Ohio St. trustees’ group will head Meyer probe
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State trustees have appointed a special committee to investigate coach Urban Meyer’s handling of a fired assistant coach’s domestic abuse allegations. The university released a statement Thursday night announcing the formation of the six-member “independent board working group.”
Meyer was put on paid administrative leave Wednesday after a report that his wife, Shelley, knew about abuse allegations in 2015 against former assistant Zach Smith made by his then-wife, Courtney. Meyer told reporters he didn’t know about the allegations until just before Smith was fired last month.
The university is trying to determine what Meyer knew and when he knew it, and if he failed to report the allegations against Smith to officials.
The group includes current trustees Alex Fischer, Janet Porter and Alex Shumate. Also on the panel are former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, former acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford and former federal prosecutor Carter Stewart.
The Buckeyes planned to open their first football practice Friday without Meyer, who also was suspended from an endorsement deal by restaurant chain Bob Evans. It’s not clear how restrictive the paid leave will be for the coach set to earn $7.6 million for the season after getting a raise this year.