilities as a recruiter."

Added Temple coach Steve Addazio, another former Meyer assistant at Florida: "I am very happy and supportive of Zach Smith's new opportunity at Ohio State. He grew up in Columbus, and as the grandson of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, he is a lifelong Buckeye fan. I thank Zach for his contributions to Temple football this year and wish Zach and his family all the best."

Bowden, who reached out to Akron, has spent the last three seasons at North Alabama, where he went 29-10 and made the Division II playoffs each year.